The Global Partnership Development Fund (GPDF) is designed to encourage international activities and support academic collaborations. The fund is managed by the International Strategy and Academic Partnerships (ISAP) team, formerly Global Academic Engagement (GAE).
This scheme aims to enable faculty to further existing, or develop new academic partnerships with counterparts based at a partner institution. Applications should clearly demonstrate the potential benefits of the proposed activity in relation to their department’s international collaborations, such as Double Degree provision and new mobility partners.
The GPDF is designed to pump-prime the development of strategic, sustainable and mutually beneficial international partnership activities. These may include:
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New collaborative teaching programme development with existing academic partners
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New international partnership building between LSE and high-quality academic institutions worldwide*
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Projects and initiatives jointly delivered with LSE’s institutional partners in responses to calls and opportunities through alliances that LSE is a member of
Please refer to 'Examples of activities' below for the type of projects the GPDF seeks to support.
*Any new partnership initiative should be discussed with our team using the designated Partnership Initiation form (LSE staff log-in required) in the first instance, and it is subject to approval by relevant LSE Committee(s) such as SMC.
Applications are now open for the Global Partnership Development Fund. Get in touch with global@lse.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Funding for each application is up to £3,500 (up to £1,500 for European partners). Applicants are advised to investigate available funding through CIVICA in the first instance, when collaborating with CIVICA partners in Europe.
The GPDF usually requires minimum 20% match funding support (factored into the submitted budget) from Department, Centre or Institute at LSE.
All LSE faculty with a formal, full-time affiliation with at least one department, centre and institute are eligible to apply.
In principle, one applicant can only submit one application per year. However, unsuccessful applicants from a previous round are welcome to submit a revised application in the following round, pending funds availability.
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Visit or host a Double Degree partner to deepen the existing link, by carrying out a yearly review of the double degree programme with relevant faculty and professional service staff, including meeting academic colleagues teaching on the programme and current/prospective students, sitting on an exam board, giving a guest lecture, and/or contributing to a seminar/workshop.
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Visit to an existing partner to discuss a new Double Degree programme or collaborative PhD programme and exchange arrangements.
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Visit to a potential new partner to explore new double-degree or other similar programme. Please note: this visit would only be possible after the proposed project has been reviewed and discussed with ISAP, with completion of the designated initiation form.
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Develop an annual conference series between LSE and an institutional partner, with a build-in structure that demonstrates sustainability of this initiative through future non-GPDF funding.
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Visit or host a collaborative partners that belongs to an LSE-member alliance or network to implement a concrete education or research project leading to measurable outputs.
Please note:
1- the GPDF does not fund conference travel. However, it may be used as a top-up fund to extend an existing conference visit of the same/nearby location to conduct partnership-building activities.
2- Any changes to proposed activities resulting in allocated funds used elsewhere should be agreed with ISAP in writing prior to the change taking place.
The International Strategy and Academic Partnerships team also manages the Global Research Fund, which provides seed funding support for collaborative research initiatives.
Applicants with a research-focused proposal, such as research workshops or seminars, should consider applying for the Global Research Fund instead.
Applicants must apply for the fund using the downloadable GPDF application form. Applications will be assessed by a committee chaired by the Executive Director of the International Strategy and Academic Partnershipswith team with oversight from the Vice President and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education).
In reaching decisions on which projects to fund, the panel will take into account:
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The expected strategic value of the proposal in establishing or deepening the relationship between LSE and the partner institution.
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The quality and feasibility of the proposed project and the accuracy of the proposed budget.
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The strength of supporting statements from the LSE Head of Department (or Institute/Centre Director) and from the key contact from partner institution (the lead academic and/or equivalent of the Head of Department).
Travel
Please note that the ISAP team does not arrange travel or any accommodation. This will be the responsibility of each applicant. An application cannot be made retrospectively.
Please follow the latest School travel advice, review the School’s Travel Policy here and ensure all health and safety requirements and risk assessments have been completed prior to the proposed travel.
To enable flexibility in planning and travelling, GDPF operates two rounds of applications for 2024/25, with deadlines below:
ISAP will also review additional applications between these deadlines when there is a compelling case for urgent consideration. ISAP reserves the right to close the funding calls early when there are no more funds available.