As well as acting to further UK researchers’ involvement in EU research programmes, we work proactively in targeted joint-funding initiatives with partners in:
- China
- India
- Japan
- the US.
In line with UKRI strategy to promote collaboration between the best UK and overseas researchers, these four countries are prioritised either because they are:
- historically strong in engineering and the physical and mathematical sciences
- rapidly growing their capabilities in our research areas.
UKRI have established offices in China, India and the US to facilitate collaborations.
EPSRC also has international agreements with funding agencies in specific countries to support international research partnership.
Find out more about:
Overseas travel grants
Overseas travel grants provide funding for international travel and subsistence. You can use them to:
- visit recognised centres outside the UK to study new techniques
- travel from the UK to start or develop international collaborations.
Find out more about overseas travel grants.
Standard research grants, including programme grants
Support for international collaboration can be in any research application to EPSRC, for research staff to visit or have extended work placements to a partner’s laboratory overseas, including travel, subsistence and consumables.
This is as well as the usual UK-based costs like staff, equipment, UK travel, and subsistence and consumables.
This funding is flexible, so could be used to fill UK postdoctoral researcher positions with candidates from an international partner’s laboratory subject to university recruitment guidance and visa requirements.
Support may also be requested for costs associated with hosting visiting international researchers.
Find out more about staff and visiting researcher costs.
Bilateral research workshops
Funding can be requested for bilateral workshops and meetings to exchange international ideas and expertise, with the hope of developing future collaboration. Roughly equal numbers of participants attend from each country.
EPSRC funds travel and accommodation expenses of UK participants and, for UK meetings, core meeting costs. It is expected that the international partner would fund their own costs for this activity.
It is preferred that a single UK participant coordinates the UK side and submits a single standard research grant proposal to cover all the UK side’s costs.
It is strongly advised that a discussion be held with the relevant EPSRC theme lead before submitting a proposal.
Networks
These UK-based activities link research groups and industrial organisations, often across disciplines, to develop new or enhanced collaborations.
Funding is available to support:
- workshops
- visits
- travel
- part-time coordinators.
Networks can include overseas partners.