The University of Manchester and The University of Osaka  2025 Seed-Corn Fund 

The University of Manchester and The University of Osaka are pleased to announce the 2025 seed-corn fund to support collaborative research projects and to build on the existing partnerships between the two institutions. The aim of the fund is to establish new collaborations, facilitate work on proof-of concept ideas, and in the longer term to build international teams who are well positioned to apply for external research funding. such as the International Science Partnerships Fund (for which Japan is a priority partner country).

The call is launched in the context of an institutional partnership agreement signed between our two universities in December 2023 along with extensive civic engagement between the respective cites including reciprocal mayoral delegation visits over recent years. The 2025 World EXPO will be hosted by Osaka this year and proposals that align with the EXPO theme of “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” are particularly encouraged.

Full details of the call can be found in the guidance document.

Applications can be be submitted via the online form

A preview of the application form can be viewed online

The timeline for the call is as follows:

Enquiries relating to this call should be directed to Alex Gaskill, International Research and Partnerships Development Manager – alexander.gaskill@manchester.ac.uk

Manchester-Melbourne-Toronto (MMT) Alliance Seed Fund

The MMT Research Fund was the first major initiative of our new trilateral alliance and is open to applications from all research areas.

In recognition of strong bilateral partnerships between the universities of Manchester, Melbourne and Toronto, the three institutions formed a trilateral alliance in 2021.  

The alliance aims to facilitate further collaboration between the three partners, drawing on joint expertise and resources. 

For the external page MMT Alliance, including previous awardees of the funds, please see this page.

About the fund

The overall aim of the MMT Research Fund is to initiate or develop new research partnerships. Funds will be awarded to projects which encourage the building of networks of researchers, have clearly defined plans for future funding and that will lead to long-term research collaborations.

The fund is open to applications from all research areas and up to 15 proposals will be selected for funding.

Key dates

 Application information

• Call document – guidelines and eligibility information
• Preview of application form
• Application form (available from Wednesday 26 March)

For more information contact:

University of Manchester

Helen Lusty, International Relations
Email: international.partnerships@manchester.ac.uk

Daiwa Foundation Awards

Awards of £9,000-£18,000 are available for collaborative projects that enable British and Japanese partners to work together in the context of an institutional relationship.

In order to fund as many applications as we possibly can, given our limited budget, we typically award an average of £9,000 to successful Award applications. Our funding rarely covers an application’s budget in full, but is meant to be a “contribution” to the proposed project.

• £9,000-£18,000 Organisational collaborative project, all fields
• Deadlines: twice a year, 30 September (notification of results to be sent by 30 November) and 31 March every year, notification of results to be sent by 31 May 

Further details

Daiwa Foundation Small Grants

• £3m,000-£4,000 all fields
• Application from UK researchers to UK office or  Japanese researchers to Japan office
• Deadlines: twice a year, 30 September and 31 March every year, notification of results to be sent by 31 May 

Further details

Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation

Butterfield awards: £10,000 per year up to three years

Deadline: 15 December every year to start the project in the middle of March

Travel grants: £2,000 to £2,500 for more than two weeks

Deadline: 31st March, 15th September and 15th December for consideration by our Trustees in May, November and March respectively.

The Sakura Science Exchange Program 

The Sakura Science Exchange Program (SSEP, sponsored by JST -Japan Science and Technology Agency) that offers students/staff access to short-term overseas activities during their undergraduate and postgraduate studies. This also extends to post-docs and junior faculties. 

Course A: Science and Technology Experience Course
Course B: Collaborative Research Activities Course
Course C: Science and Technology Training Course

This Japanese government initiative would cover travel expenses, allowing Manchester students to participate without financial burden. 

The SSEP operates with multiple application deadlines throughout the year. You can find application details here

2025 ERC Advanced Grant call for proposals (ERC-2025-ADG)

Work programme:    ERC WORK PROGRAMME 2025

Call reference:          ERC-2025-AdG

Call Opening date:   22 May 2025

Call Deadline:            28 August 2025

Applicants can request up to €2.5 million for a period of up to 5 years.

You can access the application page through the Funding and Tenders Portal.

Researchers can also apply for additional funding to help PIs set up laboratories, buy major equipment or get access to large scientific facilities.

• Researchers already working in the EU or Horizon Europe Associated countries can apply for up to €1 million in start-up funding. See the ERC Work Programme 2025 (pages 18 & 21).
• New for 2025 - researchers moving to Europe from outside the EU or Horizon Europe Associated countries can now apply for up to €2 million in additional funding.

Next steps

Find out if you are eligible to apply, read about Advance Grants and what the funding covers by visiting the ERC website.

• Read about the financial support available in the 2025 Work Programme to see if this is right for you.
• Read the ERC 2025 Advance Grants Information for Applicants document.
• Look at what the ERC has funded in the past and see if your project fits the scale and ambition of an ERC grant.
• Familiarise yourself with the panels so that you can pick the right one for you.
• Speak to your Research Support and Research Development contacts as early as possible.
• Apply on the Funding & Tenders Portal - if you do not already have an account you need to register on the portal.
• Register now for the upcoming ERC Advanced Grant webinar for UK applicants on 10 June.
• All applicants should use the University’s PIC – 999903840  (do not register a new PIC for the University) and complete and upload the attached host letter to their proposal submission.

Restrictions on submission of proposals to 2025 call.

Additional Resources/Events

 General info about ERC Advanced Grants

• University Advanced Grants Q&A Webinar

If you are seriously considering applying for an ERC Advanced Grant for this call the University is running a Q&A session on 19^th June between 11am and 1pm on Teams. The workshop will consist of a series of presentations from award holders across the University, showcasing their ERC AdG funded work.  This will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions about their experience of both applying for and holding one of these awards.

Many of the practical questions about this call will be covered in the UKRO/National Contact Point webinar on the 10th of June (ERC Advanced Grant 2025 Webinar - registration required – see above).  We will be assuming that attendees have taken part in this UKRO/NCP event prior to the internal Q&A session as we will only be covering basic details of the scheme, the focus of this Teams session will be Q&A and for applicants to learn from successful award holders.

To register for the UoM event, please use this Eventbrite link.

Horizon Europe

The British Academy with the support of the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Royal Academy of Engineering are inviting proposals from UK researchers and proposals from UK-led consortia to pump prime collaborations to support the effective uptake of the opportunities provided by the UK’s association to Horizon Europe.

Proposals are welcome in all disciplines – engineering, natural sciences, medical and health sciences, humanities, and social sciences.  Applicants may target any type of action in Pillar 2, as well as some Missions and New European Bauhaus Facility calls.

More information, including eligibility requirements, value and duration of the awards, is available on the British Academy website. Please read the scheme guidance notes before making an application.

The deadline is Wednesday 11 June 2025, 17:00 (GMT).

Innovate UK are leading a separate scheme focused on supporting SMEs to develop and join proposals. This is open to both Pillar 2 and Pillar 3 of Horizon Europe. The lead applicant of the Innovate UK scheme must be a UK-based business that meets the criteria of a Small Medium Enterprise (SME) and similarly, research organisations can be included in bids as consortia members.  For more information, please visit the Innovate UK website.

Contact your Research Support Team for advice on proposals.

Horizon Europe 2025 MSCA Doctoral Networks call now open

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks will implement doctoral programmes, by partnerships of universities, research institutions and research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs, and other socio-economic actors from different countries across Europe and beyond, including Third Countries.

Proposals for doctoral networks can reflect existing or planned research partnerships among the participating organisations. 

The deadline for this call is 28 November 2025 (4pm UK time) and the projects are expected to start in August 2026.

Further details for this call and on how to apply can be found on the call page on the EU Funding & Tenders portal as well as the MSCA Doctoral Networks page. 

The University MSCA DN guidance note is attached.

Further Information

• Horizon Europe – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks 2025 – Call info day
• UKRO 2025 MSCA Doctoral Networks Information Webinar
• UKRO Factsheet – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
• MSCA National Contact Point

Future calls to look out for:

The UoM FBMH hope to announce potential seed funds with these institutions later this year:

• Tel Aviv University
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University
• Heidelberg University

Horizon Europe

There are currently 469 calls open for submission. 

BBSRC International Travel Award Scheme (ITAS)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and FAPESP have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support collaborative applications. It provides for a lead agency agreement whereby participant UKRI research councils receive and assess joint applications from eligible UK and Brazil-based researchers from the state of São Paulo on behalf of both organisations.

Further Details

Closing date:  Open - no closing date 

MRC Pre-announcement: Japan research collaboration in neuroscience, neurodegenerative diseases and dementia

Closing date: TBC

Apply for funding to work with researchers in Japan in the fields of neuroscience, neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. MRC will provide matched funding with the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

Further Details