Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: October 15, 2026 (Applicant Q&A) | February 4, 2027, 4:00pm UK time (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: £19 million total; England-only pilots: £100,000–£1 million for up to 24 months; UK-wide seed partnerships: £1–£5 million for up to 36 months
Summary: Supports higher education provider-led institutional collaborations that test more cost-effective working models and seed complementary UK innovation partnerships.
Key Information: Applications must involve at least two higher education providers; collaborative research projects are not eligible.
Description
Research England, within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), runs this opportunity to test new institutional collaborations that make the research and innovation system more sustainable and cost-effective. England-only pilots can explore shared administrative or specialist services, facility management approaches, and streamlined services for businesses, investors and other partners. The emphasis is on practical, ambitious joint working that reduces risk, improves efficiency and builds shared capability.
The UK-wide seed funding strand supports new innovation partnerships linking complementary strengths across two self-defined geographical areas. Partnerships should connect higher education providers with wider partners, respond to local government priorities and deliver economic growth beyond what each ecosystem could achieve alone. Projects should consider effects on equity, inclusion, diversity, trust and collective responsibility, and share learning to inform sustained collaboration.
