Strategic International Partner Collaborative Research Fund

Building on Costa Rica campus

The Strategic International Partner Collaborative Research Fund was created to further build on long-standing relationships between KU and its principal partners. The fund is administered by International Affairs and seeks to is to encourage international collaborative research projects that advance knowledge across the disciplines. It facilitates the development of excellent research proposals that further the research priorities of both institutions. The fund also supports the creation of international collaborative research teams that will compete for external funding.  

KU’s current strategic partners:

University of Regensburg: The partnership between KU and the University of Regensburg (UR) builds on nearly two decades of successful cooperation in chemistry and American studies, and was formalized November 2025. The agreement encompasses student and faculty exchanges, joint research initiatives, and Collaborative Online International Learning projects across multiple disciplines.

Established Collaborations

  • Chemistry: Long-standing cooperation between KU's Department of Chemistry and UR's Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy.
  • American Studies: Established collaborations including academic exchanges between relevant KU and UR departments.

Potential Future Collaboration

  • Immunology and Cancer Research: Joint efforts between KU Medical Center and UR's medical school and university hospital, focusing on cancer research and immunological advancements (including potential trilateral projects in pharmacy and targeted drug delivery).
  • Business, Economics, and Law: Partnerships between KU's School of Business and School of Law with UR's corresponding faculties.
  • Engineering: Collaborative initiatives between KU's School of Engineering and UR's engineering programs, including potential short intensive programs for research engagement.
  • Teacher Training: Partnerships emphasizing special education and interdisciplinary approaches.
  • Mobility and Exchanges: Expanded postdoctoral, graduate, and faculty exchanges, including lab alignments.
  • Workshops and Planning: Annual cross-disciplinary and research-focused workshops, short collaborative presentations, and planning meetings to identify opportunities, share updates, and support new initiatives (potentially including themes like citizen science, cybersecurity, energy, and global health).

University of Costa Rica: The institutional relationship established in 1958 between KU and UCR is the longest continuous partnership between two universities in the Western Hemisphere. More than 3,000 KU students have studied abroad at UCR, and nearly 300 Costa Ricans have earned KU degrees, with many earning doctorates through a UCR faculty development initiative to enhance UCR’s research and graduate programs. In 2025, a KU delegation, led by the Provost, visited UCR to initiate new collaborative projects focused on community impact.   

  • Water Quality: collaborative research between the Kansas Geological Survey and UCR’s Geology Research Center focusing on aquifer recharging and surface interactions impacting water quality and reservoir sedimentation. 
  • Community Impact Research: collaboration between KU Innovation Park and UCR’s counterpart (DIPROVID) on research with potential for high community impact (health fields in particular) to the public via business start-ups and exports.   
  • Music Therapy: KU founded the Music Therapy discipline and is partnering to establish a UCR music therapy program. 
  • Conservation: KU Libraries is partnering with UCR’s Library system and Information Science School to develop state-of-the-art materials conservation and preservation services to protect Costa Rica’s written heritage. 
  • Global Scholarly Network Development: Last summer, KU’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies co-hosted with UCR an international symposium in San Jose entitled “Reflections on Five Centuries of Colonialism in Central America.” Fourteen indigenous and Afro-Central American leaders from all seven Central American countries participated along with U.S. and Costa Rican scholars. 

NATO ACT: Building upon KU’s strengths in national- and cybersecurity, a new partnership with NATO Allied Command Transformation (NATO’s education and innovation arm), connects researchers in critical areas of national security with specialists from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) and NATO leadership. Spring 2026, KU will host a Model NATO summit, involving KU students and leadership from Fort Leavenworth, concurrent with a KU National Security Conference. The event will be preceded by a seminar delivered by the departments of Political Science, Slavic Studies, KU Honors, and subject matter experts from CGSC.  

 

Application process

Proposals from all areas of research can be submitted to International Affairs. Interdisciplinary projects are especially encouraged. When possible, proposals should include researchers from strategic partner institutions who will be considered "external collaborators." (Funding can be used for both outbound and inbound travel.) Dissertations, thesis papers and publications will not be supported.

Pre-submission consultations are strongly encouraged. Please reach out directly to Joe Potts as proposals are being developed to be sure that eligibility criteria are met.

Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis and will be evaluated periodically by a review committee.  Faculty members should expect written feedback concerning their proposals. Priority will be given to affiliations that create new opportunities for both KU and partner faculty members and enhance teaching and research at both institutions.

Funding will be made available immediately upon notification of award. Funds need to be spent in accordance with the fiscal year cycle. 

Please email proposals to Whitney Denning at whitneydenning@ku.edu.

Submission criteria

The following criteria and requisites should be included in the proposal:

  • Title of proposal
  • Timeline for execution
  • Researcher names
  • Shared areas of research
  • Brief summary of any previous collaborations
  • KU Applicant(s) full curriculum vitae
  • Proposal objective(s) and outcome(s)
  • Brief summary of current research in the proposed topic area
  • Implementation plan (methodology, activities, chronology)
  • Detailed budget

Applications should be no longer than ten single pages in 12-point font. Brief (two-page max) curriculum vitae for each external researcher should be attached. Finally, attach letters of support for the proposed project from the KU department chair or dean, and a letter of support from the relevant chair or dean at the external partner.

Additional considerations

Researchers should know foreign regulations pertinent to their research proposal, such as bioethics or human subjects requirements in the partner country. Awarded funds may not be used for faculty salaries and infrastructure. A clear description of the expected outcomes of the collaborative research is essential.

Please note: Grants are awarded based on the quality of proposals as evaluated against the review criteria. This program neither collects nor considers information about applicants' legally protected identities, and grants are awarded without regard for race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information.

Questions?

Contact: Whitney Denning, Internationalization Initiatives & Events Manager
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