There are a number of research funding schemes which enable African and UK academics to undertake collaborative work. Many fellowship schemes also aim to facilitate collaborative research with UK colleagues. This list is not comprehensive - please see our pages on funding databases to search for other available research funding schemes and grants.

British Academy UK-Africa Academic Partnerships

Two awards are offered annually, of £10,000 for 3 years to support the development of ongoing links between UK and African research centres or institutions, within the humanities and social sciences. The link would be built around a specific research theme of mutual interest. This could be carried forward through visits in both directions; workshops; seminars and lecture programmes; collaborative research; and joint publications. It might form part of either institution's training programme and will ideally involve participation from more than one African institution, and might also involve more than one department/university/group/research centre in the UK. For details see www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/intl/africaap.cfm

British Academy/Association of Commonwealth Universities Grants for International Collaboration

For joint awards of up to £5000 for projects between UK academics and scholars from other Commonwealth countries. Funds are available to support international joint activities, involving British scholars in collaboration with Commonwealth partners. Applications must be for projects involving genuine collaborative work between a defined group of scholars in one, or possibly two, other Commonwealth countries. Priority will be given to applications involving the initiation of a new programme where there is an expectation of continued collaboration, or a defined outcome such as planned joint publications. For details see www.britac.ac.uk/funding/guide/intl/commcoun.cfm / www.acu.ac.uk

Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grants

Grants are for up to £250,000 over a duration of two to three years. If compelling evidence is provided, awards may be made for sums between £250,000 and £500,000 for research over a period of up to five years. Applications for research on any topic are eligible for support. Eligible institutions are universities, other institutions of higher and further education in the UK, and registered charities in the UK. The scheme is also open to institutions or organisations of similar status in developing countries where, in the opinion of the Trustees, the provision of research funding is seriously limited. For details see www.leverhulme.ac.uk/grants_awards/grants/research_project_grants/

Leverhulme Trust Research Programmes

The Trust selects on an annual basis two themes of research for which bids are invited. Normally one grant is awarded for each theme. For each theme, a minimum of £500,000 and a maximum of £1.75 million is available for the support of work extending over periods of up to five years. Eligible institutions are universities, other institutions of higher and further education in the UK, and registered charities in the UK. The scheme is also open to institutions or organisations of similar status in developing countries where, in the opinion of the Trustees, the provision of research funding is seriously limited. For details see www.leverhulme.ac.uk/grants_awards/grants/research_programmes/

Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE)

Running from 2007 until 2013, the programme supports partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) working on collaborative activity linked to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This programme is not specifically a research funding scheme, but aims to support capacity development in developing country universities. Research or research training may however be part of a DelPHE project. For details see www.britishcouncil.org/delphe.htm

Wellcome Trust

The Trust provides funding for research and training in the medical humanities including the history of medicine and biomedical ethics. Funding is available to researchers in developing countries. For details see www.wellcome.ac.uk & www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/Medical-humanities/index.htm

AHRC Research Networking grants

The Research Networking Scheme is intended to support forums for the discussion and exchange of ideas on a specified thematic area, issue or problem. The intention is to facilitate interactions between researchers and stakeholders through, for example, a short-term series of workshops, seminars, networking activities or other events.  The aim of these activities is to stimulate new debate across boundaries, for example, disciplinary, conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and/or international. Proposals should explore new areas, be multi-institutional and can include creative or innovative approaches or entrepreneurship.  Proposals must justify the approach taken and clearly explain the novelty or added value for bringing the network participants together.
For details see www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Pages/ResearchNetworking.aspx

ESRC International Partnership and Networking Scheme

International Partnership and Networking Scheme Awards are intended to provide flexible support for a programme of activity with the objective of establishing sustainable collaborations, leading to the development of joint research proposals. Activities which might constitute an IPNS programme of activity might include (but not limited to): visiting fellowships, scholar exchanges, workshops and summer schools. While some modest research costs can be requested (ie for data exploration) it is not intended that IPNS awards will be used to fund collaborative research. Applicants seeking support for collaborative research funding can submit applications to standard ESRC research calls by making use of our International Co-Investigator Policy or via one of our bilateral or multilateral agreements. Such applications may be one of the outcomes of an IPNS. For details seewww.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/funding-opportunities/15752/esrc-international-partnership-and-networking-scheme.aspx