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Higher Education and the SDGs Challenge Grants

Applications open: 20 April 2021
Applications close: 26 May at 23:59 (UTC)

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We believe that international collaboration is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda. The ACU Higher Education and the SDGs Challenge Grants fund collaborative work for professional and academic staff at member universities. The grants focus on the ACU Higher Education and the SDGs priority themes, which are:

  • Teaching and learning
  • Research
  • Estates and stewardship
  • Engagement and impact
  • Partnerships

The grants can be used for a diverse range of projects, workshops, and events in areas such as:

  • Integrating sustainable development into operations
  • Sharing SDG learning content and materials
  • Developing SDG-focused research strategies
  • Co-creating research for impact, community engagement, and partnerships for the goals.

The grants can be used to cover the cost of delivering various activities, including:

  • Virtual exchange or collaboration, teaching/professional practice collaboration, sharing and co-development of learning materials, tools, training and approaches to support contingency and continuity of operations planning at higher education institutions (HEI’s), etc.
  • Virtual fellowships or collaboration, comparative analyses, research management and uptake capacity building.

What does the grant include?

Four grants of GBP 2,500 are available for staff at ACU member universities to help meet the costs of organising projects that promote the aims and priorities of the Higher Education and the SDGs Network.

Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with other ACU member institutions to promote further Commonwealth partnerships. This will be looked on favourably but it is not essential.

Grant applications that allow matching or additional funds from the applicant’s institution will be looked upon favourably but is also not essential.

Grantees are required to submit a short interim report halfway through their project and a comprehensive final report within one month after completing their project. Additionally, any outputs (e.g., toolkits, papers etc) developed through the grants are to be made available to the Higher Education and the SDGs Network and the wider ACU network.

How to apply

Apply online

You will need to provide an outline of the project and an action plan, including details of what it involves and how it will address the Higher Education and the SDGs Network’s themes. The project action plan is requested for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 12 months.

You will also be asked to submit a letter of support from the Executive Head or equivalent of your institution to verify their support of your proposed project.

Applications close on Wednesday 26 May at 23:59 (UTC).