Under this collaborative partnership, the Leicester Institute for Advanced Studies has launched an interdisciplinary research call to bring colleagues together from the three institutions.   

The initiative aims to encourage colleagues across the three institutions to co-create projects responding to or cutting across the five themes of the Civic Universities Partnership:  

• Arts, Culture and Heritage 

• The economy 

• Education 

• Environmental Sustainability 

• Health, Wellbeing and Sport 

Applicants – which must include team members from all three universities - can apply for up to £800 (additional funding may be offered at a later stage). Teams can be comprised of colleagues from research, professional services and community outreach, although they must include at least one academic and one civic partner.  

Applications must be agreed by both University and non-University members prior to submission. Successful projects will run initially for a five-month period (15 February – 15 July 2025) and can act as a foundation for ongoing research.  

All projects awarded funding will be invited to present their work at the LIAS Summer Showcase at College Court in July 2025.  

For more information, you can download the application form which includes a breakdown of eligible and ineligible costs; assessment process and criteria; and conditions of funding.

Download the Leicester Institute of Advanced Studies CUP application form.

Applications should be submitted no later than 5pm, 31 January 2025 to lias@le.ac.uk. Any queries related to potential bids and how they relate to the Civil Universities Partnership can be directed to Jenna Waters, Deputy Chief of Staff.