Insper in Brazil and the University of Notre Dame (ND) announce the ND-Insper Joint Research Grant. The goal of this grant is to strengthen academic ties between the two institutions and to support research in keeping with the strategic interests of both universities.

Contacts

For questions regarding the content of this call, please contact:

Insper

Carolina Nakamura Research Office Insper Email: fomento@insper.edu.br

University of Notre Dame

Geraldine Meehan Senior Director, Faculty Engagement and Global Research Notre Dame Global Email: gmeehan@nd.edu 

Grant Project Requirements

• Compliance approval is necessary at both institutions for all research projects. Studies involving data collection and human subjects in Brazil must undergo prior ethical review by an accredited Research Ethics Committee.
• Faculty mobility is recommended for this grant program.

Eligibility

This call is open to teams composed of at least one principal investigator (PI) from each institution. There is no restriction on discipline. PLEASE NOTE: Insper’s academic units are Management and Economics, Law, and Engineering and Computer Science.

• At Insper, the PI must be a full-time faculty member (“docente de dedicação exclusiva”).
• At ND, the PI must be a regular faculty member.

Researchers from both institutions may only apply for one project, either as a principal investigator or a co-principal investigator.

Outcomes

Project outcomes are expected to relate to knowledge generation, project visibility, and future financial sustainability, with optimal outcomes being:

• Co-Publication(s)
• An application to an external funding body

Other measurable outcomes or impacts are encouraged as relevant to the discipline(s). Co-supervision of doctoral theses, while not considered a primary outcome, is welcomed.

Funding & Expenses

• Joint awards up to a total of USD $30,000 (R$ 150.000) will be made for each joint research project, with each project investigator being funded (up to USD $15,000; R$ 75.000) by their respective institution.
• The fund can finance up to two (2) projects, with a maximum budget of USD $30,000 (R$ 150.000) per proposal. The total available funding is USD $60,000 (R$ 300.000), with equal contributions from both universities.
• Funding will be available for joint research projects for a duration of between 12 months and 24 months. Proposals for projects with a longer duration will not be accepted.
• The total requested funds for awarded projects may be adjusted following budget review.
• Unspent funds at the end of the award period will be returned to the awarding institution.

Expenses

Each institution will support its own researchers involved in the research project. Full details of all anticipated costs/activities must be clearly itemized as follows:

• A clear breakdown of expected costs by institution must be provided in the budget. Awarded funds cannot be transferred between universities.
• The budget plan should indicate spending over the full duration of the proposed project.
• Budget justification will be required to ensure good use of financial resources.

Eligible Expenses

• Field work data collection expenses
• Payment to human subjects
• Travel between both institutions for planning, execution, and review of research
• Materials and supplies (e.g., lab reagents)
• Software
• Publications (articles in peer-reviewed high-impact Q1 or Q2 journals, book chapters, or books)
  • Faculty at ND are encouraged to investigate agreements between the Hesburgh Library and a select number of publishers, as a publisher of interest may be among those listed.
• Academic workshops
• Research equipment (all equipment and supplies purchased by a university becomes the property of that university)
• Personnel:
  • Partial Notre Dame graduate student stipend and benefits: graduate student assistants must be involved in the faculty fellow’s collaborative research and writing in ways that contribute to the student’s intellectual formation. This funding request cannot exceed a third of the PI’s requested budget. PLEASE NOTE: At ND, you must allow approximately an additional 13.5% in the budget for fringe benefits for graduate students.
  • Stipend for graduate and undergraduate students from Insper and/or other Brazilian institutions of higher education: Stipends will be paid in accordance with Insper’s policy for research assistantships (“Política de bolsas de pesquisa”). This funding request cannot exceed two-thirds of the Insper PI’s requested budget.

Ineligible Expenses

• Computers
• Faculty salary
• Teaching buy-out
• Business start-up costs
• Tuition fees
• Conference attendance

Outcomes

Project outcomes are expected to relate to knowledge generation, project visibility, and future financial sustainability, with optimal outcomes being:

• Co-Publication(s)
• An application to an external funding body

Other measurable outcomes or impacts are encouraged as relevant to the discipline(s). Co-supervision of doctoral theses, while not considered a primary outcome, is welcomed.

Application Timeline

• Launch: May 13, 2026
• Deadline: September 28, 2026
• Selection Panel: October, 2026
• Notifications Expected: November, 2026
• Projects Start: January 2027
• Maximum Project Length: 2 years

Additional Funding Sources

If a submitted project is under review for other funding or already receives support from another fund, external institution, and/or financing from ND or Insper, the origin, amount, and funding source must be disclosed and clearly specified within the application form.

Selection Process

Proposals will be jointly evaluated by a senior faculty panel from both institutions.

Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Academic quality of the proposed research, including methodology, scope, ambition, and significance
• Clarity of objectives and outcomes
• Efficiency and reasonableness of the budget
• Sustainability of the research relationship
• Alignment with the strategic goals of both universities

Reporting Requirements

A Project Completion Report must be completed by award holders upon completion of the work defined in the funding application. Submissions to external funding agencies are to be reported and provided to the contacts at the respective institutions.

For 2-year projects:

• A progress report is due at the end of the first year; and,
• A progress report is expected, and a project completion report must be completed by the project leaders at the end of the funding period

The NDG Faculty Mobility Joint Research Program fosters collaboration between the University of Notre Dame and select institutions in India. This initiative is designed to facilitate international exchange, promote academic dialogue, and support the development of joint research projects.

Partner Institutions in India

In this pilot phase, the program is open to faculty collaboration with the following institutions:

• Indian Institute for Science Education and Research, Pune
• Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

Program Structure

This initiative is a cost-sharing model between Notre Dame and collaborating institutions.

• Sending Institution: Covers the cost of international flights and visa processing for their faculty.
• Receiving Institution: Provides hosting support, including accommodation, for a period of 5 to 15 working days.
• The host institution covers some meals.
• The hosting academic unit is encouraged to cover a welcome event and other special events.

Program Timeline

• Call for applications:  Spring 2026
• Review and award notifications: Late Spring 2026 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are depleted)
• Expected travel timeframe: May 1, 2026 - September 1, 2027 (e.g, program activity to take place between May 1, 2026, and September 1, 2027)

Application Process

The application process is a joint submission led by the Notre Dame faculty members in consultation with their international collaborator. If you do not yet have a partner at these institutions and are interested in connecting with one, please fill out the Faculty Interest Form.

• Collaborator Selection: Notre Dame faculty are responsible for identifying and initiating collaboration with a faculty member at one of the collaborating institutions.
• Faculty Matching: The Global/International office at both institutions will work together to identify new faculty connections and make efforts to connect faculty with similar research interests. Interested faculty who want to work with the institutions above, fill out this form.
• Joint Submission: A faculty member from Notre Dame or any of the partner institutions may complete and submit the joint application. The application should clearly reflect that it is a jointly motivated collaboration. 
• Review Process: Applications will be jointly peer-reviewed by faculty from Notre Dame and the partner institution.
• Visas: Applicants need to familiarize themselves with the type of visa required, the visa process, and the estimated visa processing time. Timely application and receipt of visas to be considered by the Sending Institution.
  • Visa applicants are required to apply for e-Visas (electronic visas) for tourism or business travel to India. Please refer to the University’s travel and safety website. Applicants may consider using services provided by Nomadic, a visa and passport processing agency that may also assist Notre Dame travelers with expedited visa processing.
  • All international visitors to Notre Dame will need an appropriate U.S. visa to enter the U.S. for participation in this program. The hosting unit at Notre Dame is responsible for contacting International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA) to determine the appropriate visa status for the international visitor and for securing all required information and documentation (as determined by ISSA) needed to prepare documentation for the international visitor to apply for a visa.

Application Requirements

Applicants must prepare and submit the following materials:

• Biographical information of both participating faculty members
• Identification of the international collaborator (name, department, university)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) from both participating faculty members
• Proposed time frame for visits to the Receiving Institution
• Joint Motivational Statement (250 words) outlining the academic and professional goals of the mobility experience
• Expected Outcomes (up to 100 words), including any planned grant applications, co-authored publications, or future collaborative research efforts
• Facilitation of participating faculty members’ integration into the Receiving Institution’s community (brief explanation)
• Statement of support from the hosting academic unit at the Receiving Institution (copy of email is also acceptable)

Follow-up Report

Hosted faculty members and their Receiving Institution hosts will be required to submit a report no later than one month after the end date of the visit to the Receiving Institution. The report should include a summary of the activities funded by this NDG Faculty Mobility Joint Research Program and significant results achieved, including plans for any continued collaboration or indications that the program contributed to the strengthening of scholarly relationships between Notre Dame and the Indian institutions.

Contact

For more information about NDG’s faculty mobility programs, please contact:

Sevda Arslan Program Director, Faculty Support and Partnerships Notre Dame Global Email: sarslan@nd.edu Phone: +1 574 631-7858

For more information about NDG’s relationship with universities in India, please contact:

Dhiraj Mehra Director Notre Dame Mumbai Email: dmehra@nd.edu Phone : +91-9867617000

Partner University Contacts

Dr. Naresh Sharma Senior Principal Technical Officer - International Relations & Human Resource Indian institute for Science Education and Research, Pune Email: naresh.sharma@iiserpune.ac.in

Dr. Madhushree Sekher Chairperson, Office for International Affairs Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai Email: madhusekher@tiss.ac.in

Here you are asked to report on the activities and outcomes related to the Global Development Research Grant you received from Notre Dame Global.

Final report on the visit of the Sub-Sahara Africa Guest Scholar/Artist