Apply for seed funding with MIT
MIT-UiB Seed Fund awards funding for collaborative projects between researchers at UiB and MIT. This years call will open in September and be available for research in humanities and medicine.
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New collaboration between MIT and UiB
In 2023, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Bergen (UiB) launched a new Global Seed Fund supporting international academic collaboration. The aim was to strengthen ties between the two prestigious institutions, fostering innovative research in the fields of humanities and social sciences. In 2025, the faculty of social sciences has been replaced by the faculty of Medicine in the programme.
“We are pleased to announce the establishment of this fund, specifically aimed at supporting new research endeavors or the next stages of existing projects,” said Kathleen Thelen, professor of political science and faculty director of the MIT Scandinavia program at CIS, at the launch of the collaboration. "We anticipate that this collaboration will facilitate fruitful exchange of ideas and develop new research pathways, and I look forward to the innovative proposals and research in the humanities and social sciences that will emerge between MIT and the University of Bergen.”
The Center for International Studies (CIS) produces research that creatively addresses global issues while helping to educate the next generation of global citizens. It is home to many programs, including the Security Studies Program and MISTI, MIT’s flagship international experiential learning program. The CIS Global Seed Funds (GSF) program was created to help MIT faculty foster new connections by supporting early-stage collaborations with researchers at peer institutions around the world. Since 2008, the CIS GSF program has awarded nearly $22 million to more than 1,000 faculty research projects.
The fund provides faculty and research scientists at both institutions the opportunity to jointly apply for seed grants, with the goal of developing new and lasting collaborations.
Rector Margareth Hagen from the University of Bergen stated, "This collaboration with MIT is not just a funding opportunity but a chance for like-minded people to work together to bring about change through research. Our shared commitment to and excellent research communities within the humanities and social sciences will surely lead to groundbreaking insights that resonate not just within our institutions but also in the broader global community. There are existing strategic and important collaborations between UiB and MIT, and my hope is that this will expand to even more fields of research and grow into strong and long-lasting relationships between our institutions."
Apply before December 2025.
The application cycle opens in September 2025, with a deadline in December 2025. Each project can be awarded up to $30.000.
Interested faculty and researchers are encouraged to visit the faculty funds website for detailed information on the Global Seed Fund application process.
Contact person at UiB: Annette Kathinka Servan
Contact person at MIT: Madeline Smith msmith1@mit.edu
MIT-UiB Seed Fund
Application deadline: December, 2025.
Application form and more information: https://misti.mit.edu/gsf-norway
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
The Center for International Studies (CIS) supports international research and education at MIT. It is the home of MIT’s Security Studies Program; the MIT International Science & Technology Initiative, its pioneering global education program; the Program on Emerging Technologies; and seminars and research on migration, South Asia politics, the Middle East, cybersecurity, nuclear weapons, and East Asia. The Center has traditionally been aligned with the social sciences while also working with MIT’s premier science and engineering scholars. CIS produces research that creatively addresses global issues while helping to educate the next generation of global citizens.
