Africa-UniNet Research Grants 2026–2027 | Funding of Up to €40,000 for Austrian–African Collaborative Research Projects
Africa-UniNet Research Grants 2026–2027 | Funding of Up to €40,000 for Austrian–African Collaborative Research Projects. Africa-UniNet is inviting researchers to apply for its 7th Research Cooperation Projects Call, offering funding of up to €40,000 per project to support collaborative research between Austrian and African universities and research institutions.
The programme promotes international academic partnerships, knowledge exchange and research that contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Successful projects will run for 24 months and are expected to strengthen research cooperation between participating institutions.
The 2026 call is open from 1 September to 30 November 2026. However, applications must be coordinated and submitted by eligible researchers affiliated with Austrian Africa-UniNet member institutions. African institutions can participate as project partners but cannot independently coordinate or submit applications.
Key details
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding programme | Africa-UniNet Research Cooperation Projects |
| Call | 7th Call for Funding – 2026 |
| Maximum grant | €40,000 per project |
| Project duration | 24 months |
| Application period | 1 September – 30 November 2026 |
| Application deadline | 30 November 2026, 13:00 CET |
| Earliest project start | July 2027 |
| Latest project start | December 2027 |
| Eligible collaboration | Austrian and African member institutions |
| Project coordinator | PhD holder affiliated with an Austrian Africa-UniNet member institution |
| Application language | English |
| Application platform | StipOnline |
Important: The €40,000 is a maximum project grant, not an individual scholarship or personal stipend. The funding is intended to support eligible research cooperation costs and does not cover every expense associated with a project.
About Africa-UniNet
Africa-UniNet Research Grants 2026–2027 | Funding of Up to €40,000 for Austrian–African Collaborative Research Projects
Africa-UniNet is a network that promotes research cooperation between Austrian and African universities and research institutions.
Through its research cooperation funding calls, the network supports partnerships that enable researchers to exchange knowledge, develop joint research activities and strengthen institutional connections.
The programme aims to encourage collaboration that continues beyond the funding period. Expected outcomes include joint publications, further research partnerships and follow-up projects.
The 7th Call for Funding supports new collaborative research projects that contribute to the network’s objectives and strengthen scientific cooperation between participating institutions.
What the research grants offer
The Africa-UniNet Research Cooperation Projects Call provides financial support for eligible collaborative research activities.
1. Funding of up to €40,000
Eligible projects can request a maximum grant of €40,000 for the entire project.
The funding is intended to support research cooperation between Austrian and African institutions. Applicants must prepare a financing plan that clearly explains the project’s funding requirements and the contribution of participating institutions.
Africa-UniNet funding is not designed to cover the full cost of a project. The grant recipient must provide appropriate institutional or other own funds, and these contributions must be clearly presented in the financing plan.
2. Two-year research collaboration
Projects must have a duration of 24 months.
The earliest possible project start is July 2027, while the latest possible start is December 2027.
Researchers should therefore plan their activities, mobility, research expenses and institutional contributions around the two-year project period.
3. International research partnerships
Every project must involve researchers from at least:
- One Austrian Africa-UniNet member institution.
- One African Africa-UniNet member institution.
All participating institutions must be active Africa-UniNet members and must have paid their 2026 membership fees.
The programme supports cooperation between universities and research institutions, helping participating researchers build partnerships and exchange scientific knowledge.
4. Research linked to the Sustainable Development Goals
The thematic scope of the research projects is not restricted to a particular discipline.
However, projects are expected to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Applicants should explain how their proposed research addresses a relevant scientific question and how it contributes to the objectives of the participating institutions and the wider research network.
5. Research development and knowledge exchange
Africa-UniNet encourages projects that strengthen research capacity and promote long-term cooperation.
Expected results may include:
- Joint scientific publications.
- New research partnerships.
- Follow-up research projects.
- Continued cooperation between Austrian and African institutions.
- Knowledge exchange between participating researchers.
Project consortia are expected to report publications and projects resulting from the grant even after the funded project has ended.
Who can apply?
The call has specific eligibility requirements concerning the project coordinator, participating researchers and institutions.
Project coordinator requirements
Only researchers who meet the following requirements can apply for, submit and coordinate a project:
- Hold a PhD.
- Be affiliated with an Austrian Africa-UniNet member institution.
- Coordinate the project and take overall responsibility for its implementation.
- Manage project reporting.
- Ensure that project funds are handled through a bank account belonging to the institution.
African researchers cannot independently submit or coordinate the project under this call. An eligible Austrian institutional researcher must serve as the project coordinator.
Participating researcher requirements
Africa-UniNet Research Grants 2026–2027 | Funding of Up to €40,000 for Austrian–African Collaborative Research Projects
Researchers from the Austrian and African partner institutions must be involved in the project.
All participating researchers must be either:
- PhD students; or
- PhD holders.
Master’s students are not eligible to participate under the stated researcher eligibility requirements.
Institutional eligibility
All institutions participating in the project must be active Africa-UniNet members.
This means participating institutions must have paid their Africa-UniNet membership fees for 2026.
African universities and research institutions can participate as partners if they meet the membership requirements and work with an eligible Austrian coordinating institution.
Application limits
Each project coordinator may submit only one application.
However, there is no limit on the number of applications that may be submitted by researchers from the same institution, provided each application has a different eligible project coordinator.
What research topics are eligible?
Africa-UniNet does not restrict the research cooperation projects to a specific academic discipline.
The call supports collaborative research that contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals and strengthens scientific cooperation between Austrian and African institutions.
Researchers may develop proposals around relevant scientific questions in their respective fields.
The project must be new. It may build on an earlier Africa-UniNet project if it introduces fundamentally new research questions or methodologies.
Previously rejected Africa-UniNet proposals may also be revised and resubmitted.
Applicants should focus on presenting a clear research question, suitable methodology, realistic activities and a meaningful contribution to international research cooperation.
What expenses can the grant cover?
The Africa-UniNet grant is intended to support specific eligible project costs. It is not a general-purpose research budget.
The official call identifies the following eligible expense categories.
1. Research mobility between Africa and Austria
The programme supports eligible travel between partner institutions in Austria and Africa.
Mobility funding may cover incoming travel from an African partner country to Austria and outgoing travel from Austria to the African partner country.
Eligible travel expenses include:
- Economy-class flights.
- Airport taxes.
- The cheapest reasonable transport option.
- Travel between the airport and the institution, with public transport required in Austria.
The maximum reimbursable travel cost is €2,000 per person for a return trip.
The funding covers travel to the partner institution and back home. Additional travel financing is not provided.
Visa fees, travel insurance, vaccination costs, seat reservation fees and CO₂ compensation are not eligible for reimbursement.
2. Accommodation-related allowances during project stays
The grant may cover a daily allowance for researchers actively working on the project during a stay at a partner institution.
The maximum allowance is:
| Allowance | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Daily allowance | €180 per day |
| Monthly allowance | €2,160 |
| Maximum stay per person | 3 months |
| Maximum allowance per person for a 3-month stay | €6,480 |
The monthly maximum is €2,160, even though the daily allowance is stated as up to €180.
The maximum duration for each person’s stay is three months.
No additional costs related to the stay can be reimbursed under this allowance.
3. Research materials and consumables
Africa-UniNet Research Grants 2026–2027 | Funding of Up to €40,000 for Austrian–African Collaborative Research Projects
Eligible material costs may be funded up to €5,000 for the entire project duration.
Materials must be essential and specifically relevant to the proposed research.
Examples of eligible costs include:
- Research consumables.
- Test kits.
- Chemicals.
- Research permits.
- Data acquisition.
- Vehicle rental for field research.
- Publication costs.
The grant does not cover infrastructure or basic equipment.
Examples of ineligible costs include:
- Laptops.
- Telephone expenses.
- Internet costs.
- Staff costs.
- Participant honoraria.
- Overheads.
Applicants should ensure that their financing plan includes only eligible expenses and clearly identifies the institutional contributions required to complete the project.
How to apply for the Africa-UniNet Research Grants
Applications must be submitted online through the StipOnline portal.
The application must be completed in English and submitted before the official deadline.
Step 1: Identify an eligible Austrian coordinating institution
The project must be coordinated by a PhD holder affiliated with an Austrian Africa-UniNet member institution.
African researchers interested in the call should first establish cooperation with an eligible Austrian institution.
Step 2: Build the research consortium
Identify the African and Austrian partner institutions and participating researchers.
Ensure that every institution is an active Africa-UniNet member and has paid its 2026 membership fee.
Confirm that all participating researchers meet the eligibility requirements.
Step 3: Develop the research proposal
Prepare a new collaborative research project with:
- A clear research question.
- Relevant research objectives.
- Appropriate methodologies.
- A realistic 24-month implementation plan.
- Activities involving both Austrian and African partners.
- Expected research outputs.
- A contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The proposal should explain how the collaboration strengthens research cooperation and creates opportunities for continued partnership.
Step 4: Prepare the financing plan
Develop a detailed budget using the official Africa-UniNet financing-plan template.
Include eligible expenses such as research mobility, allowances and essential consumables.
Clearly identify the project’s own funds and institutional contributions.
Applications without appropriate own funds in the financing plan will be considered incomplete and will not meet the formal eligibility criteria.
Step 5: Prepare the required documents
The official call requires the following documents:
- Project proposal in PDF format.
- Abstract in PDF format.
- Financing plan in Excel format.
- CV of the project coordinator in PDF format.
- Letters of endorsement from all participating institutions, combined into one PDF.
Applicants must use the official project proposal and financing plan templates available from the Africa-UniNet website.
The abstract should be copied from the project proposal and uploaded separately as a PDF.
The coordinator’s CV and institutional endorsement letters may be adapted to suit the institution, but all required information from the respective templates must be included.
Step 6: Submit through StipOnline
Africa-UniNet Research Grants 2026–2027 | Funding of Up to €40,000 for Austrian–African Collaborative Research Projects
Enter the basic project information and details of all project participants into the StipOnline portal.
The portal requires participant information, including birth dates.
Upload all completed application documents and submit the proposal before the deadline.
Only one application may be submitted by each project coordinator.
Step 7: Check the application deadline
The official deadline is:
30 November 2026 at 13:00 CET
Applicants should complete the submission process early enough to check that all required documents have been uploaded and that the application has been submitted successfully.
Application checklist
Before submitting, project coordinators should confirm that:
- The coordinator holds a PhD.
- The coordinator is affiliated with an Austrian Africa-UniNet member institution.
- At least one African partner institution is included.
- All participating institutions have paid their 2026 Africa-UniNet membership fees.
- All participating researchers meet the eligibility requirements.
- The research project is new or introduces fundamentally new research questions or methodologies.
- The project duration is 24 months.
- The proposal contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals.
- The financing plan includes appropriate own funds.
- The official project proposal template has been used.
- The abstract is uploaded separately.
- The financing plan is uploaded in Excel format.
- The coordinator’s CV is included.
- Letters of endorsement from all participating institutions are combined into one PDF.
- The application is written in English.
- The application is submitted through StipOnline before the deadline.
Important points applicants should understand
The grant is not a personal scholarship
The €40,000 maximum is project funding.
It should not be interpreted as a monthly salary, individual research stipend or unrestricted payment to a researcher.
The funding is intended for eligible research cooperation expenses.
African institutions need an Austrian coordinator
African institutions can participate in the programme, but they cannot independently submit and coordinate a project under the current call.
The project must be submitted by an eligible PhD-holding researcher affiliated with an Austrian Africa-UniNet member institution.
Institutional membership is mandatory
Both the Austrian and African participating institutions must be active Africa-UniNet members and have paid their 2026 membership fees.
Applicants should verify institutional membership before investing time in preparing the proposal.
The project needs additional funding
Africa-UniNet does not intend the grant to cover the entire project cost.
Applicants must identify appropriate own funds and include them in the financing plan.
The grant has strict cost restrictions
The funding does not cover staff costs, honoraria, overheads, laptops, telephone or internet expenses.
Applicants should carefully review the official eligible-cost rules before finalizing their budgets.
Frequently asked questions
How much funding does Africa-UniNet provide?
The programme offers a maximum of €40,000 per research cooperation project.
How long do funded projects last?
Projects must run for 24 months.
Can African universities apply directly?
African institutions can participate as project partners but cannot independently coordinate or submit the application. An eligible Austrian institution must coordinate the project.
Do applicants need a PhD?
The project coordinator must hold a PhD and be affiliated with an Austrian Africa-UniNet member institution.
Participating researchers must be PhD students or PhD holders. Master’s students are not eligible to participate under the stated requirements.
Can the grant pay salaries?
Staff costs are not eligible under the official funding rules.
The grant is intended for eligible research cooperation expenses rather than salary payments.
What is the deadline?
The application deadline is 30 November 2026 at 13:00 CET.
When can projects start?
The earliest possible start is July 2027, and the latest possible start is December 2027.
Where should applications be submitted?
Applications must be submitted through the StipOnline portal.
The official call page provides the application information and links to the relevant documents.
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Final thoughts
Africa-UniNet Research Grants 2026–2027 | Funding of Up to €40,000 for Austrian–African Collaborative Research Projects
Africa-UniNet Research Grants 2026–2027 | Funding of Up to €40,000 for Austrian–African Collaborative Research Projects. The Africa-UniNet Research Cooperation Projects Call offers an opportunity for Austrian and African researchers to develop joint research projects, exchange knowledge and strengthen international academic partnerships.
With funding of up to €40,000 per project, a 24-month duration and support for eligible research mobility and consumables, the programme may be valuable for institutions seeking to develop collaborative research initiatives.
However, the call has important eligibility conditions: an Austrian PhD-holding coordinator, active Africa-UniNet membership for all participating institutions, eligible researchers and a financing plan that includes appropriate own funds.
Researchers interested in the opportunity should begin by identifying an eligible Austrian partner institution, confirming membership requirements and preparing the proposal and supporting documents.
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