Applications are currently invited from suitably qualified Africans for the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund 2024. The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research with generous support from The ALBORADA Trust which allows collaboration between…[full details below]
The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund 2027 invites suitably qualified researchers from Africa to apply for funding that supports research collaboration between the University of Cambridge and institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. Supported by The ALBORADA Trust, the programme is designed to create opportunities for researchers to work together on projects that can strengthen academic partnerships and contribute to research development. If you are an eligible researcher based at a recognised institution in sub-Saharan Africa, this fund may provide an opportunity to establish or expand a research partnership with colleagues at Cambridge.
The fund is intended for pairs of researchers working at the postdoctoral level or above, with one researcher based at the University of Cambridge or an affiliated institution and the other based at an eligible African institution. Rather than supporting individual research in isolation, the programme focuses on developing meaningful institutional and professional connections between researchers in Cambridge and Africa. This makes the opportunity relevant to academics who already have a research interest or partnership they would like to develop further through collaborative work.
Successful applicants can use the support to initiate new research collaborations or strengthen existing partnerships between their institutions. Researchers interested in the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund 2027 should carefully review the eligibility requirements, funding conditions, application guidelines, eligible institutions, research areas and submission deadline before applying. Ensuring that both collaborating researchers meet the programme’s requirements is also important when preparing the application.
Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund 2026 | DETAILS
The Research Fund is to encourage research, training and engagement activities between Cambridge and sub-Saharan Africa. It is also to serve as seed fund/catalyst to enable the development of new research activity and further joint funding applications.
The Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund competitively awards grants of between £1,000 and £25,000 for research costs, research-related travel between Cambridge and Africa, conducting research training activities in Africa.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- There must exist a research collaboration between applicants from Cambridge and sub-Saharan African institution where both applicants agree to work together.
- Both applicants must be based at the University of Cambridge or its affiliated institution and a research institution or university in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Both applicants must be at post-doctoral level or above, and by completing an application it is understood that they are both doing so with support from their Head of Department or equivalent.
- Both applicants should have a formal link to a research group/department/faculty in their home institution.
Application Procedures
How-to-Apply: Interested applicants for the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund 2026 are to both register and complete a savable online application form.
The online application form has been designed to allow both applicants (Cambridge and Africa-based) to log in, update, save and eventually submit electronically.
To access the form, the Cambridge based applicant must Register here. Only applicants with @cam.ac.uk, @sanger.ac.uk, @babraham.ac.uk, @bas.ac.uk and @niab.com email addresses can register.
The Cambridge-based applicant must then log in to the Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund application form, where they will see the words “Invite a 2nd applicant to view/edit this submission”. Click on this link in order to invite the Africa-based applicant to register and edit the forms.
If you are eligible to apply, but are unable to register on the page above, then please contact alboradafund@cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk.
If you have already registered, please Log In to access the form.
Final submissions should include the following documents:
- Case for support and a lay summary
- An itemized budget (template provided)
- A letter of support from the department/faculty of the Cambridge Principal Investigator (PI)
- A letter of support from the department/institution of the African PI
- CVs (maximum 2 pages) for both the Cambridge and Africa PI
- Details of two referees should be provided.
Application Deadline: 3rd September 2026