By May 2025, all nine universities within the European University of the Seas (SEA-EU) Alliance had successfully launched their respective SEA-EU Research Seed Funds. Developed as part of a coordinated initiative, these funds aim to foster cross-institutional research collaboration by supporting projects involving researchers from at least two SEA-EU partner institutions.
With a total value of approximately 260.000 euros, the initiative is enabling around 40 collaborative projects to be funded across the alliance. The scheme is open to both early-career and established researchers and is expected to run on an annual basis.
Although the funds are managed independently by each university, all calls follow a shared set of eligibility and evaluation criteria jointly developed by the SEA-EU expert group. This ensures consistency, transparency, and alignment with the SEA-EU Mission.
Funded projects typically include a range of activities such as joint workshops, staff and student mobilities, access to specialised equipment, research visits, and the development of joint funding proposals or other initiatives aimed at establishing or strengthening long-term collaborations. All supported initiatives are required to include mobility between SEA-EU universities and contribute to the wider SEA-EU research community.
The SEA-EU Research Seed Fund represents a key step in strengthening long-term academic partnerships within the alliance and in advancing the vision of a more connected and collaborative European Research Area.
