London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Singapore Management University (SMU) 2026 Call for Proposals
The LSE-SMU seed research funding call aims to strengthen ties between the two institutions by supporting research collaborations in areas of mutual strategic interest. In enabling both SMU and LSE faculty identify complementary strengths, explore synergies, and develop outstanding joint research, this seed fund programme will help foster long-term academic collaboration by engaging researchers from all schools and research centres at both universities. The fund supports both new collaborations and the development of existing partnerships.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
This grant call is open to all full-time SMU faculty, including those on term track.
THEMES
There are three (3) themes under this Call for Proposals:
As cities grow, the question of how they can grow sustainably has become important. Whilst solutions involving governance, technology, policy, infrastructure, economic and industrial transformation, and more, all underpin the development of more sustainable cities, progress towards understanding what sustainability is or might be, and how it might be enacted effectively, remains slow. We invite proposals that seek to better understand the ideals that stimulate and barriers that hinder sustainability transitions in cities throughout the world. We are especially interested in proposals that explore cities in Europe and Asia.
Topics of interest include, but are by no means limited to:
- Inter-city networking and urban regionalism: How are city- and region-building networks created and leveraged to drive urban sustainability?
- Mobility transitions in and beyond the city: How might advances in transportation and mobility lead to socio-economic and behavioural shifts?
- Infrastructural innovation in the built environment: How might infrastructural innovations - material, digital, and more - be harnessed to drive sustainability agendas?
- Policies, plans and people in urban sustainability: How do sustainability policies and plans translate to on-the-ground change?
New urban growth agendas in a climate changed world: How might urban growth be rethought and renegotiated amidst the pressures of climate change?
The rapid integration of AI, coupled with changes in work practices (such as remote, gig and fractional employment), is transforming the world of work, reshaping professional practices, leadership strategies and team dynamics, while also raising concerns about job security and workplace adaptation. This theme invites research that critically examines how organisations and societies can respond to these shifts and integrate technological advancements responsibly to support inclusive and sustainable work futures.
The topics of interest include but are not limited to:
- AI identity and reskilling: Investigate how AI adoption reshapes worker identity, the demand for lifelong reskilling, and the practicality of reskilling pathways across different groups.
- Impact of Technology and Work Practices on teams at work: Analyse how AI tools and changing work cultures and practices mediate team interactions, collaboration, trust and productivity in hybrid, virtual, or distributed work environments.
- Digital Innovation in Firms: Analyze how firms, across different professions, are harnessing digital technologies, to differentiate their innovation journey and identify relevant best practices for integrating such tools in innovative, collaborative work.
- AI and job insecurity/productivity: Examine how AI and other technological disruptions shape perceptions of job security, and utilize field experiments to show how organisations can mitigate devise human capital development practices to tackle such insecurity while supporting workforce resilience, inclusivity and wellbeing.
Impact of AI and Machines on Labor Market Dynamics: Quantify how adoption of AI and/or robotics across different sectors and jobs is reshaping market demand for jobs, skills and competencies, and how educational programs must be refreshed to respond to such shifts in market demands.
The ageing of populations globally, especially in cities, is transforming economies, social systems for health and care, and simply everyday life. Longer lifespans present both opportunities and challenges for sustaining economic growth and per capita productivity, safeguarding equity in social provisions, and ensuring well-being across generations. This theme invites research that critically examines how societies and economies must adapt to demographic change, and how innovation in business, policy, and technology can shape inclusive and sustainable futures for longevity societies and economies.
The topics of interest include but are not limited to:
- Economic Transformation and Workforce Adaptation: Investigate strategies for lifelong learning, age-diverse workplaces, and policies that support extended careers and individual productivity in longevity economies.
- Silver Economy and Market Innovation: Explore how an ageing population can create new markets, products, and services, and the shifting implications for new business models and consumer behaviour.
- Healthy Ageing and Well-being: Examine interventions across the life course that are effective in promoting physical, mental, and social health as one ages, and how these interventions impact on quality of life.
- Intergenerational Dynamics and Social Cohesion: Analyse how ageing affects family structures, caregiving models, and community resilience.
- Urban Design and Age-friendly Environments: Assess how cities and housing can be reimagined to support mobility, accessibility, and sustained engagement for older adults.
- Policy and Governance for Longevity: Explore frameworks for social security, healthcare systems, and inclusive governance in the context of demographic change.
- Technology Adoption for Longevity: Evaluate the role of digital health, assistive technologies, and AI in enabling economic participation and well-being for older adults.
- Reimagining Volunteerism and Building Social Capital in Neighbourhoods: Explore the design of shared community “Third Places,” where social initiatives foster organic connections and empower older adults to lead, drive, and participate in programs that strengthen community bonds.
TERMS
1. Requirements/Obligations to Apply for Follow-on External Research Funding
Funding from this grant call is intended to seed and catalyse high-quality research, interdisciplinary studies, and/or impactful work led by researchers across both universities. Accordingly, while the intellectual and scientific merit of the proposed work is the primary determinant, applicants are urged to view the proposed work as initial efforts that are clearly aligned with a longer-term, broader impactful research agenda. Proposals should thus ideally articulate a clear pathway towards strengthening the evidence base or piloting approaches that can be scaled into competitive applications for external research funding.
TIMELINE FOR THE CALL
The timeline for the LSE-SMU 2026 Grant Call is as follows:
| Timeline | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Thursday 22 January 2026 | Grant Call Opens |
| Friday 13 February 2026 | Last date for submission of Collaboration Interest Form (optional) |
| Wednesday 25 March 2026 | Last date for submission of Intent to Apply (required) |
| Friday 29 May 2026 | Last date for Application |
| Friday 28 August 2026 | Outcome expected to be announced |
| October 2026 to September 2027 | Tenure of the 2026 LSE-SMU award |
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Collaboration Interest Form (Optional): Complete this short form by Friday, 13 February, to share your interests and connect with SMU researchers for potential collaborative projects under the LSE–SMU Research Seed Fund. Your profile will be shared with other participating researchers, who can reach out directly or request an introduction through our team, and/or participate in a collaborative workshop.
- Intent to apply (Required): Potential applicants should get in touch with the SMU-designated Point-of-Contact, Resilient Workforces Institute (ResWORK) (reswork@smu.edu.sg) and the LSE Global Research Partnerships & Alliances Manager (global@lse.ac.uk) as soon as possible and no later than 25 March to indicate their intent to apply. Please include the names and titles of individuals from SMU and LSE who will participate and a proposal title.
- Application Submission: Each proposal should have one PI from SMU and one PI from LSE.
Applicants must apply using one joint application form - LSE-SMU Research Seed Fund Application Form 2026 by deadline of Friday, 29 May 2026 (10am BST, 6pm SGT).
PIs should ensure that the below documents are submitted as part of the application:
1. LSE-SMU Research Seed Fund Application Form 2026
2. CV of LSE Lead Principal Investigator (max 2 pages each)
3. CV of SMU Lead Principal Investigator (max 2 pages each)
4. Budget Excel
5. SMU PI only: Quotations for OOE items > SGD3,000 and all equipment requests
Further guidance on application preparation can be found in Information for the LSE–SMU 2026 Call for Proposals. - It is encouraged that you submit the application a few working days before the grant call closing date and please remain contactable after the submission of your proposal in case any clarifications are needed.
BUDGET AND JUSTIFICATION
- Applications submitted to this grant call will be awarded as two separate grants: one awarded to the SMU PI by SMU, and one awarded to the LSE PI by LSE.
- PIs should only utilise the funding awarded by their relevant institution, and utilisation of funding should not cross institutions.
- The funding quantum is capped at SGD25,000 per project for SMU PI and GBP15,000 per project for LSE PI with a duration not exceeding 1 year.
- This grant call cannot be used for the non-fundable items listed in Annex A (as outlined on the last page of the Information for LSE-SMU 2026 Call for Proposals document).
ENQUIRIES
- SMU: Resilient Workforces Institute (ResWORK) – reswork@smu.edu.sg*
- LSE: Global Research Partnerships & Alliances – global@lse.ac.uk
*Kindly note that while the ResWORK Institute is coordinating the Call for Proposals effort, the Urban Institute and Longevity Societies & Economies Institute (to-be-launched) are equally involved and will support proposals under the Urban Sustainability, and Longevity and Healthy Ageing themes.