The  US-UK Global Innovation Initiative aims to establish 40 trilateral partnerships involving 120 universities worldwide in the first year, reaching 600 over the programme’s five-year period. The funded programme will further research and bolster HE ties and mobility between students and faculty across US, UK and partners in developing economies.

Grants will be provided to support research projects by the State Department in the US and the Department for Business/the British Council in the UK. The universities that win the approval of the selection committee for their bid for funds will need to contribute an agreed portion of costs, but not provide these funds upfront.

An MoU was signed between UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and US Secretary of State John Kerry last week in Washington to this effect. “This initiative will also further our higher education cooperation, which is a priority of both President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron,” said Kerry.

Commenting on the initiative, Martin Davidson CEO of the British Council, said: “International cooperation is essential in furthering understanding in addressing key global challenges – we are delighted to be investing in this new programme in partnership with the US, that will provide UK universities a new mechanism to work with the best around the world.’’

The scheme was honed during two large-scale policy events between university vice-chancellors and presidents

Further details will be announced with the first call for proposals in early October 2013. After a three-stage selection process grants will be given in early 2014.

Citing the Obama state visit to the UK in 2011, when a desire to work together in an HE context was underlined, the British Council announced last week that the scheme was honed during two large-scale policy events organised by the British Council between university vice-chancellors and presidents across both countries that concluded in 2011.