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Stage 1 - First Links

Developing links with partners overseas can be challenging, and personal contacts are essential in order to ensure clear understanding of the research interests and capacity of potential partners. Such links can also be useful to give insight to the research challenges and cultural background of researchers in the two partner countries. Short term visits may build the trust needed to start joint activities such as sharing data and facilities and encouraging further exchange of staff.

Stage 1 schemes allow for funds to cover the travel and subsistence for short term visits usually from the UK to another country.

Schemes offered by the Research Councils include:

AHRC, ESRC	BA-AHRC-ESRC Visiting Scholarships for South Asia and Middle East	South Asia and Middle East
AHRC, ESRC	AHRC-ESRC Library of Congress Scholarship Scheme	USA
AHRC	AHRC-NIHU Short-Term Fellowships	Japan
EPSRC	Bilateral Research Workshops (N + N meetings)	Worldwide
EPSRC	Overseas Travel Grants	Worldwide
BBSRC	BBSRC International Scientific Interchange Scheme (ISIS)	Worldwide
BBSRC, MRC	European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Courses and Workshops	Worldwide
STFC	STFC studentships on grants	Worldwide
STFC	STFC Visiting Researchers	Worldwide
RCUK India	Travel Funding for Early Career Researchers	Worldwide

Note that funds to cover the travel and subsistence for short term visits may also be requested as part of a grant submission through responsive mode.

Where appropriate, NERC's Research Programmes issue Announcements of Opportunity in partnership with overseas funding agencies, providing further opportunities for collaborative working. A list of current NERC funding opportunities is available from http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/news/.