Global Minds Project: Building capacity and increasing visibility for sustainable development
The Global Minds Programme (GM), supported by VLIRUOS, aims to increase VUB’s capacity in knowledge, scientific approaches and technologies to sustain, improve and expand its collaboration with partners in the South. By integrating development issues into education and research, Global Minds strives to foster global citizenship and solidarity in society to better respond to global challenges. The Global Minds framework enables various projects and mobilities.
Calls 2025-26
📣📣 New Calls 📣📣
The EIC Team has launched new calls for the following Global Minds projects and scholarships:
- EIC Career Award - De oproep tot nominaties voor 2026 is nu geopend. Lees meer in de oproep en dien vandaag nog uw aanmeldformulier in! Deadline: 19 januari 2026 om 17.00 uur.
- REI - Deadline R2 30 October 2025
- XREI - Deadline passed, R2 depending on available funding at the end of the year
- SGP - Deadline passed, R2 depending on available funding at the end of the year
- SGM - Deadline passed, R2 depending on available funding at the end of the year
You can find the calls here!
Calls 2025-26
TEAM 2026
Call expected around October 22
More info on the VLIRUOS website.
Of course, you can also contact the IRMO-EIC team: ICOS@vub.be
2026 Call
📣 This call is closed due to budget cuts.
Caroline Pauwels & Jakes Gerwel SCHOLARSHIPS CALL 2025
The Caroline Pauwels and Jakes Gerwel Joint PhD Scholarships aim at strengthening existing cooperations between VUB and UWC, as part of the Strategic International Partnership (SIP) between the two universities.
📣 Call deadline is 31 November 2025 at 17h, please have a look at the call and application form.
1. XREI: Staff mobility
The objective of this call is to stimulate staff mobility, be it VUB staff travelling South, or Southern staff travelling to VUB, or to a VUB-organised event in Belgium. The mobility should contribute to capacity-building regarding Equitable International Cooperation within VUB (in accordance with the Global Minds objectives). The destination is limited to the 23 countries of the GM partner countries.
2. Student group mobility
The objective of student group mobility projects is to enhance world citizenship through outgoing student mobility and to promote structured cooperation between VUB and institutions/organisations in 23 countries of the GM partner countries. Students wanting to go abroad are required to follow UCOS training before applying to the call.
3. Small great projects
These aim to strengthen the VUB’s academic capacity to participate in Equitable International Cooperation. Project proposals should stimulate an (innovative) development dimension in (one or more of) the university’s missions (education, research and outreach). Examples include (but are not limited to) international seminars, alumni gatherings, awareness-raising events on campus and movies on VUB projects, about food, migration, climate crisis, SDGs, entrepreneurship in the Global South, etc.
4. REI travel grant
REI is a travel grant for students at a Flemish university or graduate school for an individual study trip to a country in the Global South. The exchange is part of an approved course, such as an internship or a thesis. This is a chance for students to contribute to sustainable development. More information via this link.
Equitable International Cooperation Career Award
For nurturing partnerships and being an inspiration to others.
At VUB, we take great pride in our tradition of close collaboration with universities in partner countries. To celebrate our engaged staff, increase the visibility of equitable international cooperation, and raise awareness among the VUB community about the opportunities, we introduced the EIC Career Award, formerly known as the UDC Career Award.
The call for nominees for 2026 is now open. Find out more in the call and submit your application form today! Deadline 19 January 2026 at 17h.
These individuals have supported and built partnerships and are an inspiration to the entire VUB community:
- UDC Career Award winner 2020: Edilbert Van Driessche.
- UDC Career Award winner 2022: Nico Koedam
- UDC Career Award winner 2023: Georges Eisendrath
- UDC Career Award winner 2024: Geert Angenon & Ann Nowé
Universitas
The Universitas scholarship programme aims to strengthen existing cooperation between VUB and partners on the Universitas partners list. Consequently, the Universitas scholarships will, as part of the internationalisation policy of VUB, contribute to the realisation of the SDGs.
📣 2026 call is closed due to budget cuts.