Global Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives

Priority is given to proposals that (a) support the Global Lehigh strategic plan priorities and initiatives, (b) seek the internationalization of Lehigh’s community, (c) increase Lehigh’s international footprint, and (d) have clear international outcomes.

Examples of fundable activities include, but are not limited to: 

• Enhancing existing or developing new international connections on shared research interests between Lehigh faculty and their counterparts in academic, research or community institutions abroad. 
• Designing a workshop or a course with faculty and students from participating institutions. The workshop or course may be delivered online (synchronously or asynchronously) or in person. 
• Planning an international conference. The conference may take place on Lehigh’s campus or abroad and could involve Lehigh faculty and students.

The Office of International Affairs particularly encourages projects that include partners in India. For additional information about current Indian collaborators, please contact Stacy Burger at stb206@lehigh.edu.

If you have questions about the grant or the application process, please contact Stacy Burger, director of global partnerships and strategic initiatives.

Grant Details

Awards

Several grants will be awarded yearly ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Priority will be given to proposals that maximize financial efficiency.

Eligibility

Any tenured or tenure-track faculty, research faculty, teaching faculty or professor of practice at Lehigh University is eligible to apply. Visiting faculty and adjunct faculty are not eligible.

Allowable expenses

Awards may be used for a wide range of costs associated with developing and executing research and teaching activities with clear international goals, including (a) travel expenses, (b) hiring students to help with the activities involved, and/or (c) purchasing materials necessary for the research, course, workshop, or conference being conducted or organized by the Lehigh faculty member. 

Non-allowable expenses

Grants cannot be used for faculty salaries, attendance at conferences not directly related to Lehigh’s internationalization (e.g., regularly held annual meetings of academic or professional organizations), or general-purpose equipment. Grant funds cannot be used to reimburse costs incurred before submitting the application and receiving the award.

 Application Guidelines 

The application for the Faculty Internationalization Grant includes the following:

• Application statement (two to three pages)
• Budget and justification
• Background materials
• Current CV

All applications may be submitted to Stacy Burger (stb206@lehigh.edu) in PDF format.

Spring application will open in January.

Application Statement

The application statement should include the following:

• Contact information: Applicant name, department, academic rank, email address

• Description of the proposed activity: Include a summary of the proposed activity, providing clear research and learning objectives, the expected outcome and the opportunities for a significant international component. If the proposed activity involves another institution, the description must include clear indication of their involvement and commitment to the project, including in the form of some matching funds or other services.

Budget and justification

Provide an itemized budget, including amounts in categories for materials and supplies, travel, etc. The budget must be appropriate to the specific needs of the proposed activity. Provide sufficient detail for reviewers to understand how the budget items support the completion of the project. 

Background materials

These materials do not count toward the two- to three-page statement.

Previous internally funded grants or fellowships from the past three years: Give the title and program of the award, describe significant results from each award, and list papers, publications, presentations or sponsored projects that were an outgrowth of this research or other activity.  

Other available course development funding: Describe any other resources available for research or course development from the department, college or other funding sources. Indicate how this grant is required to supplement this funding.

Evaluation criteria

The Faculty Committee on Global Affairs will review applications and make the final award decisions. Some of the key evaluation criteria include:

• The quality and merit of the proposal regarding the potential for research, curricular or other activity for the faculty member’s future research or teaching activities
• The significance of the proposal in advancing Lehigh’s internationalization goals 
• Evidence that sufficiently exploratory effort and communication with the proposed institutions have taken place to prepare for the proposed activities' timely success

Applicants should keep in mind that the faculty committee reviewing the proposals may include members who are not familiar with the proposed area of study. Therefore, it is essential to keep technical terminology to a minimum and to describe the project so that non-specialists can readily appreciate its potential. The proposal should also make clear the necessity of each budget item.

Grant Recipients

Grant recipients will be notified by late November. Recipients have 15 months within which to use the awarded funds.

Each faculty member awarded this grant will be asked upon completion of the project to submit a brief written report to the vice president for international affairs, their department chairperson and the college dean. 

Each faculty member will also agree to join the rest of the recipients to give a short oral presentation about their experiences at a Faculty Internationalization Reception for newly hired and other faculty interested in applying to this grant program.