UCL and NUS Launch Joint Research and Innovation Collaboration Fund to Advance Neuroscience and Healthy Longevity
The National University of Singapore (NUS) and University College London (UCL) have announced a new joint funding initiative designed to strengthen cross-border research partnerships. The UCL-NUS Research and Innovation Collaboration Fund 2026/27 targets projects at the intersection of neuroscience and ageing, with a strong emphasis on healthy longevity. This seed-funding opportunity provides up to £10,000 from UCL and up to S$17,000 from NUS for one-year collaborative efforts that support travel, workshops, researcher exchanges, consumables and related activities.
Applications are open to researchers from both institutions, with an internal submission deadline of 19 June 2026. The call builds on earlier rounds that have already supported six one-year projects in areas such as neuroscience, digital health, medical imaging and ophthalmology. By prioritising brain health, cognitive function, functional independence and healthy longevity, the fund aligns closely with Singapore’s broader national priorities in ageing research and population health.
Background to the Collaboration
NUS and UCL have maintained a long-standing partnership across multiple disciplines. The new fund extends this relationship into a focused programme that addresses one of the most pressing global challenges: the health and wellbeing of ageing populations. Singapore’s rapidly ageing society and its national investments in longevity research provide fertile ground for such collaborations. The initiative encourages proposals that apply neuroscience methods and perspectives to real-world questions in brain health and ageing, fostering sustained partnerships rather than one-off studies.
Projects must demonstrate clear potential for lasting impact and future funding applications. The emphasis on healthy longevity reflects Singapore’s strategic direction, where government agencies and universities are prioritising brain health, physical function and socio-environmental factors that support longer, healthier lives.
Scope and Priorities of the Fund
The fund supports research that sits at the intersection of neuroscience and ageing. Eligible projects may explore cognitive decline, neurodegenerative conditions, brain imaging techniques, digital health interventions or any combination of these areas. Proposals are expected to show how neuroscience approaches can improve understanding or management of age-related challenges, ultimately contributing to healthy longevity.
Funding is modest but strategic, designed to seed larger collaborations. Successful teams can use the resources to build networks, generate preliminary data and prepare competitive bids for major international grants. The one-year duration encourages focused, deliverable-oriented work that can be scaled in subsequent phases.
Alignment with Singapore’s National Research Agenda
Singapore has committed significant resources to healthy longevity research, including a S$350 million national initiative focused on brain health, physical function and socio-environmental innovations. The NUS-UCL fund complements these efforts by bringing international expertise and fresh perspectives. NUS researchers are already leading major programmes in sleep science, physiological data analysis and cognitive neuroscience, areas that intersect directly with the fund’s priorities.
The collaboration also supports Singapore’s goal of positioning itself as a global hub for ageing research and innovation. By partnering with UCL, NUS gains access to complementary strengths in neuroscience, population health and translational medicine, accelerating the translation of discoveries into practical applications.
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Previous Awardees and Emerging Outcomes
The first round of the UCL-NUS fund supported six projects announced in late 2025. These covered neuroscience, digital health and medical imaging, demonstrating the breadth of interest from both institutions. Early outcomes include strengthened researcher networks, joint publications in preparation and plans for larger follow-on grants. The current 2026/27 call builds on this foundation, inviting new teams to contribute to the growing portfolio of collaborative work.
Recipients have reported that the seed funding enabled critical pilot experiments and face-to-face exchanges that would otherwise have been difficult to arrange. These small investments are already catalysing larger research programmes and deepening institutional ties.
Opportunities for Academics and Researchers
The fund creates concrete opportunities for academics at NUS and UCL to expand their international profiles. Early-career researchers benefit from exposure to new methodologies and mentorship across institutions. Senior academics can leverage the collaboration to build multinational teams capable of tackling complex, interdisciplinary questions.
PhD students and postdoctoral researchers associated with funded projects gain valuable experience in cross-border research management, data sharing and joint dissemination. These skills are increasingly valued in both academic and industry settings focused on ageing and brain health.
Implications for Singapore’s Higher-Education Landscape
This initiative reinforces NUS’s position as a leading research university in Asia. It also signals to prospective faculty and students that Singapore offers strong platforms for international collaboration in high-priority fields. The fund’s focus on healthy longevity aligns with national workforce planning, as Singapore seeks to grow expertise in ageing-related sciences and healthcare innovation.
University administrators view such partnerships as strategic assets that enhance institutional reputation and attract additional external funding. The modest seed investment yields disproportionate returns through network effects and follow-on grants.
Future Outlook and Next Steps
The 2026/27 call represents the latest step in an evolving partnership between UCL and NUS. Future rounds are expected to maintain the focus on neuroscience and healthy longevity while potentially expanding into adjacent areas such as digital health and precision medicine. Researchers interested in applying are encouraged to review the detailed guidance documents available through both institutions’ research offices.
With deadlines approaching in June 2026, teams are already forming around shared interests in brain imaging, cognitive resilience and interventions that promote functional independence in later life. The fund is positioned to deliver both immediate research outputs and long-term collaborative capacity.
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Actionable Insights for Researchers
Prospective applicants should ensure proposals clearly articulate the neuroscience lens applied to ageing questions. Strong applications demonstrate feasible timelines, clear deliverables and explicit pathways to sustained collaboration beyond the one-year funding period. Early engagement with research offices at both NUS and UCL is recommended to align proposals with institutional priorities and secure necessary endorsements.
Researchers already working in related areas are advised to explore potential UCL or NUS partners through existing networks or the institutions’ international offices. The fund rewards genuine collaboration rather than parallel independent work.
