Description

The Going Global Partnerships GEP grants aim to support higher education institutional partnerships between the UK and México, in strengthening gender responsive systems and practices.   

Objectives  

  • To contribute to long-term and sustainable institutional change that promotes gender equality in higher education.   
  • To contribute to enhanced opportunities for women to access, participate in and progress through higher education and employment pathways.  

Grant Highlights 

  • Funding available: Up to £25,000 per project, with two grants expected to be awarded between Mexico and the UK 
  • Duration of the fund: 17-month projects starting from January 2027 
  • Deadline for submitting application: 21 September 2026, Time: 11:59 am (BST)  

The grant projects may address one or more of the following themes:  

  • Addressing underrepresentation of women in higher education leadership,  
  • Strengthening pathways into employment,  
  • Creating safe higher education spaces,  
  • Enabling participation of women in STEM  

GEP grants are expected to contribute to outcomes across one or more of the following areas:  

  • Strengthened institutional mechanisms that support the progression of women into leadership roles.   
  • Strengthened institutional approaches, partnerships and programmes that support education to employment pathways.  
  • Improved institutional capacity to implement gender-responsive practices.  
  • Increased participation, representation and progression of women in higher education and/or STEM.  
  • Strengthened institutional policies, governance and practices addressing structural inequalities, biases and barriers.  
  • Increased integration of intersectional approaches into institutional strategies.  

Each proposal must have both:   

  • one Lead Institution from the UK; and  
  • one Lead Institution from Mexico; 
  • Each Lead Institution must have the capacity to administer a grant.   
  • The partnership can include in their proposals Associate Partners (from both the overseas countries and the UK).  

Activity Date
Call for applications opens 15 July 2026
Deadline for clarification questions submitted by applicants 24 August 2026 
Application deadline  21 September 2026, 11:59 a.m. BST 
Results announcement  By end of November 2026
Project launch  1 January 2027
Project end date 31 May 2028
Final report submission 30 June 2028

Clarifications 

Queries related to the call must be submitted by 24 August 2026 at  goingglobalpartnerships-GEP@britishcouncil.org (include ‘GEP Grants 2026 – clarification question’ in the subject line) 

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted via our online grant platform (registration required) using the form 'Going Global Partnerships – multi-country – Gender Equality Partnerships 2026'. 

The online application can only be started and submitted by the lead UK institution.  

Once started, the form can be shared with partner institutions for their contribution. Any application started by a non-UK institution will be automatically ineligible.  

Apply here