International Travel Fund for Humanistic Research


Inside the Library of Arsenal, France

The International Travel Fund for Humanistic Research, administered by International Affairs, supports faculty pursuing humanistic interdisciplinary research abroad. Eligible faculty may receive up to $2,000 toward international travel expenses. The fund prioritizes interdisciplinary projects that grow KU research, expand research impact, further student success, or promote healthy and vibrant communities under Jayhawks Rising

International Affairs may request grant recipients to offer a presentation on their research to the campus community or serve on future grant selection committees up to three years post award.

International Affairs is not currently accepting proposals for projects under the International Travel Fund for Humanistic Research. Please check in with us in January 2025.

  • Eligible applicants must be full time teaching or research professors; full time multiterm lecturers; or tenured or tenure-track faculty members at KU who engage in humanistic research. Such faculty do not have to occupy faculty lines in explicitly “humanities” disciplines, departments, or schools. 
  • Proposed international travel must initiate prior to June 30, 2025.
  • Proposed research topics must have a humanistic dimension. Interdisciplinary projects are encouraged.
  • Attendance or participation in an international conference are not eligible activities under this fund.
  • Applicants must seek funding to pursue research on an international topic that will lead to scholarly publication.
  • Applicants who have previously received support from this fund must submit a one-page, post-activity report detailing project outcomes of the funded travel to be considered for the current award competition.
  • Applicants who have not received support from the International Travel Fund for Humanistic Research fund within the past three years will receive priority. 

In addition to supporting the faculty member’s research activity, this award is intended to help develop the international orientation, expertise, and outreach of KU.

  • Interdisciplinary humanistic proposals involving STEM disciplines are especially encouraged.
  • While KUIA will review all proposals submitted for faculty research, the most compelling proposals will:
    • show how the project will contribute in a direct way to the internationalization of KU’s curriculum by, for example, showing how the contents of at least one of their regular courses will be modified or how a new course will be developed;
    • speak to the project’s contribution to institutional internationalization as a core foundation that informs Jayhawks Rising. Examples might include, and are not limited to: the development of new collaborative research projects; faculty mobility toward joint funding or publication opportunities; international partnership or collaboration development; international student recruitment; and/or outbound student mobility;
    • engage with two or more strategic priorities within the Jayhawks Rising Framework that grow KU research, expand research impact, further student success, or promote healthy and vibrant communities.
  1. A description of the project (not to exceed three pages, single-spaced), including its benefit to KU and its alignment with Jayhawks Rising; plans for publication; the location and length of the stay abroad; and why the project requires travel abroad.
  2. A detailed travel budget and information on other sources of support or potential support.
  3. A letter from the applicant’s department chair or dean endorsing the project.
  4. Email proposal materials as a single PDF to Whitney Denning at whitneydenning@ku.edu no later than 5 p.m. on March 6, 2024.

Questions?

For questions about this award, contact Whitney Denning, manager of internationalization initiatives and events.