Opportunities for research funding

Two Calls for Expressions of Interest

The Oxford Martin School is requesting proposals from eligible applicants for solutions-focused research programmes that could have a major impact on this and future generations.

Further details of our selection criteria are given below but we are looking for adventurous “high-reward” ideas that would not be fundable through standard research council or related routes. We welcome proposals that make interdisciplinary links across the University of Oxford. 

Initially, we are requesting a short Expression of Interest (EoI) that clearly states the programme’s aim, novelty and how, if successful, it will have real-world impact. The EoI should also state why the Oxford Martin School should support the idea rather than traditional funders. 

1. Exploring the Impact of Generative AI

The Oxford Martin School is requesting proposals from eligible applicants for a solutions-focused research programme exploring the impact of the development and widespread use of generative AI.

An internal University of Oxford’s AI expert panel and the School’s Management Committee will then shortlist a limited number of EoIs to go to full proposal. Only one programme, of a maximum of £1 million, will be funded; the length of the proposed programme should be between 2 to 3 years. In addition to the £1 million funding, the programme will have access to API credits for OpenAI’s API and to compute funding to support research on AI models.
 

Please send your EoI by 5 pm on 19th January 2026 to kanwal.baluch@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk.
 

E-mail jean-charles.buffet@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk if you have any research queries related to your expression of interest.

Deadline: 5pm, Monday 19th January 2026.

Download the application guidelines

2. Open Call

We have decided not to specify a theme but will be considering any project that addresses the School’s mission. As always, we are interested in applications from parts of the University that the School has not previously supported. 

The EoI should also state why the Oxford Martin School should support the idea rather than traditional funders, and how the project would continue after the end of School funding. Our Management Committee will then shortlist a limited number of EoIs to go to full proposals. The length and budget of a programme is flexible between 2 to 5 years, and between £250k and £1 million. Two to three programmes will be selected in total.
 

Please send your EoI by 5 pm on 10th February 2026 to kanwal.baluch@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk.
 

E-mail jean-charles.buffet@oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk if you have any research queries related to your expression of interest.

Deadline: 5pm, Tuesday 10th February 2026.

Download the application guidelines

How will we decide?

We will judge your expression of interest against the School’s research funding criteria:
  • Scale: does the project address a contemporary challenge of global significance?
  • Excellence: does the project involve research of the highest international standard?
  • Impact: will this research make a major positive difference in the world beyond academia, and how will this be achieved
  • Additionality: what is novel about the proposed research, and why should this research be funded by the Oxford Martin School, rather than by another funder?

Eligibility

We view the combination and selection of an Oxford Martin School Programme’s Directors as vital to the success of the programmes. All prospective applicants must be on a permanent contract or have a contract with the University of Oxford that extends beyond the length of the proposed research. 

Each proposal should include applicants from more than one Department and successful proposals are very likely to pull together novel combinations of researchers from different fields.  The Oxford Martin School aims to contribute to the University’s diverse and rich research environment, so we are particularly interested in receiving expressions of interest from consortia that span different divisions and demonstrate diversity in the composition of the applicants team. 

The School expects to provide funding for our Directors, we do this because we want the proposed programme to benefit from your full involvement and for the School to benefit from your membership. We would expect all applicants (PI/co-I) to be costed between 5 – 20%, but we are flexible as to whether you are able to contribute more or less.