US-UK BRIDGE Partnership Advances Research for a Sustainable FutureÂ
IIE congratulates the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Birmingham (UK) on receipt of the 2025 Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education in the category of Sustainability. Founded in 2014, the Birmingham-Illinois Partnership for Discovery, Engagement & Education (BRIDGE Partnership) initiative has cultivated 115 faculty-to-faculty collaborations, published 100+ academic articles, and joint research projects that have generated $10 million in external grants. Officers from Illinois, an IIENetwork member institution, participated in a Q&A to share details about their award-winning initiative.  Â
What is BRIDGE, and why was it initiated?
The BRIDGE Partnership was initiated to harness the complementary strengths of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illinois) and the University of Birmingham (Birmingham) by fostering a collaborative relationship aimed at advancing research, education, and societal impact. To date, more than 330 faculty members from both institutions have established ongoing collaborations spanning all five of Birmingham’s colleges and 13 colleges at Illinois.
At the heart of the partnership is a commitment to addressing critical global issues aligned with international sustainability and global health objectives. This includes joint research projects, academic and professional exchanges, tri-lateral partnerships, and shared research fellows.
By joining forces, both universities have expanded opportunities for students and faculty while enhancing their institutions’ internationalization, research, and educational strategies. Additionally, it opens access to external funding opportunities in both the UK and the USA that might not have been accessible to either institution independently, further amplifying their collaborative efforts.
How is the partnership funded?
The BRIDGE Partnership is sustained by institutional funding that supports seed grants, fellowships, and mobility initiatives. In addition, both universities have staff providing logistical support for student and faculty mobility programs. The international offices at both institutions coordinate program management, governance, and strategic oversight, ensuring the partnership’s success and impact.
A matching fund of $100,000 from each institution is allocated annually to support seed grant projects, enabling faculty to pursue innovative ideas and establish long-term collaborations. Since its inception, this initiative has funded 115 research projects across multiple disciplines and is now in its ninth cycle. Since 2014, a total of $1.1 million has been invested in joint seed funding.
How do you measure success?
Success is measured through Seed Fund research outcomes, participation in joint activities, publications, and sustained collaboration.
The BRIDGE Partnership has demonstrated a strong return on investment, securing $10 million in external funding from numerous prestigious organizations, including the Global Centre for Clean Energy and Equitable Transportation Solutions (CLEETS), the British Academy, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and many more.
BRIDGE’s innovative approach has led to new programs such as the Global South Fellowship, Water Research Fellowship, Signature Initiatives, and the Staff Exchange.
Surveys of grant recipients and data on project outcomes provide metrics on the number of ongoing collaborations, publications, and external funding secured. These evaluations confirm the program’s success in:
- Encouraging interdisciplinary research across fields, including humanities, sciences, and engineering.Â
- Promoting equitable access to research opportunities for underrepresented disciplines.Â
- Strengthening cross-institutional relationships and fostering internal collaboration within Illinois and Birmingham.Â
BRIDGE has been in operation for a decade. What are you doing to keep BRIDGE current and/or scale up?
BRIDGE’s framework—rooted in seed grants, fellowships, and faculty mobility—can be adopted by other institutions as a proven model for global collaboration. Sharing best practices and evaluation metrics further enhances its scalability. The expansion of partnerships with institutions in the Global South aligns BRIDGE’s efforts with shared global priorities. For instance, the Sustainability Strand of the BRIDGE Signature Initiative, which addresses climate action and the food-energy-water nexus, illustrates how BRIDGE scales its impact by developing solutions to pressing global issues with Global South partners.
To remain active and current, BRIDGE leverages technology to sustain engagement. Planned initiatives like a virtual hub for the Sustainability Strand and a Global Health Virtual Center will facilitate global partnerships, resource sharing, and workshops. These tools ensure the partnership maintains its relevance and momentum, even across geographic boundaries.
Professional development and capacity building are central to BRIDGE’s mission. Programs like the Five-Year Fellowship and Global South Fellowship equip early-career researchers with the skills needed to address complex challenges. Expanding these fellowships ensures a pipeline of skilled researchers contributing to impactful global solutions.