Financial support for overseas travel by an individual faculty member in support of research or creative activities
This is a new OVPIA internal funding category as of fall 2021. The International Mobility Grant provides matching support for IU faculty to participate in a variety of activities that align with the applicant’s individual research or creative work. It is intended to incorporate the longstanding support OVPIA has offered for participation in major disciplinary or interdisciplinary conferences in international venues but expands program parameters to also include participation in smaller workshops, working sessions, or individual meetings with collaborators. International mobility grants may also support short-term travel to conduct archive or field research, install an exhibit, or perform in a creative production.
This program is intended to invest in global engagement that supports your individual professional work. It typically supports one-time, short-term travel. OVPIA funding of up to $1,500 must be matched by funds from your home unit.
Eligibility
All tenured and tenure-eligible faculty members at any IU campus are eligible to apply. Non-tenure-track faculty members whose evaluation criteria include research or creative activity are eligible to submit proposals with an explanation of the importance of research or creative activity to their evaluation in the letter of support from their chair or dean.
Visiting and adjunct faculty, part-time faculty, emeritus faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students are not eligible.
Awards are contingent on the faculty member’s continued employment at IU in the semester following the term in which travel takes place.
Priority is given to faculty members who lack other sources of funding for international mobility, such as externally supported research labs or existing networks, unless there is a compelling reason the international travel cannot be covered by existing resources.
Deadlines
The deadlines to apply are October 1, February 1, April 1, and July 1 annually. If the deadline falls on a weekend or university holiday, materials will be due on the first business day following the deadline.
Apply for funding as soon as possible. We generally will not make awards retroactively for travel that has already taken place. In cases where timing is misaligned, such as for an upcoming conference where you have not received confirmation that your paper has been accepted in time to meet the OVPIA deadline, we recommend that you go ahead and submit a conditional application by the deadline. It is easy to withdraw the application should you end up not traveling.
Application rules
Eligible activities may include:
- Delivery of a keynote or plenary address, presentation of a paper selected through peer –review, or other significant participation in a major international conference
- Participation in a workshop or symposium
- Short-term archive or field research (typically two weeks or less)
- Meetings with research collaborators
- Installation of an exhibit
- Performance or other creative activities
While most reasons for travel that align with your promotion criteria are eligible for funding, certain activities will not be supported. For instance, we will not consider travel toward goals that could reasonably be accomplished here, such as study or refreshing skills in a foreign language, or meeting with an IU colleague who is temporarily away from campus. This program also excludes travel that is invited by a third-party where the third-party is the primary intended beneficiary of the activity. Some examples of this sort of excluded third-party invited travel would be:
- To teach a short course or lead a creative activity at a private entity or for a university that is not part of a broader IU partnership
- To train personnel in a foreign medical facility or laboratory
- To provide humanitarian or development assistance
- To consult or advise a foreign government or NGO
- To attend a meeting related to service on a board
The mobility program is not intended to support travel for extended archive or field research, such as would be done over an entire summer or during a sabbatical semester.
Funding Amounts
Award amounts are tiered by world region and based on anticipated travel costs:
| Mexico and Central America | $900 |
| South America, Europe, and the Middle East | $1,200 |
| Asia, Australia, and Africa | $1,500 |
This grant will require matching funds from the faculty member’s home academic department, school or campus. Amounts listed here are the maximum contributions from OVPIA, meaning that your total support for travel could be up to twice that amount ($1,800 - $3,000). Individual faculty research account funds may be used to meet the match requirement, but personal funds (out-of-pocket) may not be used as the match. If you are not sure how much matching funds you will receive at the time of application, please request up to the maximum amount here and we can adjust it later. Travel to Canada, Puerto Rico, or within the U.S. is not supported.
