Scotland-based researchers have been invited to apply for grants of up to £3,000 to support research in topics including China’s “connections and divergences” with the rest of the world.

The Scottish Council on Global Affairs (SCGA) this week launched its 2026-27 funding call, inviting proposals from researchers – including independent researchers not affiliated with any particular higher education institution – to contribute to two new projects it is convening this year.

The first project, “Regional Connections”, proposes to explore how connections between world regions have changed and what the consequences of this have been, both for the world in general and Scotland in particular, with research proposals and/or workshops sought on topics including “China as a regional power”.

The second project, “Scotland Seeing the World”, invites Scotland-based researchers and policy practitioners to examine key global challenges and their implications for Scotland, the UK, and beyond.

Broadly, proposals for both themes should fit under one or more of SCGA’s themes:

• Human rights, immigration, migration, refugees;
• Foreign policy, peace building, conflict resolution;
• International law, trade and global governance;
• Defence and security;
• Global public health, international development;
• Sustainability, fisheries, climate change, energy.

The activities proposed can take a variety of formats including, but not limited to, public events (such as lectures, panels, roundtables), podcasts, and workshops offered to policymakers and practitioners.

More information about the projects and the application process can be found on the SCGA website.

The SCGA is the first all-Scotland international relations institute providing a hub for collaborative policy-relevant research and a home for informed, non-partisan debate on all areas of global affairs, broadly defined.