Global Research & Impact Program (GRIP)

From Seed Funding to Regional Impact

South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity (SARIC)

Dr Elnaz (Elli) Irannezhad, Senior Lecture, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Through the 2024 GRIP Seed Grant led by Dr Elli Irannezhad, UNSW secured a DFAT-funded bid under the SARIC program. This resulted in the design of a high-impact training program, Digitalisation of Supply Chain and Logistics for Enhanced Trade Effectiveness, to be delivered in July 2025 to a delegation of government, industry, and academia representatives across South Asia. The program features immersive training, industry networking, and direct engagement with DFAT, aligning closely with UNSW’s global engagement priorities and Australia’s international development agenda.

This initiative demonstrates GRIP’s strategic value in enabling globally relevant, policy-influencing collaborations.

Building Inclusive Cities in Asia

Urban Development Training in Phnom Penh

Ms Eva Lloyd, Senior Lecturer, School of Built Environment

“The GRIP grant has enabled meaningful change, supporting professional training in participatory facilitation methods for 80 practitioners, scholars, NGO workers, and community leaders from across South, Southeast, and East Asia. More than just a training opportunity, this event establishes a platform for a regional city-making network rooted in the perspectives and practices of the Global South.

Held for the first time in Phnom Penh, the workshop will be hosted by the Royal University of Fine Arts—our partner institution at UNSW and Cambodia’s oldest academic establishment—signalling thought leadership by and for the region.

The grant has not only expanded our Cambodia-based educational programs beyond the student cohort; it has also opened new pathways for professional development that align with Phnom Penh’s urban policy ambitions toward more inclusive and equitable cities.”

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

Grassroots Innovation in Timor-Leste

Professor Danielle Logue, Director, UNSW’s Centre for Social Impact (CSI)

Supported by the GRIP program, UNSW CSI collaborated with Timor-Leste’s Economic Empowerment of Women (EEW) Unit, established by President José Ramos-Horta. This partnership transformed the presidential palace grounds into a hub for grassroots social innovation, featuring initiatives like Kantina Matak—a canteen serving vulnerable communities and providing a platform for women entrepreneurs to develop skills and build sustainable businesses.​

Professor Danielle Logue, Director of UNSW CSI, reflected on the experience:​

“It was a privilege to learn how empowerment is genuinely embedded in every aspect of the EEW Unit’s work—from the training for women entrepreneurs, to the structure of graduation ceremonies, to the management of ongoing business support. Agency, sustainability, respect, and fostering potential to scale were always at the core of conversations and interactions.” ​

This initiative exemplifies GRIP’s role in facilitating impactful, place-based collaborations that align with both UNSW’s strategic priorities and the development goals of partner communities.​