Global Research & Impact Program (GRIP)
Driving Global Research Partnership, Creating Lasting Impact
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The Global Research & Impact Program (GRIP) is a strategic initiative of UNSW Office of Global Affairs & UNSW Division of Research & Enterprise that connects researchers and institutions across the world to co-create impactful partnerships, foster research excellence, and deliver meaningful societal outcomes.
Through GRIP, international collaborations move beyond traditional academic exchanges – they become engines for breakthrough discoveries, innovation, and tangible societal and economic outcomes.
GRIP at a glance
Since its launch in 2023, GRIP has built a dynamic global network of researchers and institutions — laying the foundation for research-driven impact worldwide.
- 86 projects funded across all UNSW faculties
- 259 applications received from researchers worldwide
- 19 countries and 8 global regions engaged
- Collaborations spanning Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East
This global engagement reflects GRIP’s mission: to transform partnerships into engines for discovery, innovation, and positive societal change.
Why partner with GRIP?
For partners universities and researchers, GRIP offers:
- Access to world-class UNSW researchers and resources
- Seed funding for collaborative research initiatives
- Support for building scalable, high-impact projects
- Opportunities for global researcher and HDR mobility
- A platform to co-create solutions to critical global challenges
GRIP priorities
At UNSW, we believe impactful research is built on collaboration, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to creating change. Through GRIP, we:
- Impact-Focused International Research: Projects that align with global government, industry, or societal needs and hold strong potential for translation and impact.
- Build Global Research Capacity: Facilitate two-way mobility of Early Career Researchers, Mid-Career Researchers, and PhD candidates.
- Research Output: Prioritising international collaborative projects that generate high-quality research outputs to influence global dialogue.
- Collaborative Workshops & Conferences: Supporting joint international workshops, conferences, and other events to foster knowledge exchange and seed collaborative external funding proposals.
How GRIP works
GRIP offers two flexible funding streams:
- Initiator Grants
Catalysing new research collaborations with reputable global partners across all disciplines. - Accelerator Grants
Strengthening high-value partnerships with a select group of strategic global institutions, supporting scalable and aligned research outcomes.
Both streams foster enduring partnerships, research excellence, and global impact.
Collaborators in Global Research and Impact (2023–2025)
Through GRIP, UNSW researchers collaborate with the world’s leading universities to drive innovation, strengthen societies, and advance global progress.
Together, we are shaping a future where research impact transcends borders.
Success stories
From Seed Funding to Regional Impact
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
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
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.
Join us
GRIP invites partner researchers and universities to join us in building partnerships that advance knowledge, drive innovation, and create positive societal change.
Together, we can build a future where research delivers impact for all.
Keen to find out more? Please fill out the enquiry form below.