2025-2026 BER News and Events

Universitas 21 (U21) Mid-Career Researcher Program. U21 is a leading global network of 29 top research universities across 19 countries and 6 continents. During this 4-week online program (February-March 2026), Mid-Career Researchers (associate professors or equivalent) from across U21’s global membership network will convene to share knowledge, perspectives and ideas. This provides an opportunity to refocus and reset; to adopt the right mindset and identify the skills and attributes required to adapt and thrive within a creative and collaborative research culture. Interested parties may reach out to Illinois International Global Relations to apply or for more information. Applications due December 10, 2025 

MaxQDA qualitative and mixed methods data analysis tool. Software free to faculty, research staff, and students via Illinois Computes (a resource collaboration between NCSA and the University of Illinois System). Researchers install the software on their own computers (Windows and Mac supported). Illinois Computes provides licensing to use the software.

IRB and OPRS Newsletter. To receive a regular newsletter from the Institutional Research Board and Office for the Protection of Human Subjects, send an email request to irb@illinois.edu.

IHSI's National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant Writing Series will be offered during the 2026 spring semester. This biennial Series prepares junior faculty to submit their first R01 or other individual investigator proposals to NIH. Each participant will write and compile an advanced draft of an NIH proposal that has been reviewed by both their peers and an experienced faculty mentor. For COE faculty, departmental nomination is required. Contact your head/chair if interested.

Global Innovation Fund (GIF) Grant Program. GIF invests in development, rigorous testing, and scaling up of new products, services, business process, or policy reforms that are more cost-effective than current practice and targeted at improving the lives of the world's poorest people (living on less than $5/day in developing countries). GIF supports innovators at all stages of their life cycle, from startup and pilot-testing through to larger scale implementation ($230K-$15M). GIF Application windows are open:12/2025, 3/2026, 6/2026, 9/2026.

Spencer Foundation. Two programs are currently accepting applications. 

• Spencer Grants for Small Education Research Projects. Education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived, to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.Due 12/15/25. 
• Spencer Research-Practice Partnerships. Take note for the next round! Education research projects that engage in collaborative and participatory partnerships with project budgets up to $400,000 and durations of up to three years. Preproposals accepted once a year (11/14/2025), followed by an invited proposal.

NSF Science and Technology Studies (STS). Due 2/2026. Supports historical, philosophical and social scientific studies of the intellectual, material and social aspects of STEM — including ethics, equity, governance and policy issues relating to scientific theory and practice. Due 2/2/2026, 8/3/2025.

Joyce Foundation Grants for Programs Advancing Racial Equity and Economic Mobility in the Great Lakes Region. The Education & Economic Mobility Program seeks to close income and race disparities in college and career success through equitable access to high-quality education by investing in policy. Fundable projects help to inform, develop, advance, and implement evidence-based policies and systems change at K-12 and postsecondary levels. Due 12/1/2025.