Dear Partners,
The Wellcome Trust is launching an international funding opportunity to support five new global infrastructure hubs that will use AI-enabled evidence synthesis to produce timely, relevant and affordable evidence for policy‑making in global health and development. This initiative is part of the Evidence Synthesis Infrastructure Collaborative (ESIC), a strategic programme to strengthen evidence capabilities in low‑ and middle‑income countries (LMICs).
Each funded hub will receive £1.5 million to £1.9 million over 3–5 years to develop or expand evidence infrastructure that helps governments, NGOs and international partners make better, faster decisions grounded in high‑quality evidence.
Why This Is Relevant for You ?
This is a rare chance for Lebanese research institutions to build a global research hub, positioning your university as a leader in evidence synthesis and data‑driven policy support. Evidence synthesis sits at the intersection of data science, AI, public health and policy – fields with high regional and global relevance for academia and government partnerships.
Integrating responsible AI in evidence synthesis offers competitive advantage and capacity building for cutting‑edge research methods, benefitting both faculty and postgraduate research teams.
Eligibility
To be eligible, your team and organisation must meet the following:
The administering organisation can be a university, research institute, NGO/non‑profit or similar eligible body in an LMIC.
Lead applicant must be an established researcher based at an institution in a low‑ or middle‑income country
Team must include 4–8 applicants, bringing expertise in evidence synthesis, methodology, technology and policy engagement.
The project must be consortium‑based = partners are required.
Your proposal must align with:
One of five policy sectors: food systems, humanitarian assistance, economic growth, peace & effective institutions, social protection
At least one Wellcome strategic health priority: Infectious Disease, Climate & Health, Mental Health, Discovery Research.
Next Steps
Form your core team: Identify a lead researcher, 3–7 co‑applicants with complementary expertise, and consortium partners.
Develop your proposal concept: Choose your sector and evidence synthesis focus and align the research to Wellcome’s priorities. Then craft a clear project plan, methodology, policy impact pathway and partnership structure.
Engage partners: Invite international researchers, NGOs, and policymakers to strengthen your consortium.
Write & Submit: Adapt your concept to partners and complete the application via the Wellcome Funding platform.
Deadline : 7 May 2026, 15:00 BST
