LSW grant scheme reopens to build on growing success
The renewal of a partnership with Academi Heddwch Cymru, Wales’ peace institute, shows the growing importance of our Research Workshop Grant (RWG) scheme, which relaunches for 2025-26.
The scheme offers grants to organise workshops that result in the development of new networks or research agendas.
Academi Heddwch Cymru will provide a total of £6000 towards the ‘Pathways to Peace’ stream, with £1000 available for successful projects, rising to £2000 if it involves an international partner.
Grants of £1000 are also available for projects that fall under one of three other areas covered by the RWG scheme: ‘Early Career Researchers’, ‘Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences’, and ‘Wales Studies’.
The Wales Study stream ties into our renewed focus on the area, with a conference (‘Where Next for Wales Studies?’) held in Aberystwyth last March and a new Wales Studies’ Network launched on LinkedIn in August.
Twenty-six projects were supported through the RWG scheme over the past year, with topics ranging from Wrexham football club to cosmic rays, gender workplace equity to food banks. The four projects backed under ‘Pathways to Peace’ included projects on displacement, migration and interventions for refugees and asylum seekers.
“Academi Heddwch Cymru, Wales’ national peace institute, is delighted to be working once again with LSW on this important initiative. We have already seen the value of the scheme in creating new networks and in challenging dominant narratives. We look forward to working with more researchers in this new call.”
The impact of the RWG scheme is most clearly shown in the fact that recipients of the grants have secured over £90,000 in additional funding, partnering with a vast range of public and third sector organisations, including Amgueddfa Cymru, CBI Cymru, Cardiff Capital Region, and Fertility Network UK.
Two recent blog pieces by grant recipients outline how the money was used, one on decolonisation within Welsh Higher Education, the other on legislation in devolved nations. The blogs reflect on how the workshops “sparked new thoughts and ideas” and helped researchers in the field connect with one another.