The Dean Rusk International Research Collaborative will support international travel and expenses for a Davidson faculty member traveling with a small group of students for research, methodological training, or comparative creative arts experience.  (Examples include faculty mentoring students on research skills in STEM, archives, interviews, oral histories, participant-observation, creative projects.) The successful proposal will emphasize the value of the given international location for the project and articulate what the students will gain by being in situ. Proposals should detail the involvement and/or mentoring of the faculty member, which is expected to be significant.

Faculty members are invited to submit proposals for projects that involve 1 faculty member and a minimum of 3 students to a maximum of 5 students.  The projects must take place outside of the United States in their entirety.  The minimum length of time is three weeks.  Funding will be up to $30,000 per grant. If the proposal exceeds this amount, share evidence of cost-sharing (Internal or external) and status.

Please note: Faculty members who receive the International Research Collaborative Grant would not be considered for proposals for Dean Rusk or DRI for the same summer.  Preference will be given to faculty who have not received funding for Dean Rusk, group investigations, or comparable group study experiences in recent years.

If you have questions, please email the Faculty Development Team at facultydevelopment@davidson.edu.

Upcoming deadline for summer 2026 travel: October 1, 2025.

Faculty members planning international programs must work with the Office of Education Abroad to ensure that all Davidson-sponsored travel follows consistent policies for program development, student selection and preparation, and sound risk management for travel plans.  Faculty members are required to schedule a meeting with the Director of Education Abroad and Away (OEAA), to discuss their proposed student group travel plans at least two weeks before completing the International Research Collective application. Faculty must have a transparent process for student selection.  The opportunity should not be advertised to students prior to grant approval by the Faculty Development Team. 

For further information about general practices and expectations for taking students abroad, please also review the International Excursions Leader Agreement as well as the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad. Travel to countries with a Level 4 advisory from the US State Department is not permitted with Davidson College funding.  Travel to countries with a Level 3 advisory will be considered on a case by case basis.

All programs must operate in accordance with the College’s expectations for responsible budgetary practices.  Leaders receiving grants for group travel will sign an agreement collected by the Office of Sponsored Programs on behalf of the VPAA before funds will be distributed. Group leaders are also required to have a post-award meeting with the Dean Rusk Director and OSP to go over accessing the funds while traveling and creating expense reports in Oracle upon return.