At a celebratory event, 26 projects received a €10,000 Kiem grant for 2026-2027. No fewer than 108 interfaculty teams from Leiden University submitted innovative ideas for this, the last ever Kiem round.
It's mind-boggling how something as small as a bingo ball can have such a big effect. To the sound of a drum roll, the Kiem bingo wheel spun for the very last time on Thursday 11 June. The draw would decide which projects would receive one of the 26 grants of €10,000 for interdisciplinary initiatives in research, teaching or university organisation. Through the grants, Leiden University encourages innovative new collaborations between researchers, lecturers and support staff from different faculties.
Nail-biting suspense
This year, 108 teams involving at least two faculties submitted eligible Kiem applications: a record number. The grants were allocated in a lottery. During a nail-biting live draw, 26 balls emerged from the bingo wheel (an additional grant became available after unforeseen circumstances brought one of last year's projects to a halt). The 'winning' projects will bring together colleagues from different faculties to tackle complex questions, many of which have a clear impact on society.
One collaboration between the Faculties of Humanities and Social and Behavioural Sciences will explore why young adult readers are drawn to dystopia and horror. Psychologists and medical researchers will explore whether a music-based game can improve rehabilitation after a stroke. Economists and psychologists will work together on questions of inequality of opportunity, with the aim of supporting policy development in this area. And a team from the Faculty of Humanities and LUC The Hague will establish an interdisciplinary network for the study of forged texts, images and objects.
All winning projects have a maximum duration of a year.
See the full list of winning projects.
Interfaculty collaboration
Interfaculty collaboration at Leiden University will not end with the Kiem grant. In the coming years, substantial investment will be made in the 15 interfaculty research themes, through which the university aims to strengthen its profile.
Many representatives of the project groups were present at the lottery drawpen waren aanwezig bij de trekking 
About the Kiem grant
Through its Kiem grants, Leiden University aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, not only in its research and teaching but also in its support. Between 2023 and 2026, all university staff could apply for a grant, as long as at least two faculties were involved in the proposal. Each year, €10,000 was available for up to 25 projects.
The Kiem grant has proven to be an effective way to promote interdisciplinary collaboration in research, teaching and interfaculty organisation. It has led to many new partnerships at Leiden University. Several initiatives have led to further steps, including applications for larger research grants. Several projects have also had direct societal applications, including:
- A home test for Parkinson's patients
- Greater insight into the effectiveness of legal action by interest groups
- Greater understanding of the link between violence and other health problems
See the Kiem page
