The Royal Society of Edinburgh is keen to facilitate, encourage and support research collaboration in all areas between Scottish and overseas research groups. The object of the International Exchange Programmes, funded by the Scottish Executive, is to enable scholars and researchers to come to Scotland or to visit overseas from their Scottish academic base for a short period of time with a view to establishing ongoing collaboration.

Under this exchange programme, grants are awarded through open competition for a limited period. Grants are awarded for short-term visits of one up to a maximum of four weeks’ duration, the key objectives being to enhance the research capabilities of individual researchers, initiate and develop international research collaborative links/shared research projects between countries, and enable participation in international research programmes. Both visitors and hosts should have established contact before submitting an application, either by previous collaboration or by scientific correspondence.

Concerning international artists, visiting researchers must be hosted by academics in Scotland. For those visiting Scotland under this exchange programme, the Scottish host should make the application on the visitor's behalf.

See also CRF European Visiting Research Fellowships in Arts and Letters