IOC Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme 2027/2029

The Advanced Olympic Research Grant Programme is organised by the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Studies Centre to support established researchers conducting advanced humanities and social sciences research relevant to the Olympic Movement.

The programme aims to strengthen collaboration between the academic community and the IOC while generating rigorous evidence that can contribute to policy, programmes, decision-making and Olympic knowledge.

For the 2027/2029 edition, priority areas are aligned with the IOC's strategic objectives and cover four broad themes: athletes, the Olympic Games, the Olympic Movement and Olympic social impact.

Priority research topics include:

• Olympic athletes' awareness and readiness for career transition and livelihood development in developing countries.
• The future Olympic Games proposition and how people experience, engage with and participate in the Games.
• Environmental sustainability of the Olympic Games.
• Gambling incidence among elite athletes within the Olympic Movement.
• Perceptions of corruption in sport and competition manipulation, particularly reporting.
• Refugee athletes, sport and humanitarian action.
• Expanding and sustaining participation and retention in sport.
• Using evidence to inform investment, policy and decision-making in sport-based programmes.
• Transfer of skills, competencies and values from sport to social inclusion and economic opportunities.
• Culturally grounded development of athletes, coaches and sports officials.
• The role of academia in designing, adapting, implementing and evaluating Olympic education programmes in different cultural and local contexts.

Projects must directly address at least one official priority research area and demonstrate how their findings will be relevant to the current context of that field.

The application process has two stages. All eligible applicants first submit an Expression of Interest. Selected researchers are then invited to prepare a detailed full application for academic and IOC review.

• Applicants must be university professors or researchers who have completed their doctorate.
• Applicants must hold either an open-ended appointment or an academic/research appointment or affiliation covering the full grant period, from application submission through delivery of the final research report.
• Research proposals must be directly linked to at least one priority research field identified for the 2027/2029 programme.
• Applicants must demonstrate that their expected results will be relevant to the current situation of the selected priority research field.
• Applicants must be fluent in either English or French.
• Applications may be submitted by an individual researcher or a research team.
• An applicant acting as Principal Investigator may participate as PI in only one application.
• For team applications, one academic member must be nominated as the Principal Investigator and serve as the main contact with the Olympic Studies Centre.
• All academic research-team members must normally meet the programme's eligibility criteria.
• In special circumstances, a team may include a maximum of one representative from a sports organisation, government body or another non-academic institution where their contribution is essential and clearly justified.
• Natural-science-focused applications, including fields such as biomechanics, physiology, medicine and neurosciences, fall outside the programme's scope.

Successful applicants may receive:

• A research grant of up to USD 40,000 per project.
• Support for economy-class travel and living expenses connected to essential field research.
• Translation costs for essential research materials.
• Web hosting and content-development costs where relevant to the research.
• Software costs where the software is not provided by the applicant's university.
• Data-collection costs, including workshops and focus groups.
• Expert third-party service costs.
• Research assistance and transcription expenses where essential and properly justified.
• Funding for activities designed to share the project's findings and recommendations with relevant Olympic Movement stakeholders.
• Other justified research expenditure directly related to the approved project.
• Academic dissemination expenses of up to 10% of the total project budget.

The programme does not cover:

• Applicant salaries or fringe benefits, including insurance.
• Tuition or study fees.
• Institutional overheads or institutional support.
• Expenses incurred before the effective date of the grant.
• Purchase of technological hardware such as laptops or cameras.

For the Expression of Interest stage:

• Completed Expression of Interest form.
• Official recognition of employment or academic/research affiliation on institutional letterhead.
• Employment/affiliation confirmation for each participating research-team member.
• Curriculum vitae of no more than two pages for the applicant and each research-team member.
• Relevant awards may be included within the CV.
• Gantt chart showing the proposed project timeline.
• Contact information for two proposed academic referees.
• Required project information within the EOI form, including research title, proposal summary, objectives or research questions and relevant IOC priority research field.

For shortlisted applicants at the Full Application stage:

• Completed Full Application Form.
• Detailed research proposal.
• Research methodology and work plan.
• Expected project outputs and outcomes.
• Detailed budget in USD with justification of proposed expenditure.
• Dissemination plans.
• Risk-management information.
• Updated project planning information where required.
• Letters of support from research partners, where applicable.
• University ethics committee approval or confirmation that ethical approval has been submitted, where applicable.

Full applications are assessed using official criteria including:

• Relevance of the research project to one or more IOC priority research fields.
• Clear identification of research objectives, outputs and expected outcomes.
• Quality and appropriateness of the research methodology.
• Realistic and well-developed working schedule.
• Appropriate risk management.
• Contribution to advancing academic knowledge.
• Ability and research capacity of the applicant or research team.
• Quality of the planned dissemination strategy.
• Appropriateness and justification of the requested research budget.

The assessment process involves the Olympic Studies Centre, relevant IOC departments, academic peer reviewers and the OSC Selection Committee.

• Conduct advanced research linked directly to current IOC strategic priorities.
• Receive up to USD 40,000 towards eligible research costs.
• Contribute evidence that may inform future Olympic Movement programmes and decisions.
• Collaborate with an internationally recognised Olympic research institution.
• Strengthen academic research in Olympic studies, sport policy and social impact.
• Engage with relevant IOC departments and Olympic Movement stakeholders.
• Produce research with both academic and practical relevance.
• Contribute to the wider international body of Olympic knowledge.