Six teams have been selected to take part in the ’26 Unusual Collaborations programme. Following on from the Unusual Collaborations grants, the aim of the Unusual Collaborations programme is to create a supportive environment for unusual inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations by providing teams with time, space, expert and peer support, and funding.
This year, teams were selected through a lottery once more, continuing the experiment from previous years. The following six teams (out of a total of eleven found eligible by the CUCo Board) had their ticket drawn and will receive the following amount of funds to support their work throughout the UCo programme:
Assessing and Mitigating Micro- and Nanopollutants in Hemodialysis (€ 100K)
Investigating whether micro- and nanoplastics or other plastic-related pollutants are present in hemodialysis systems, and what risks they might pose to patients. With the use of advanced microscopy and chemical analysis, the team will measure the number, size, and composition of particles found in real dialysis setups. Part of the Spark spring ’24 cohort.
Living Foams (€ 100K)
Exploring how fermentation can be harnessed to create stable, solid-state foam materials, structures that could be edible, functional, or structural. Instead of defining a single application, this project investigates the shared biological and physical principles that allow microorganisms to grow and shape porous materials. Part of the Spark fall ’24 cohort.
How Glucose Shapes Thinking (€ 100K)
People with type 2 diabetes often notice that their focus or memory changes during the day. One possible reason is that blood sugar levels go up and down, but this connection is not yet well understood outside laboratory settings. This project explores how everyday changes in blood glucose affect thinking, memory, and attention in real life. Part of the Spark spring ’24 cohort.
Moo-d Swings (€ 57K)
The mental health of animals is a vital aspect of their welfare and shapes our societal approach to treating them. This project seeks to explore how animals communicate their inner world, using knowledge from human behaviour, communication and psychology to draw parallels and identify species-specific similarities and differences. Part of the Spark fall ’24 cohort.
Plasticity (€ 100K)
Plasticity is a concept used in multiple academic fields, ranging from neurobiology through history to continental philosophy. Can this concept, which resonates with identity, environment, complexity, and more, contribute to other scholarly fields that currently do not use it? Should the academic community strive to expand its usage? Previously received Unusual Collaborations grants in 2023 and 2024.
Unbox Unleashed (€ 98K)
Unbox is an innovative approach that can deepen how teams collaborate in research and education. Through a playful experience, using physicalized metaphors, groups have deeper conversations about how they work together, challenging assumptions, and opening new possibilities. Unbox helps them find the appropriate language to discuss and tell new stories about what and how they work together. Previously received an Unusual Collaborations grant in 2025.
The remaining funds (€ 45K from a total budget of € 600K) will be used towards a set of smaller grants/awards to showcase the work made possible through CUCo. More information about this will follow in the course of 2026.
The Unusual Collaborations programme will start with a kick-off meeting mid-January, followed by four more collective meetings throughout the year. These meetings will double as pilot sessions for CUCo’s new learning journey, which is expected to launch in September 2026.
The teams’ project pages on the CUCo website will be updated early 2026.
