UTS Key Technology Partnerships Visiting Fellow Program

Travel expense guidelines
UTS will reimburse return economy airfare, accommodation and living expenses to the KTP visitor for the duration of their visit up to a maximum of A$10,000. Expenses are reimbursed at the end of their stay after original receipts/tax invoices are provided for each expense.

Please note:

• We do not reimburse cash
• The approved expenses will be reimbursed into the bank account nominated by the KTP visitor
• The reimbursement process usually takes between four to six weeks
• Receipts from a credit card or EFTPOS terminal will not suffice as valid documentation for reimbursement
• UTS and the Key Technology Partners jointly fund successful proposals. Reviewers from both universities assess applications together and decide which institution will cover each budget item.

Airfare
UTS will reimburse the cost of economy class airfare via a reasonable route.

Accommodation

• UTS has corporate rates with some hotels and service apartments nearby. The hotel invoices UTS directly at the end of the stay, so visitors are not out of pocket. The rates offered by these hotels are usually about A$250 per night (except holiday seasons). The Global partnerships team will book the hotel for the visitor and will provide a document that includes information about accommodation, transport, safety, banking and other useful web links to help make the settling process in Sydney smoother.
• It is also possible for KTP visitors to book their own accommodation. However, in this case they will need to pay for the cost first and claim it back at the end of the visit.
• Please keep in mind the accommodation daily amount approved by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and UTS is a maximum of A$264 per day.

Living expenses

• Living expenses will be reimbursed to a maximum of A$173.55 per day. Please also refer to the items covered and not covered by the KTP Visiting Fellow Program table below.
• Please note that tipping is not encouraged by UTS. In situations where tipping is necessary, UTS will cover a maximum tip of 10% of the total bill or a total of A$50, whichever is the lesser amount. However, when there’s already a surcharge included in a bill (e.g. a public holiday surcharge, service fee for large groups, etc.), tipping on top of this surcharge will not be covered by UTS. For further information, please refer to the Entertainment Vice-Chancellor's Directive (Clause 5.10).

*The Global Partnerships team will provide the visitor with a “Tips for Expense Reimbursement” document that will guide them through the expense acquittal process.

Eligible applicants

• The UTS host must be employed at UTS on an ongoing role with the intention to remain at UTS and the KTP collaborator must be employed on an ongoing basis at one of the eligible partner institutions; which helps to establish sustainable, long term collaborations.
• Candidates may only be involved in one application per funding round.
• If you are an academic, this scheme is open to all career stages (early, mid-career and senior academics). Applications are also open to non-academic staff. 
• Applications are prepared in conjunction with collaborators from one of the eligible partner institutions. 
• Proposals for new projects from candidates who haven’t been awarded KTP funding in the past are preferred. 
• Applications to grow a previously funded project must provide evidence of milestones and articulate how the funding will help them to grow and achieve significant results; e.g., access to external funding, bring revenue, develop joint programs, have tangible impact.

Eligible institutions

Joint activity proposals in collaboration with counterparts from the following UTS Key Technology Partner universities are eligible:

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
• Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (UC I Chile)
• Shanghai University (SHU)*
• Technical University of Berlin (TUB)
• University of Arizona (UA)

*Collaborative projects and visits with Shanghai University will be considered only if they align with one of the following priority areas:

1. Creative Industries – as outlined in the UTS Creative Industries Strategy.
2. Environmental Engineering / Sustainability.

1. Identify collaborators from one of the eligible institutions listed above, who are interested in submitting a joint proposal.
2. Download the application form PDF to see a preview of the questions. Discuss and prepare the proposal with your collaborator. Please note: the application form has embedded logic, displaying questions relevant to the chosen program and partner. 
3. Submit the online application form by 15 April 2025 (11pm AEST).
4. The Global Partnerships team will seek feedback and endorsement from the relevant internal stakeholders.
5. Application outcomes will be announced via email after 5 June 2025.

• A Review Committee will be responsible for the assessment of all grant applications. 
• Applications must meet the eligibility requirements and will be assessed based on the evaluation criteria set out below.

Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• The visit must take place between June and December and the visitors’ last day of departure shall be no later than 15 December 2025. 
• Establish, with the help of the Global Partnerships team, a simple project page to share your collaboration story on the UTS website.
• Funding awardees must formally acknowledge support received from UTS in publications and presentations flowing from the research project which has received funding.
• Funding awardees must submit a visit report during the departure meeting.
• Funding awardees must submit a progress report in June 2026.

Before the visit:

• Liaise with the UTS People Unit to request an Invitation Letter (Honorary Appointment)
• Book accommodation at the hotels that offer UTS a corporate rate
• Assist with issuing a UTS Travel Insurance Certificate if the KTP visitor’s home university doesn’t provide cover 
• Identify possible sources of external funding for projects 

During the visit: 

• Arrange meetings with GRS, Research Office and/or any other relevant units
• Promote events, seminars or workshops

After the visit: 

• Organise reimbursement of travel expenses
• Prompt collaborators once a year to send progress updates
• Share collaboration stories and milestones with the UTS and the Key Technology Partners

For any queries, please contact the UTS Global Partnerships team at globalpartnerships@uts.edu.au.