LEB Travel Fund
The LEB Travel Fund stimulates environmental sciences and developments in agriculture by financing the activities of students and young researchers active in agricultural research and environmental sciences at Wageningen University & Research (WUR).
Examples of Activities
- Give a presentation at an international congress
- Study trips by groups of PhD candidates
- Specialistic training abroad
Target Group
- PhD Candidates of WUR
- Junior scientists without permanent employment and affiliated to WUR
- Researchers at WUR from low-income countries with limited financial support
NEWS: LEB Fund is now LEB Travel Fund
From now on, the LEB Fund will be called LEB Travel Fund. The LEB Fund, established under the name Fonds Landbouw Export Bureau (Fund Agriculture Export Bureau), has been supporting activities of PhD students and young researchers at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) since 1916.
In 2023, the boards of the Stichting Fonds Landbouw Export Bureau 1916-1918 and the Stichting University Fund Wageningen both agreed to transform the LEB Fund into a Named Fund within the University Fund Wageningen under the new name LEB Travel Fund. Thus, since the formal transition on 22 November 2023, the term LEB has become a name and no longer an abbreviation.
As the underlying named fund, a number of costs will be dropped, making more money available annually to support young researchers. Under University Fund Wageningen, the secretariat and management of the equity portfolio will also be arranged in a more professional and future-proof manner. Prof Tinka Murk chairs the curatorium. She has taken over from prof.dr. Ivonne Rietjens, who has held this position for the past fourteen years.
The objectives and grant application opportunities are unchanged. Are you going abroad for your PhD research, conference or would you like to organise a PhD group trip? You may be eligible for a grant!
Curatorium
The current curatorium consists of:
- Prof. dr. Tinka Murk
- Prof. dr. ir. Ivonne Rietjens
- Prof. dr. Justus Wesseler, treasurer
- Prof. dr. Marcel Dicke
- Prof. dr. ir. Gerlinde de Deyn
History
The foundation ‘Fund Agricultural Export Bureau 1916-1918’ was created on 15 June 1918 with the goal ‘to promote agricultural sciences and all related trade in its entirety.’
The past years, the LEB Fund accepted an average of 60 requests per year. These varied from study trip financing for congress participation to organising scientific meetings/courses. This contributes substantially to the development and international exposure of our young scientists.
On November 22, 2023, the LEB Foundation was reorganised into the LEB Travel Fund, a named fund within the University Fund Wageningen.