Call for Applications: British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships at the University of Edinburgh

To mark its 90th anniversary, the British Council is partnering with the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh to supply a prestigious new alternative for world analysis collaboration. This initiative will help two 12-month Postdoctoral Fellowships, beginning in January 2026, aimed at early-career researchers from nations eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA) the place the British Council operates.

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Fellowship Overview

• Duration: 12 months

  • 10 months based mostly at IASH, University of Edinburgh

  • Up to 2 months in the Fellow’s home nation or area centered on data change and dissemination

• Start Date: January 2026

• Fellowship Support:

  • Monthly bursary of £2,500

  • Covered journey bills

  • Desk area, library entry, and educational mentoring at IASH

  • Integration into the vibrant scholarly group of IASH

  • Ongoing engagement with the British Council in the UK and internationally

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Eligibility Criteria

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Subject Focus

Research ought to align with the British Council’s strategic imaginative and prescient:

“A more peaceful and prosperous world built on trust.”

Projects ought to relate to the following precedence areas:

• Arts

• Education

• English Language

Cross-cutting strategic themes embrace:

• International relations and mushy energy

• International growth and peacebuilding

• Cultural relations and diplomacy

Fellowship proposals should exhibit:

• Relevance to Official Development Assistance (ODA) coverage or observe

• Potential to have interaction native stakeholders, audiences, or decision-makers in the applicant’s home nation or area

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Fellowship Objectives

Applicants should use their cowl letter to stipulate how their challenge will contribute to the British Council’s aims:

• Generate data that enhances British Council knowledge, perception, and programming

• Diversify the Council’s data base by together with underrepresented areas and communities

• Build worldwide analysis capability and help the profession growth of early-career students

• Foster long-term partnerships between UK and worldwide researchers

• Enhance the visibility and use of British Council data belongings

• Contribute to the UK’s wider analysis and abilities agenda

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Assessment Criteria

Applications will likely be reviewed by a panel of representatives from the University of Edinburgh and the British Council. Key evaluation areas embrace:

• Academic background and relevance to the Fellowship themes

• Research proposal readability and potential influence

• Track file of partaking with non-academic audiences or stakeholders

• Commitment to long-term data change and dissemination

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Timeline

• Application Opens: April 29, 2025 at 10:00 UK time

• Q&A Webinar: May 23, 2025 at 13:00 UK time (Zoom)

• Application Deadline: July 28, 2025 at 23:59 UK time

• Selection of Fellows: By the finish of August 2025

• Fellowships Start: January 2026

• Residency at IASH: January – October 2026

• Knowledge Exchange Phase: November – December 2026

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Eligible Countries

Applicants have to be based mostly in a single of the following ODA-recipient nations the place the British Council operates:

• Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

• Asia: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China (PRC), India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Occupied Palestinian Territories, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen

• Europe: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine

• Latin America & Caribbean: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela

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Application Details

For full tips, eligibility particulars, and application directions, please go to the official IASH website. Apply here

Contact for Questions: Researchglobal@britishcouncil.org

Explore extra alternatives on: opportunitiesforyouth.org