British Council 90th Anniversary Research Fellowships at the University of Edinburgh 2024

As we celebrate our 90th anniversary in 2024, we are delighted to announce a new research partnership with the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH) at the University of Edinburgh.

We are awarding two 12-month fellowships starting in January 2025 – open to postdoctoral researchers based in any ODA (Official Development Assistance) recipient country where the British Council operates (see 'Eligibility' section below).

Fellows will spend the first ten months of their fellowships at IASH, followed by up to two months based in their home countries focused on knowledge exchange and dissemination in collaboration with the British Council.

About British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust. We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Last year we reached over 80 million people directly and 791 million p... continue reading

British Council Research Fellowships

Aim and Benefits of British Council Research Fellowships

• The fellowship provides a bursary of £2,500 per month and travel expenses as well as desk space, library access and academic mentoring as part of the vibrant scholarly community of visiting fellows at IASH.
• Fellows will also be expected to engage closely with the British Council throughout their fellowships (including visits to UK offices), with the option to spend time in a British Council office in their home country as part of the knowledge exchange component of the fellowship.

Requirements for British Council Research Fellowships Qualification

• These are early-career fellowships, meaning applicants must be within seven years of completion of their PhD.
• Applicants must be based in an ODA recipient country in which the British Council operates, and should be qualified to undertake postdoctoral level research for the fellowship.

Interview date, Process and Venue for British Council Research Fellowships

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be considered by an assessment panel comprised of University of Edinburgh and British Council staff.

Assessment will take account of the extent to which candidates meet the following criteria.

• A research and/or professional background and academic record that relates to broad thematic remit of the programme, outlined above.
• A research proposal with clear potential to support the British Council’s objectives for the programme, outlined above.
• Demonstrable experience of engaging non-academic audiences and stakeholders in research (e.g. through engagement with policy makers, practitioners, artists or other public audiences).
• A clear commitment to knowledge exchange and dissemination as part of the fellowship and beyond the timeframe of the fellowship itself, based on the networks, insights and learnings developed through their research.

Timeline

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Applicants should use the cover letter that is required as part of their application to outline how their fellowship will support the British Council’s objectives for the programme.

For more details,visit British Council website