The British Academy has been funded by the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) to support the Global Innovation Fellowships.
The Innovation Fellowships scheme will provide funding and support for established early-career and mid-career researchers in the humanities and social sciences to partner with organisations and businesses in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors, to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. Through the Innovation Fellowships, researchers in the SHAPE community will be supported to create new and deeper links beyond academia, enabling knowledge mobilisation and translation, as well as individual skills development.
Aims
The FCDO has specialised research requirements, operating in a context where timely access to high-quality evidence-based analysis can mean the difference between success and failure. Exerting influence, negotiating and leveraging others’ power at precisely the right moment is at a premium. This can make it difficult for researchers operating outside the FCDO to have a significant impact. These fellowships will provide an opportunity to change that by enabling close interaction with FCDO policymakers directly in the heart of this government department’s work.
- Humanitarian Crises – This fellowship would be an opportunity to be attached to the Chief Scientific Adviser’s Science Cell and have strong links with related research teams and advisory cadres. The fellowship award-holder will help build organisational understanding of how people behave during crises, how to build preparedness and response around this, and how to communicate during crises. The award-holder would form part of the team stood-up by the Science Cell during emergencies and would support the Science for Emergencies Centre of Expertise (SECE).
- UK National Security Strategy – This fellowship offers the opportunity to work within the Strategy Unit of the National Security Secretariat in the Cabinet Office to develop thinking and ideas to supporting the UK’s new National Security Strategy. They will work to identify areas where the UK can develop new strategic strengths, for example in cutting edge technology or new international partnerships. The award-holder will have expertise in national security and at least one of the following areas: international affairs, economics, emerging technology, with ideas for how to advance UK interests in an era of rapid change. (Hosted by the National Security Secretariat in the Cabinet Office.)
Value and duration
Route B (Policy-led) awards will have a maximum award value of £120,000 on an 80 per cent Full Economic Costing (FEC) basis. The applicant must commit between 0.6 and 0.8 FTE time to the fellowship.
The deadline for submissions and UK institutional approval is 1 October 2025 , 17:00 (BST).
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