London, June 2026 – The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has announced the opening of applications for 11 Senior Research Fellowships across critical areas including AI for Development, Global Health, Emerging Technologies, Conflict, Critical Minerals, and Technology, Geopolitics and Information Manipulation.
The fellowships are offered through the Global Research and Technology Development (GRTD) Research Commissioning Centre, co‑led by 3ie and the University of Birmingham on behalf of FCDO. Applications opened on 20 May 2026 and will close on 30 August 2026 at 5pm GMT, with interviews scheduled for October and placements beginning on 1 April 2027.
Placements will last two years at 0.4 FTE and will be hosted at FCDO’s offices in London or East Kilbride. Applicants must be at least Associate Professor level, employed by a UK academic institution, and able to obtain the required security clearance before taking up the fellowship.
The fellowships cover diverse themes such as Gender and Equity, Food and Agriculture, Economic Development, Systemic Resilience, Hybrid and Transnational Threats, Polar Regions, and more. The AI for Development and Emerging Technologies streams directly address growing policy priorities around digital access, responsible innovation, online harms, and disinformation.
According to FCDO, the programme provides senior academics with a unique opportunity to work inside policy and research teams while remaining employed by their home institutions. The initiative is part of FCDO’s flagship Global Research and Technology Development portfolio, which focuses on research and innovation to support international development and diplomacy objectives.
Applications must be submitted via the RCC Grant Management System. Shortlisted candidates will be expected to comply with FCDO and 3ie policies on conflict of interest, safeguarding, fraud prevention, and ethical evidence standards.
The fellowships reinforce the UK’s commitment to leveraging academic expertise in shaping global policy, strengthening systems, and advancing innovation across development, diplomacy, and technology.
