British Academy Global Professorships

The Academy views the Global Professorships as an opportunity for established researchers to undertake high-risk, curiosity-driven research in the humanities and social sciences in a UK research institution. The Global Professorships are awards for individuals in an institutional setting. Applications must be for new, coherent and cutting-edge projects. The Global Professorships are expected to add significant value to the UK host institutions and vice versa, and thus the projects must be significant, leading to novel and innovative collaborations.

With the Global Professorships, the Academy is looking to support academics that are proposing ambitious, beyond the state-of-the-art applications that break new ground. The Academy views the Global Professorships as an opportunity to apply to undertake high-risk, curiosity-driven research in the humanities and social sciences that enables the award-holders and their UK host institutions to achieve a step change in their respective research programmes.

The Academy wishes to encourage applications from historically and/or structurally disadvantaged groups and female researchers.

Applicants should be intending to work in any aspect of the humanities or the social sciences. Outputs involving creative practice (e.g. musical composition and performance, visual practice, creative writing and film making) are welcome but will be considered to fall within the British Academy's remit only when they form part of an integrated project of critical or historical significance.

Aims

• Fund high-quality original research - provide long-term funding to enable established researchers to focus on their research vision.
• Attract established international researchers to be based in the UK – Enable internationally-based researchers to undertake cutting edge research in the UK.
• Contribute to advancing the research goals and strategies of the UK host institution - The projects are expected to be complete in themselves, with clearly demonstrable outcomes of value both to the career development of the individual and the strategy of their host UK institution.

The Academy regards the UK host institution's engagement with the Global Professor as crucial to ensuring a successful award. Applications should, therefore, demonstrate the UK host institution’s strong interest in the Professorship, how the Professor will be supported and/or mentored, and how the Professorship will be mutually beneficial to both the researcher and the UK host institution. 

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Grants are available to mid-career and senior researchers in any discipline within the humanities and social sciences (recognised in their field or with exceptional promise) who are currently employed outside the United Kingdom, on a permanent contract (which may be part-time or full-time) or, if temporary, would normally be a contract that will not end during the course of the grant. Any exceptions must be expressly agreed with the Academy prior to the application being submitted in order for such an application to be considered eligible.
• Applicants must hold a doctoral degree (or have equivalent research experience).
• PIs may not hold more than one British Academy award of a comparable nature at any one time.
• An individual cannot be the PI on more than one bid under this Programme, including through different host institutions.
• Applicants must be available to take up an unpaid leave of absence, a long-term secondment or employment at an eligible UK institution. If this is unclear from an applicant’s national setting, then the Academy welcomes communication with applicants prior to applications being submitted. Eligible institutions include but are not limited to the British International Research Institutes.
• Awards are only available to individuals, to be held in an institutional context. Co-applicants are not permitted.
• Awards will not be made retrospectively: this means that the work for which support is requested must not have commenced before the award is announced. Applications must be for new research ideas that are coherent on their own and are cutting-edge.
• Applicants are required to provide a formal statement of support from a senior member of their proposed host institution in the UK (normally expected to be a Pro-Vice-Chancellor or equivalent, or at minimum Head of Department/Faculty/Institute).

Candidates should be based outside the UK at the time of application. Applicants who are working outside the UK but are employed primarily by a UK institution are not eligible to apply.

Applicants must demonstrate that they have been in contact with their UK host institution prior to the application. Please note that the British Academy is not able to assist with locating or facilitating contact with UK host institutions.

Duplicate applications for the same purpose to more than one British Academy funding programme will not be accepted.

Value and duration

Awards are expected to run for four years each from a starting date to be agreed with the British Academy. The starting date must not be before 26 March 2025 – 30 September 2025.

The Academy will provide up to £900,000 per award.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online using the British Academy's Grant Management System, Flexi-Grant®.

Application and head of department statements deadline and current UK host institution approval deadline: Wednesday 23 October 2024 (17:00 BST)

This programme is funded by the UK's Department for Science, Innovation, Technology