IAS Durham Fellowships

The Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) was launched in October 2006 to mark the 175th anniversary of the foundation of Durham University. The IAS is a prestigious, ideas-based Institute with global reach. The IAS brings together world-leading researchers from all disciplines to work with Durham colleagues on collaborative projects of major intellectual, scientific, political and practical significance. At least twenty visiting IAS Fellows will come to Durham each year to work with its scholars to spark new investigations, set tomorrow's agenda and participate in a varied programme of activities. The IAS aims to build research capacity, realise potential, and meet the challenges of a changing world.

Each year, the Institute supports four ambitious interdisciplinary projects tackling major research questions. It is advantageous if the interests and proposed activities of applicants complement the 2020/21 research projects sponsored by the IAS. Applicants can therefore apply to join a project team during the Fellowship period (see pro forma at the end). However, fellowship applicants can also apply to join Durham colleagues in other collaborative projects, to develop ground-breaking ideas, explore interdisciplinary synergies and develop new programmes of research. 
It is a condition of the Fellowship that a research collaboration is undertaken.

Recruitment for the 2020/21 Fellowship is now open, and will close on 07 June 2019. 

Durham offers Fellows time and freedom to think, away from the demands of their everyday professional lives. By recruiting Fellows from all around the world, the IAS also fosters an exciting intellectual environment in which thinkers from diverse cultural and disciplinary backgrounds can exchange ideas. Fellows will engage and forge strong links with at least one department at Durham, and are given the opportunity to deliver papers in many different settings.

Fellowships are available for a 3-month period between October 2020 and March 2021. Applications are considered from researchers or non-academics who have a well-established or strongly emerging international reputation, have made major contributions to their field, and can provide evidence of research leadership and/orpublic impact. They are expected to have played, or demonstrated the potential to play, a significant role in shaping their discipline or field through their outputs, achievements and indicators of esteem.

Please note that these Fellowships are not available to undergraduate or postgraduate students. At the time of application, a completed PhD is the minimum requirement for applicants undertaking a traditional academic trajectory, or an equivalent level of experience in other areas.

What the fellowships offer

An IAS Fellowship provides recipients with the opportunity to develop their ideas and collaborations in a thriving community of researchers, and through engagement with the University’s Departments and Colleges.

For the duration of their stay, all Fellows will be provided office space (single or multiple occupancy). In addition, all Fellows will be welcomed into a Durham College where they will be offered accommodation (in a one bedroom flat, or similar), and membership of the College’s Senior Common Room.

The IAS will cover the costs associated with the Fellow travelling to Durham from their home institution (one return fare – economy class), and will provide all Fellows with an honorarium (£3,000 for three months).

Limited funds exist for teaching buy-outs or contribution to loss of income. Academics who will not be on research leave/sabbatical leave whilst taking up a Fellowship in Durham are eligible to apply for teaching buy-out costs of up to £8,000 (for the three month period or pro rata for shorter stays). Alternatively, individuals who will experience a loss of income as a result of accepting an IAS Fellowship are eligible to apply for a contribution towards their salary/earnings of the same amount (up to £8,000).

Fellows' contribution to the IAS

To ensure the best experience, Fellows are required to:

• Reside in Durham for three months;
• Participate in IAS activities and engage with staff and research students in relevant Departments and Colleges at Durham University;
• Present a ‘work in progress’ IAS seminar;
• Deliver a public lecture;
• Either: establish a collaborative undertaking with a Durham academic: this can be a joint publication; research project; co-convened workshop or conference; exhibition; or other joint research output
• or: contribute, where appropriate, to other relevant activities in IAS sponsored research projects. In this case the project PI (see: add hyperlink to projects) should be asked to peer review your proposal;
• Acknowledge IAS support in any publications resulting from their Fellowship in Durham;
• Produce an ‘End of Fellowship’ report of no more than 1,000 words detailing their activities and achievements during their time at the IAS.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants of any nationality are eligible to apply (though preference will be given to International applicants);
• Applicants from any discipline are eligible to apply;
• Applicants may come from an academic or non-academic background (e.g. public intellectuals, artists, writers, film makers, journalists, policy makers, politicians);
• Applications should be from researchers or non-academics who have a well-established or strongly emerging international reputation, have made major contributions to their field, and can provide evidence of research leadership and/or public impact. They are expected to have played a significant role in shaping their discipline or field through their outputs, achievements and indicators of esteem;
• Applicants must submit a complete application as described in the Application Procedures. Incomplete and late applications will not be accepted or considered;
• Applicants must agree to the conditions of the IAS Fellowships as described in the Further Particulars.

Application Procedures

The following application materials are required by the deadline 07 June 2019:

• A letter of application;
• A Curriculum Vitae/Resume;
• Two references;
• A Fellowship proposal;

The Fellowship proposal (#4) must also additionally be copied into the relevant pro forma (see:below) and submitted for peer review to a Durham academic with whom the proposed research most closely aligns. Applicants must allow sufficient time to make contact with a potential Reviewer to allow them sufficient time to complete the review and return it directly to the IAS by the 08 June deadline. It is also essential that the letter of application confirms that this pro forma has been submitted and to whom. If it is not possible to determine an appropriate departmental reviewer, this must be noted in the letter of application. Further details about how to locate an appropriate reviewer are noted below.

Application Materials

Letter of Application

The letter of application must make clear which period applicants would like to spend at Durham (01 October-18 December 2020 OR 04 January-31 March 2021. If either period is suitable, please indicate).

Academics who will not be on research leave/sabbatical leave whilst taking up a Fellowship in Durham are eligible to apply for teaching buy-out costs of up to £8,000 (for the three month period). If such a teaching buy-out or a contribution is required a costing must be included with the application. Note that this cannot be done retrospectively (i.e. once an offer of a Fellowship has been made) so applicants should consult with their home institution prior to applying.

The IAS normally offers teaching buy-out costs at junior replacement level, up to £8,000 (for the full three month period). In due course, should the IAS offer a Fellowship, a letter from the applicant’s home institution will be required supporting this claim. The buy-out costs of salaried Fellows will be paid directly to their home institutions. Fellows who are self-employed will be reimbursed directly.

Applicants must indicate in the letter of application if they will be accompanied by a spouse or partner and/or if they have a family that will be travelling with them. However, accommodation suitable for families is limited and the IAS cannot guarantee that such accommodation will be provided. The IAS cannot cover the costs of family travel or family subsistence.

Finally, applicants must indicate in the letter of application how they were made aware of the Fellowship (word of month; via their own institution; website etc.).

Curriculum Vitae/Resume

The Curriculum Vitae/Resume should include evidence of research interests and career to date, international recognition and impact in the field.

References

References should be emailed by referees directly to the IAS Manager (see below) by the appropriate deadline (07 June 2019). The IAS will not make any request for references, including any not received by the application deadline. The onus for references remains with the applicant. References should include comments about the applicant's standing in their particular field, the quality of the applicant's research, the level of recognition that has been received for this research, the quality of the proposed research to be undertaken at Durham, and the degree to which the applicant would contribute to and benefit from being in an interdisciplinary community of Fellows.

Fellowship Proposal

The Fellowship proposal (c.500-1000 words) should describe the activities planned whilst holding an IAS Fellowship, the contacts and contribution envisaged in Durham. Applicants should take into consideration the evaluation criteria when completing the proposal. This must be submitted with the application letter and CV.

The content of the Fellowship proposal must also be uploaded to the Fellowship Research Proposal proforma  and sent to an appropriate Durham academic at least two weeks before the application deadline. The application deadline is 07 June 2019 and therefore contact with a Durham scholar must be made by 24 May 2019. All applicants must seek the agreement of a Durham academic to review their research proposal. If an applicant proposes to collaborate on one of the four IAS sponsored research projects, then the applicant can ask one of the Principal Investigators to act as reviewer. Do not ask more than one Durham academic to review the research proposal. Durham Peer Reviewers must return the completed pro forma by the application deadline of 07 June 2019. If the Durham academic agrees to act as Reviewer, he/she will complete the relevant section of the pro forma and return it directly to the IAS (not to the applicant). Please note: all applicants are expected to seek an appropriate peer reviewer; the IAS will not do this for them.

The IAS recommends using the Find an expert section of Durham University’s research directory. This has a tool for searching the Research Directory. Here applicants can search for a particular research topic and find associated staff members and publications.

Application Evaluation

All applications will be evaluated by the IAS Fellowship Selection Committee according to the following criteria:

• Criterion 1. International standing and contribution of the candidate to the field, as appropriate to the career stage of the candidate (40%)
• Criterion 2. Quality of the proposed research activities while at the IAS (30%)
• Criterion 3. Contribution to the wider scholarly community at Durham (20%)
• Criterion 4. Collegiality and ability to contribute to the community of IAS Fellows (10%)

The sources of information for assessing applications include the application materials (including references) provided by the applicant, publicly accessible information (including published articles or books, works of art etc.) and advice sought from peer reviewers.

In selecting the final list of successful Fellows, the Selection Committee will also take into account

• the limit of 10 Fellowships in each of the Oct-Dec and Jan-March periods;
• the geographical and disciplinary diversity of the Fellows in each period;
• the balance between established scholars/practitioners and emerging talent.

Decisions for the 2020/21 recruitment phase will be communicated by email only by the end of October 2019.

Closing Date

The closing date for applications to the IAS Fellowship scheme for 2020/21 is 07 June 2019. Applications must be emailed to the IAS Manager, Linda Crowe, no later than this date. Incomplete applications, i.e. those submitted without all of the following: a letter of application, a CV, research proposal, and two letters of recommendation/references will not be considered. In addition, any application received after 07 June 2019 deadline will not be considered.