International Strategy Forum Academy Fellowship

Eligibility for this fellowship is limited to alumni of the International Strategy Forum Fellowship who want to work with the Digital Society Programme.

Citizenship

The fellowship is open to all nationalities.

Education

Applicants must hold a completed BA degree or equivalent and have experience with conducting research.

Career

The ideal candidate should be at the early-to-mid-stage of their career and come from one of the following fields: academia, NGO, business, government departments, civil society or the media. All applicants should possess knowledge of, and an interest in, the policy challenges related to technology governance, digital public goods, AI and democracy.

Age restrictions

We do not impose age restrictions for applicants.

Can I undertake other work or study at the same time as my fellowship?

Fellows are expected to work full-time towards their fellowship and therefore it is not possible to undertake a fellowship at the same time as pursuing work or studies.

Applications are currently closed.

Duration

Academy fellows spend 12 months at Chatham House between late January 2025 and late January 2026.

Location

The fellow will be based full-time at Chatham House, London with hybrid working also possible.

Fellowship structure

A fellow’s time will be split between three key areas:

• Completing a personal research project: the fellow will choose and design a personal project to undertake with the guidance of a Chatham House expert (approximately 60%).
• Leadership Programme: a core part of Academy Fellowships, the Leadership Programme aims to develop the knowledge, network and self-awareness of fellows, and to equip them with important skills on which they can draw in their future careers as leaders in their field (approximately 20%).
• Contributing to ongoing research activities: working with their host research team and other Chatham House teams as appropriate, fellows will contribute to existing research priorities in line with the Chatham House mission (approximately 20%).

Leadership Programme

All Academy fellows participate in, and contribute to, the Academy’s Leadership Programme which encompasses the following components:

• Intensive induction week
  Academy fellowships begin with an intensive five-day induction week at Chatham House to become familiarized with the elements of the fellowships and the Leadership Programme, meet their host research programme, and have their first personal development coaching session.
• Discussion seminars
  In these sessions, fellows meet and discuss current international affairs challenges with subject experts from Chatham House and beyond. The sessions cover the principal substantive and skills-based areas vital for informed and effective international leadership. Fellows usually chair these sessions and are expected to contribute to and learn from one another’s experience.
• Leadership workshops
  Every two months, fellows participate in half-day workshops focusing on skills development within specific aspects of leadership such as ‘Leadership in a new role’ and ‘Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship’.
• Project presentations
  Fellows present updates on their research projects which help develop presentation skills, provide a valuable forum for peer-review, and to think about and analyse issues outside their own area of expertise.
• Personal development coaching
  Fellows join the Academy seeking to grow their self-awareness through one-on-one sessions with a dedicated coach, with whom they set personal development objectives which they work to meet during their fellowship and beyond.
• Media training
  Fellows learn how to interview effectively on television and radio, culminating in a mock interview from which they receive feedback on their presentation style and any areas of improvement.
• ‘Leadership in the 21st Century’ Breakfast Briefings
  Academy fellows have priority in participating in the ‘Leadership in the 21st Century’ Breakfast Briefings series, giving them the opportunity to discuss leadership experiences and lessons in an informal setting with acknowledged leaders from government, business, media and the non-profit sectors.

Remuneration and benefits

The fellow will receive a monthly stipend of £2,365 which will cover London living costs, including accommodation, utilities, food, transport and other basic expenses.

The Academy covers reasonable costs related to:

• Relocation e.g., flights, train, other transportation to and from the UK, three nights of accommodation, visas, extra cases or boxes, etc.;
• Payment of the UK’s Immigration Healthcare Surcharge which allows access to the UK National Health Service (Note: you may be required to pay for dental and optical treatments and medicines prescribed by a doctor); and
• Research, outreach and dissemination costs e.g., fieldwork, travel, conferences, publication, roundtables, events, etc.

Following the successful completion of their fellowship alumni benefit from access to:

• The Academy faculty and alumni; and
• Five-year Chatham House membership.

To apply for this fellowship, we need:

• The applicant’s CV/résumé
• The names of two referees
• The applicant’s proposal for a research project based on the topic guidance found here

Selection criteria:

• Be an alumnus of the International Strategy Forum Fellowship;
• Have experience conducting independent research and hold an undergraduate or postgraduate level qualification or have equivalent professional training or experience in a relevant area;
• Have the relevant background experience, including experience in the field of the proposed research, as demonstrated through a CV;
• Have proven leadership experience or potential;
• Show commitment to the Chatham House mission, goals and values and to identifying evidence-based solutions to some of the world’s most pressing international challenges;
• Be able to communicate how the fellowship will enable them to create positive impact, in line with the Chatham House mission and overarching purpose of Academy Fellowships as outlined above;
• Show motivation to undertake the fellowship, meet all fellowship deliverables, and take full advantage of the networks, events and opportunities offered at Chatham House; and
• Demonstrate proficiency in spoken English.

Selection process:

• Stage one: complete the application below. Once the submission period ends, all applications will be reviewed and shortlisted by our selection committee.
• Stage two: shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview by Zoom. The interviews are carried out by a member of senior management at Chatham House and relevant programme representatives. After this round, fellows will be selected and notified via email.