Mo Ibrahim Foundation Academy Fellowship

Citizenship

The fellowship is open to citizens of any African country.

Applications are also accepted from applicants holding dual nationality which includes any African country.

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 or work: academia, NGO, business, government departments, civil society or the media. All applicants should possess knowledge of, and an interest in, international affairs, their chosen area of research, and Chatham House’s mission and research.

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 for 2026/27 are currently open and will remain open until 17 April 2026.

Duration

Academy Fellows spend ten months at Chatham House between October 2026 and July 2027.

Location

Fellow are based full-time at Chatham House, London with hybrid working also possible.

A fellow’s time is split between three key areas: 

• Completing a personal research project: the fellow chooses and design a personal project to undertake with the guidance of a Chatham House expert (approximately 60%).
• Leadership Masterclass Programme: it is a key part of all fellowships. It aims to develop fellows knowledge, network, self-awareness 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 contribute to existing research priorities in line with the Chatham House mission (approximately 20%).

Leadership Masterclass Programme

All fellows participate in and contribute to the Leadership Programme which encompasses the following components:

• Intensive induction week
  Academy fellowships begin with an intensive five-day induction week to become familiarized with the elements of the fellowships, meet their host research programme and have their first personal development coaching session.
• Thematic sessions
  In these sessions, fellows meet and discuss current international affairs challenges with subject matter 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 skills workshops
  Fellows participate in half-day workshops focusing on specific aspects of leadership such as achieving policy impact, stakeholder mapping, crisis management and negotiation skills.
• Leadership Briefings 
  Fellows engage in discussions with a diverse group of global leaders from government, business, media, and the non-profit sector. In these informal sessions, leaders share their leadership visions and strategies, along with personal insights from their own leadership journeys. The sessions feature members of the Academy’s faculty among other speakers.
• Project presentations
  Fellows present updates on their research projects to help develop presentation skills, provide a forum for peer-review and to analyse issues outside their own area of expertise.
• Personal development coaching
  Fellows have access to one-on-one sessions with a dedicated coach as a way to grow their self-awareness. Fellows work with the coach to set personal development objectives which they work to meet during their fellowship and beyond.
• Media training
  Fellows learn effective interview skills needed for television and radio culminating in a mock interview from which they receive feedback on style and any areas of improvement
• Career mentoring (optional)
  Fellows’ development is facilitated and supported by partnering them with mentors to enhance their career perspective and path.

Remuneration and benefits

Academy Fellows receive a monthly stipend of £2,565 for London living expenses to cover accommodation, utilities, food and transport.

Chatham House also covers:

• Relocation costs: travel, accommodation support and visa fees. If required, Chatham House will sponsor a fellow’s visa (T5: Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange);
• UK Immigration Health Surcharge (excluding dental/optical care and prescriptions); and
• Research expenses, relating to field work, outreach, events and publications.

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

Selection criteria:

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