The Chevening British Library Fellowship is a collaboration between the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British Library, offering international experts a year-long professional project-based placement. Fellows will have the privilege of working with the extensive library’s collections and benefit from the broad range of professional expertise of library staff.

Moreover, the British Library is the national library of the UK and one of the world’s greatest research libraries. The British Library’s collection encompasses all fields of knowledge in hundreds of languages, covering 3,500 years from some of the earliest written records to the digital collections of the present day, and range over all formats. Likewise, as a public-facing, culturally-active research institute, Chevening is pleased to partner with the British Library to bring international experts to the UK to pursue a one-of-a-kind opportunity.

Programme Structure

Fellows will undertake a period of professional project-based activity at the British Library, receiving support and supervision from library staff. Please note that this fellowship is not suitable for those wanting to pursue their own research.

Further, as a public-facing, culturally-active, research institute, the Library is able to provide a broad range of professional development opportunities for fellows. Fellows will have a unique project-based placement involving research, consultation, and strategy development, coupled with stakeholder engagement and outreach opportunities. The library’s postgraduate research manager will provide additional pastoral support and work with supervisors to monitor progress and professional development. This fellowship programme will commence in September 2020 and is for a 12-month period of project-based activity at the British Library.

Benefits

• Living expenses for the duration of the fellowship.
• Return economy airfare from your home country to the UK.
• Allowance package for fellowship-related activities.
• Up to £1,000 for approved project-related expenses.
• Access to a programme of cultural events and activities organised by the FCO and the Chevening Secretariat.

Eligibility

• This fellowship is available in the following countries: Ukraine and China
• Applicants must demonstrate the potential to rise to positions of leadership and influence
• Also, Demonstrate that you possess the personal, intellectual, and interpersonal attributes reflecting this potential
• Be a citizen of the above-listed countries
• Further, Return to your country of citizenship at the end of the period of the fellowship
• Have a postgraduate level qualification (or equivalent professional training or experience in a relevant area) at the time of application
• Have significant professional and/or academic research experience (at least five years)
• Be currently employed or a currently enrolled PhD candidate (PhD must not be with a UK/EU or USA university)
• Provide evidence of meeting at least the minimum English language abilities for Chevening Awards
• Not hold British or dual British citizenship
• Likewise, not be an employee, a former employee, or relative of an employee (since July 2016) of Her Majesty’s Government (including British Embassies/High Commissions, the Department for International Development, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Department for International Trade, the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office), the British Council, or a staff member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.