Global Innovation Fellowships: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 2026 – Up to £150,000 for UK-Based Researchers

The Global Innovation Fellowships: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 2026 provide an exciting opportunity for early- and mid-career researchers based in the United Kingdom to expand their professional networks, strengthen their research and policy engagement skills, and develop innovative responses to some of the world’s most complex challenges.

Offered by the British Academy in partnership with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the fellowship is designed for researchers working across the humanities and social sciences who want to build stronger connections between academia, policymaking, and professional practice.

The programme provides successful fellows with the opportunity to become embedded within the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace for a period of 12 months, with placements based in Washington, DC, Singapore, or Beirut, depending on the thematic area and proposed fellowship.

With awards of up to £150,000 for 12 months, the Global Innovation Fellowships are intended to support researchers in developing new ideas, building international networks, translating academic knowledge into practical applications, and contributing fresh perspectives to policy challenges.

The fellowship is particularly relevant to researchers interested in international affairs, global governance, climate and sustainability, geopolitics, Asian regional affairs, the Middle East and North Africa, international institutions, and other interconnected global challenges.

Global Innovation Fellowships 2026 Overview

The Global Innovation Fellowships are part of the British Academy’s efforts to support researchers in the humanities and social sciences in developing relationships beyond traditional academic environments.

The programme seeks to create opportunities where researchers can work directly with organisations operating in policy and practice. Through this approach, fellows can gain exposure to different perspectives and working environments while also contributing their academic expertise to real-world challenges.

Key details of the 2026 fellowship include:

• Fellowship: Global Innovation Fellowships: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
• Host organisation: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
• Funding organisation: British Academy
• Career stage: Early-career and mid-career researchers
• Application status: Open for applications
• Opening date: 22 September 2026
• Application deadline: 18 November 2026 at 17:00 GMT
• Interview date: 8 February 2027
• Expected commencement: By September 2027
• Possible earlier commencement: March or April 2027
• Duration: 12 months
• Maximum award: Up to £150,000
• Number of fellowships: Up to two
• Potential host locations: Washington, DC; Singapore; or Beirut
• Applicant location requirement: United Kingdom
• Academic disciplines: Humanities and social sciences
• Contact: international@thebritishacademy.ac.uk

About the Global Innovation Fellowships

The British Academy has received funding from the UK Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade to support its Innovation Fellowships programme.

The Global Innovation Fellowships are intended to help researchers develop their skills, professional networks, and careers outside conventional academic environments. The programme places particular emphasis on creating connections between researchers and organisations in the creative and cultural, public, private, and policy sectors.

The fellowship recognises that many of today’s major challenges cannot be addressed effectively through a single discipline or institution. Issues such as climate change, sustainability, international security, geopolitical competition, global governance, technology, and regional political and economic transformation often require multiple perspectives.

The programme therefore encourages researchers to bring their academic knowledge into a different professional setting while learning from practitioners, policymakers, and other experts.

Partnership with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

The fourth call of the Global Innovation Fellowships provides opportunities for selected award holders to become embedded within the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Carnegie is an international foreign policy institution whose experts work across different disciplines and regions on major global issues. Its work covers areas including democracy, technology, climate change, international affairs, and regional geopolitical developments.

The fellowship is therefore structured to expose successful researchers to an environment where academic knowledge, policy analysis, international engagement, and practical problem-solving intersect.

Depending on the subject of the fellowship, researchers may be hosted in Washington, DC, Singapore, or Beirut, with opportunities to engage with Carnegie colleagues and regional programmes.

Main Objectives of the Fellowship

The Global Innovation Fellowships are designed around a mutually beneficial relationship between the award holder and Carnegie.

For fellows, the programme can provide an opportunity to:

• Develop new professional networks beyond academia.
• Strengthen connections with policymakers and practitioners.
• Translate academic research and expertise into practical applications.
• Develop innovative approaches to policy challenges.
• Gain experience working within an international policy organisation.
• Explore new perspectives on complex global issues.
• Strengthen professional skills relevant to policy and practice.
• Build relationships with experts working in different regions and disciplines.
• Increase the practical reach and impact of their research.
• Develop new collaborations that may continue beyond the fellowship.
• Improve their ability to communicate academic knowledge to non-academic audiences.

For Carnegie, the fellowship provides an opportunity to benefit from the expertise, perspectives, research approaches, and experiences of researchers from the UK humanities and social sciences community.

Research Areas for the 2026 Fellowship

Applicants are invited to submit proposals in one of four broad thematic areas.

1. Sustainability, Climate and Geopolitics

The first thematic area focuses on the interconnected challenges associated with climate change, sustainability, and nature.

A fellowship in this area would be based in Washington, DC and would examine the relationship between environmental challenges and broader geopolitical developments.

Applicants could explore issues surrounding the changing global environment, sustainability challenges, climate-related risks, geopolitical consequences, and innovative approaches to addressing interconnected environmental and international problems.

The theme recognises that climate and sustainability challenges are not isolated environmental issues. They can intersect with economics, international relations, security, development, governance, resources, and global cooperation.

2. Global Order and Institutions

The second thematic area focuses on questions surrounding global order, disorder, and international institutions.

This fellowship would also be based in Washington, DC.

Applicants working in this area could investigate different dimensions of the international system, including the functioning and evolution of international institutions, changing global relationships, international cooperation, and the challenges facing existing structures of global governance.

The programme notes that there is no single solution to the challenges associated with global order and disorder. Applicants are therefore expected to bring thoughtful perspectives and potentially innovative approaches to understanding these developments.

3. South and East Asia

The third thematic area focuses on South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

A fellowship in this area could be based in either Washington, DC, or Singapore, depending on the proposed work and engagement with Carnegie counterparts.

Applicants should have strong expertise in one or more of these regions, including expertise relating to India or China and their regional or global roles.

The programme is particularly interested in researchers who can contribute informed perspectives on the political, economic, social, strategic, and international dimensions of developments in these regions.

Researchers may also engage with questions concerning the broader role of South and East Asian countries in international affairs.

4. Middle East and North Africa

The fourth thematic area focuses on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Fellows in this area would work with Carnegie’s Middle East Program and could be based in Washington, DC, or Beirut.

The fellowship may involve examining major challenges facing the region, long-term geopolitical trends, and possible innovative policy approaches.

Applicants should have relevant expertise in the Middle East and North Africa, including the Gulf and Iran.

The programme welcomes applicants with particular country or thematic expertise relating to political, social, or economic change.

Academic and Professional Background

The Global Innovation Fellowships do not prescribe one particular academic discipline.

Applicants may come from a broad range of disciplinary, conceptual, and methodological backgrounds. The programme is open to perspectives that may be analytical, policy-oriented, practical, or combinations of these approaches.

However, applicants must demonstrate a strong understanding of the issues relevant to their proposed fellowship, including the applicable policy environment and the systemic challenges associated with the subject.

This means that applicants should be able to demonstrate more than academic interest in their chosen area. They should be able to explain the wider policy context and show how their expertise can contribute to understanding or addressing the challenges involved.

Relevant language skills can be beneficial where appropriate to the proposed research or regional focus, although language skills are desirable rather than mandatory.

Who Can Apply for the Global Innovation Fellowships?

The programme is specifically designed for UK-based early- and mid-career researchers.

To be eligible, applicants must meet several important conditions.

UK Residency

Applicants must be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.

This requirement means that the fellowship is not a general worldwide opportunity open to researchers residing in any country.

Current Long-Term Appointment

Applicants must have a current long-term appointment that will continue for at least the duration of the fellowship award.

The applicant must also be based at an eligible UK institution, such as:

• A Higher Education Institution (HEI); or
• An Independent Research Organisation (IRO).

The institution must be listed as an approving organisation within the British Academy’s Flexi-Grant system.

If an applicant is successful, the institution will be issued the relevant terms and conditions associated with the award.

Career Stage

The fellowship is intended for:

• Early-career researchers; and
• Mid-career researchers.

Applicants should therefore demonstrate an established connection to research as well as a clear rationale for how the fellowship will contribute to their professional development and future career.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Applicants should be researchers working within disciplines in the humanities and social sciences that are eligible under the British Academy’s grant management system.

There is no single required disciplinary background. The programme allows applicants to approach the thematic areas from different academic, methodological, conceptual, analytical, policy, and practical perspectives.

Who Is Not Eligible?

Postgraduate students are not eligible to apply for British Academy grant support under this programme.

Applicants must confirm that they are not:

• Currently working towards a PhD;
• Awaiting the outcome of a viva voce examination; or
• Awaiting acceptance of corrections required by examiners.

This is an important requirement for applicants who have recently completed or are close to completing doctoral studies.

Applicants should carefully assess their status against these requirements before beginning an application.

Collaboration Between Academia and Policy

One of the central features of the Global Innovation Fellowships is the emphasis on moving knowledge between academic and non-academic environments.

The fellowship is not simply intended to provide researchers with another academic research placement. Instead, successful applicants are expected to demonstrate how engagement with Carnegie can create value for both sides.

Applicants should consider:

• How their academic expertise can contribute to Carnegie’s work.
• What they can learn from working within a policy-focused organisation.
• How collaboration can generate new ideas.
• How their research can be translated into policy-relevant knowledge.
• How interaction with practitioners can influence their future work.
• How they can develop new professional networks.
• How their experience can contribute to their long-term career development.

The programme particularly seeks applicants who are willing to explore perspectives outside their established academic environment.

What the Fellowship Looks for in Applicants

Successful applicants are expected to demonstrate an openness to new ideas and a willingness to experiment with innovative approaches.

Important qualities include:

• Intellectual openness.
• Willingness to explore new perspectives.
• Interest in interdisciplinary engagement.
• Ability to work across academic and non-academic environments.
• Commitment to challenge-driven work.
• Interest in policy and practice.
• Ability to engage constructively with different perspectives.
• Understanding of the needs and priorities of the partner organisation.
• A clear interest in knowledge mobilisation and translation.
• A strong connection between the proposed fellowship and future professional development.

Applicants should therefore carefully explain not only what they want to research or explore, but also why working with Carnegie is particularly valuable to their proposed project and professional trajectory.

Fellowship Locations

The location of the fellowship will depend largely on the thematic area and the nature of the proposed work.

Possible locations include:

Washington, DC

Washington, DC is the proposed location for fellowships focusing on:

• Sustainability, climate and geopolitics.
• Global order and institutions.
• Some work related to South and East Asia.
• Some work related to the Middle East and North Africa.

Singapore

Singapore may host fellows working on South and East Asian issues.

This provides an opportunity for researchers to engage with regional perspectives and Carnegie counterparts working on Asia.

Beirut

Beirut may host fellows working on Middle East and North Africa issues through Carnegie’s Middle East Program.

The location is therefore closely connected to the applicant’s thematic expertise and proposed area of engagement.

Fellowship Value and Financial Support

The British Academy is offering up to two fellowships, each lasting up to 12 months.

Each award can be worth up to £150,000.

The awards are offered with Full Economic Costing at 80 percent.

The financial support is intended to facilitate a substantial period of engagement with Carnegie and enable successful researchers to undertake the fellowship in an international policy environment.

Applicants should carefully consult the official scheme guidance to understand the eligible costs, institutional arrangements, funding conditions, and other financial requirements associated with the award.

Fellowship Duration and Start Date

The Global Innovation Fellowships are expected to commence by September 2027.

However, an earlier start in March or April 2027 may be possible.

Applicants seeking an earlier start date will need to explain how they intend to manage the relocation process within the shorter preparation period.

The standard fellowship duration is 12 months.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for the Global Innovation Fellowships 2026 is:

18 November 2026 at 17:00 GMT

Applicants should avoid waiting until the final hours to submit their applications. It is advisable to review the scheme guidance, eligibility requirements, institutional requirements, and application materials well in advance of the deadline.

Interview Date

Applicants should also take note of the planned interview date.

Interviews are scheduled for 8 February 2027.

Applicants should ensure that they are available during this period if invited to an interview.

How to Prepare a Strong Application

Applicants interested in the Global Innovation Fellowships should carefully consider how their expertise, proposed area of work, and career objectives align with the programme.

A strong application should clearly establish the connection between the applicant’s background and the fellowship theme.

Applicants should consider addressing the following areas:

1. Clearly Identify the Relevant Thematic Area

Determine whether the proposed fellowship fits within:

• Sustainability, Climate and Geopolitics;
• Global Order and Institutions;
• South and East Asia; or
• Middle East and North Africa.

The proposal should demonstrate a clear connection to the selected theme.

2. Demonstrate Relevant Expertise

Applicants should explain their expertise and experience in the relevant area.

This may include academic research, publications, policy engagement, professional experience, regional knowledge, methodological expertise, or practical work.

3. Explain the Policy Context

The programme expects applicants to have a solid understanding of the relevant policy landscape.

Applicants should therefore demonstrate awareness of the wider systems, institutions, actors, challenges, and policy debates connected to their proposed area.

4. Explain Why Carnegie

Applicants should clearly explain why the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is an appropriate partner for their proposed fellowship.

The application should demonstrate how engagement with Carnegie could create opportunities for:

• Knowledge exchange.
• Collaboration.
• Professional development.
• Policy engagement.
• New research perspectives.
• Network development.
• Innovative approaches to complex challenges.

5. Demonstrate Value Beyond Academia

Applicants should explain how their proposed fellowship could strengthen interaction between academic research and non-academic environments.

This could involve showing how research findings might be translated into policy-relevant knowledge or how practical engagement could inform future academic work.

6. Connect the Fellowship to Career Development

Applicants should demonstrate how the fellowship fits into their longer-term professional development.

The programme is intended to help researchers develop skills, networks, and careers, so applicants should clearly explain what they expect to gain and how the experience could contribute to their future work.

Important Eligibility Considerations

Before applying, prospective applicants should carefully review the official scheme guidance.

Particular attention should be paid to:

• UK residency requirements.
• Employment and appointment requirements.
• Eligible UK institutions.
• Career-stage requirements.
• Eligible disciplinary backgrounds.
• Postgraduate student restrictions.
• Current British Academy award restrictions.
• Carnegie’s requirements for working at and with the organisation.
• Fellowship location and relocation considerations.
• The relationship between the proposed work and the selected thematic area.

Applicants may not hold more than one British Academy award of a comparable nature at the same time.

Previous Global Innovation Fellowship Awards

The 2026 call represents the fourth call under this programme.

Previous award holders and their projects are available through the British Academy’s Global Innovation Fellowships past awards information. Reviewing previous awards can help prospective applicants understand the types of projects and approaches that have previously been supported.

However, applicants should use previous awards as a source of context rather than attempting to replicate earlier projects. The current call has its own thematic areas, requirements, and application criteria.

Why the Fellowship Is Relevant to Researchers

The Global Innovation Fellowships offer researchers an opportunity to move beyond conventional academic boundaries and engage directly with an international policy organisation.

For researchers whose work intersects with global affairs, international institutions, climate, sustainability, geopolitics, Asian regional affairs, or Middle Eastern and North African affairs, the programme provides an environment for developing connections between research and policy.

The fellowship can also help researchers develop the ability to communicate complex academic ideas to audiences outside universities.

This knowledge mobilisation and translation dimension is particularly important because research can have greater practical relevance when it is effectively communicated to policymakers, practitioners, institutions, and other stakeholders.

Application Process

Interested researchers should begin by reviewing the official fellowship guidance and eligibility requirements before accessing the application system.

The general process involves:

1. Reviewing the official Global Innovation Fellowships scheme information.
2. Confirming eligibility.
3. Identifying the most appropriate thematic area.
4. Developing a clear fellowship proposal.
5. Discussing the application with the relevant UK institution where appropriate.
6. Reviewing the requirements for working with Carnegie.
7. Preparing the required application information and supporting materials.
8. Completing the application through the British Academy’s application system.
9. Submitting the completed application before the deadline.
10. Preparing for the interview stage if shortlisted.

Applicants should allow sufficient time for institutional processes and final application checks.

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Official Application and Further Information

Applications are submitted through the British Academy’s grant application system.

Applicants should also read the official scheme guidance notes and frequently asked questions before submitting an application. These resources provide additional information about eligibility, application requirements, the fellowship arrangement, and other programme conditions.

Visit HERE to learn more about the Global Innovation Fellowships.

Conclusion

The Global Innovation Fellowships: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 2026 provide UK-based early- and mid-career researchers in the humanities and social sciences with an opportunity to develop their professional networks, strengthen policy engagement, and explore innovative approaches to major international challenges.

The programme offers up to two 12-month fellowships, with awards of up to £150,000, and placements potentially based in Washington, DC, Singapore, or Beirut. The four thematic areas cover sustainability, climate and geopolitics; global order and institutions; South and East Asia; and the Middle East and North Africa.

Because eligibility is specifically focused on researchers ordinarily resident in the UK and holding qualifying long-term appointments at eligible UK institutions, prospective applicants should carefully confirm their status before preparing an application.

Researchers who meet the requirements and can demonstrate relevant expertise, openness to interdisciplinary perspectives, interest in policy engagement, and a clear rationale for working with Carnegie should review the official scheme guidance and prepare their applications well ahead of the 18 November 2026, 17:00 GMT deadline.

For more global fellowship opportunities visit OFY HERE