British Academy ODA Global Innovation Fellowships: C40

Funding for early and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to embed themselves in the C40 office in South Africa for a period of 12 months to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors.

Established by Royal Charter in 1902, the British Academy is a registered charity and the UK’s national academy for the humanities and social sciences. It champions these fields by investing in research, engaging with the public and influencing policy. This programme is supported under the UK Government’s £337 million International Science Partnerships Fund, which is designed to enable potential and foster prosperity.

The objective of the ODA (Official Development Assistance) Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early career and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative and cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. Through the awards, researchers in the Social sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and the Economy (SHAPE) community will be supported to create new and deeper links beyond academia, so enabling knowledge mobilisation and translation, as well as individual skills development.

Under this call, fellowship award holders will embed themselves in the South Africa office of C40. C40 is a global network of nearly 100 mayors of cities across the world that are united in action to confront the climate crisis. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using an inclusive, science-based and collaborative approach to cut their fair share of emissions in half by 2030, help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C, and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities.

The aim is to have a mutually beneficial partnership between the fellowship award holder and C40, with each able to take advantage of fresh perspectives and expand their networks and reach. Award holders will strengthen and create new links across policy and academia, enabling knowledge mobilisation and translation, and the opportunity to develop new approaches and solutions to policy challenges through providing a different perspective.

Applications are invited in any of the following areas:

• Cities, climate and housing
• Cities, climate and health
• Cities and a green and just transition

There are no preconceived ideas about the disciplinary background of the award holder, as long as the discipline is within the humanities and social sciences. However, the applicant must demonstrate a solid understanding of the relevant issues, including the applicable policy, community, civic and/or business landscape and the systemic challenges that it faces.

Applicants might have expertise from a range of disciplinary, conceptual and methodological perspectives, including analytical, policy and practical perspectives.