Fellowships and placements
A public policy fellowship or placement gives you first-hand experience of working with policymakers. Aimed primarily at early career researchers and DPhil students, these can help you to understand what key questions are facing policymakers; how governments, parliaments and public bodies work; and develop networks with policymakers and other policy engaged academics.
Some fellowships and placements are offered by public institutions, and some are offered by the University of Oxford.
For any questions regarding applications or funding for fellowships and placements please contact: researchandpublicpolicy@admin.ox.ac.uk
Click to expand the current and upcoming fellowship opportunities, below:
OPEN Fellowships - 2024 call now closed
Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN) Fellowships enable academic and research staff from the University of Oxford to work closely with, or in, an organisation in the policymaking community (Outgoing Fellowship), and for policy professionals to work closely with, or embedded in, a University department or faculty (Incoming Fellowship).
Fellowships of up to £20,000 foster sustained collaboration between research and policy partners to:
- Enable researchers and policy professionals to share evidence and support its use in decision-making
- Improve researchers’ and policy professionals’ understanding of how research can inform policymaking, and develop the skills to catalyse that process, and
- Broaden and deepen the networks of both partners.
Previous OPEN Fellows have worked on policy challenges ranging from climate change to conservation; from regional development to international maritime security, and from smart energy to smarter healthcare. Their partners have come from local authorities; central government departments in and outside the UK; and intergovernmental organizations. You can meet some of our OPEN Fellows here or watch this video to hear from a past award winner.
POST | Parliamentary Academic Fellowship Scheme
POST is excited to be seeking a Parliamentary Academic Fellow to conduct a study of different organisations and mechanisms around the world that provide science advice to parliaments. The aim of the project is to learn about how others provide science advice to parliaments globally, and how other parliaments engage with scientific information. Through this project, POST would also like to strengthen its connections with those organisations, to be able to conduct two-way knowledge exchange.
Although the project focuses on science advice, applicants from non-scientific background are also strongly encouraged to apply. The project may appeal to researchers or knowledge exchange professionals working in cultural studies, international studies, geography, political studies, communication studies, or many other areas. Deadline: 23:55 BST, 9 May 2021
Future calls will be advertised here.
POST also advertise open calls, where academics can propose research to deliver with Parliament. For further information on the POST open calls, please contact the policy engagement team at researchandpublicpolicy@admin.ox.ac.uk
NATO Defense College (NDC) Resident Fellowship Programme
The NATO Defense College currently offers four fellowships in the field of defense and security policy research related to NATO and its Partners. These fellowships are the Eisenhower Defense Fellowship Programme, the Partnership for Peace Fellowship Programme, the Mediterranean Dialogue Fellowship Programme and the Other Military Cooperation/Partners across the Globe Fellowship Programme. The overarching objective of these fellowships is to promote research and policy analysis in areas of particular interest to NATO Member States, as well as to countries that are part of the Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue, and Other Military Cooperation / Partners across the Globe frameworks.
Future calls will be advertised here.
Further information: NATO Defense College (NDC) Resident Fellowship Programme
Cabinet Office Open Innovation Team PhD Placements
The Cabinet Office’s Open Innovation Team (OIT) has been established to generate analysis and ideas for priority projects by helping officials collaborate more intensively with outside experts.
The OIT is inviting PhD students to join their team on placement for a minimum of 3 months to help UK government departments deliver projects on health, welfare reform, industrial strategy, digital transformation and various other priority areas.
PhD students working with the OIT on placement will be expected to carry out a range of tasks, including:
- Reviewing evidence to inform policy discussions and help scope out projects
- Generating analysis and policy ideas working alongside officials and outside experts
- Developing project plans to ensure projects remain on track
- Pitching new projects to Whitehall departments and non-government partners
- Managing stakeholders inside and outside Whitehall
- Organising engagement activity, including arranging meetings, university visits and
- Whitehall policy seminars
For further information please contact researchandpublicpolicy@admin.ox.ac.uk