Global Innovation Fellowships: The German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) 2025-26

Scheme overview

The British Academy has been funded by the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) to support the Innovation Fellowships.

The objective of the Global Innovation Fellowships is to provide opportunities to UK-based early and mid-career researchers from across the humanities and social sciences to develop their skills, networks and careers in the creative, cultural, public, private and policy sectors to address challenges that require innovative approaches and solutions. Through the Global Innovation Fellowships, researchers in the 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. 

This is the third call for this programme, which offers opportunities for Global Innovation Fellowship award holders to embed themselves and be based in the office of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) in Berlin. Awards from previous rounds can be seen here.

The German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) is committed to fostering impactful foreign and security policy on a German and European level that promotes democracy, peace, and the rule of law. DGAP’s experts provide decision-makers in politics, business, and civil society with strategic advice based on their foreign policy research and train young professionals in international leadership programmes. DGAP conducts action-oriented, practical research, developing concrete solutions for pressing foreign policy concerns and contributing expertise to strategically address the challenges of an increasingly unstable world.

The aim is to have a mutually beneficial partnership between the fellowship award holder and DGAP, with each able to take advantage of fresh perspectives and expand their networks and reach. It will enable the award holder to 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.

Aims

Applications are invited in any of the following areas:

• Security, Defence, and Resilience
• Europe as an International Actor
• Strategy-Making in a Geopolitical World

Successful applicants would be expected to produce policy-relevant analysis for German decision-makers. They do not need an understanding of German politics, but they should be able to offer new approaches to typical foreign policy dilemmas in their chosen field and be ready to engage with policymakers and further stakeholders in Germany.

There are not any preconceived ideas about the disciplinary background of the award holder, but the applicant will need to demonstrate a solid understanding of the relevant issues, including the applicable policy landscape and the systemic challenges that it faces. Language skills, where relevant, are desirable but not essential.

Scheme opens date: 4 July 2025

Application Deadline: 24 September 2025, 17:00 (BST)

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews, to be held on 29 October 2025. This is a mandatory part of the assessment process.

Value and duration

Global Innovation Fellowships are expected to commence by September 2026. An earlier start date of March or April 2026 may be possible, in this case the applicant will need to explain how they will plan and manage their relocation on this faster timeline

The Academy is offering up to two one-year fellowships hosted in DGAP's offices in Berlin. These are offered as awards for up to £150,000 for 12 months in duration (with Full Economic Costing at 80%).

Scheme guidance

For full information on the Global Innovation Fellowships Scheme, please view our scheme guidance notes.