British Academy brings world-leading academics to global Britain

The British Academy has awarded over £2million to overseas researchers as part of its new Visiting Fellowships programme, ensuring that the UK remains an attractive and welcoming place for outstanding academics globally.

The 89 Visiting Fellows come from 34 different countries, and from every continent of the world. The Fellowships will be hosted by 43 different UK institutions.

Visiting Fellows will carry out research from across the humanities and social sciences including:

• 21st Century Slave Revolts and Underground Railroads: Voices for Freedom – Laura Murphy (United States) will be working at the University of Nottingham


• Man vs. Machine: New Perspectives on the Changing World of Work – Thor Berger (Sweden) will be working at the University of Oxford


• Everyday Poetry in Late Antiquity. Culture and Society in the Eastern Mediterranean through the Lens of Greek Verse Inscriptions (3rd-7th century CE) – Gianfranco Agosti (Italy) will be working at the University of St Andrews


• Multi-Disciplinary Investigation Of Human-Tiger Relations Under Large-Scale Environmental And Demographic Changes In Northeast India – Sahil Nijhawan (India) will be working at the ZSL Institute of Zoology.

The Visiting Fellowships are each worth up to £33,000 over six months and provide outstanding overseas academics – at any career stage – with the opportunity to visit and collaborate with colleagues at a UK higher education or research institution. 

The Fellowships are supported by the UK Government’s Rutherford Fund, which aims to help maintain the UK’s position as a world leader in science and research.

Professor Ash Amin, British Academy Foreign Secretary said:

“We are delighted to announce this cohort of British Academy Visiting Fellows. The new Visiting Fellowships scheme is timely, ambitious and exciting. By funding 89 of the world’s most talented academics, the British Academy aims to build new – and enhance existing – international research links in the humanities and social sciences. In this way, the scheme will yield new insights and understanding for culture, policy and research agendas both at home and abroad.

“The programme attracted more than 750 applications worldwide, demonstrating that the UK remains an attractive and competitive place to carry out research. We wish the Visiting Fellows every success with their projects.”