Visiting Fellowships

What Does A visiting Fellowship Involve?

Alwaleed Centre Visiting Fellowships are available for periods of between three weeks and six months, providing researchers with interests in the contemporary Muslim world the opportunity to spend time at the University of Edinburgh with full access to the University's research resources.

If your research complements the Alwaleed Centre's research agenda and you are looking for an opportunity to develop your work within a dynamic and supportive interdisciplinary environment, we encourage you to apply.

Visiting Fellowships are awarded through a competitive application process. Priority will be given to applicants whose research most closely complements the Alwaleed Centre's focus on the contemporary Muslim world and aligns most clearly with the expertise of our academic team.

Alwaleed Visiting Fellows will receive:

• Dedicated desk space within the Alwaleed Centre.
• Full access to University of Edinburgh library resources (both physical and digital).
• The opportunity to participate in the Centre's vibrant programme of seminars, workshops and research activities.

In return, Alwaleed Visiting Fellows are expected to:

• Acknowledge the Alwaleed Centre in any publications produced during their fellowship.
• Organise at least one workshop, public lecture, seminar,  research-driven public engagement event or reading group.
• Attend the Alwaleed Centre's fortnightly team meetings where possible.

Please note: The Alwaleed Centre cannot provide funding for Visiting Fellows. If your application is successful, you may be able to apply for funding in order to deliver an event or initiative during your time at the Alwaleed Centre. We do not, however, offer funding for travel, accommodation, visa fees or any form of honorarium.

The duration of an Alwaleed Visiting Fellowship is flexible, but will normally last anywhere between three weeks and ten months, depending on the circumstances of the successful applicant and the capacity of the Alwaleed Centre.

Application Deadlines

There are three application deadlines per calendar year:

• 1 August                                        
• 1 December                                        
• 1 April                                        

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit the following by email to thealwaleedcentre@ed.ac.uk by the relevant application deadline:

• An academic CV
• Details of two academic referees (not affiliated to the Alwaleed Centre) who will be contacted should your application be successful 
• A research plan for your Visiting Fellowship (maximum four pages)

Your research plan should outline the following:

• Why the Alwaleed Centre is an appropriate host
• Which member (or members) of the Alwaleed Centre's academic team your research aligns most closely with (see https://llc.ed.ac.uk/alwaleed/about) 
• The proposed dates and duration of your visit;
• The anticipated outputs of your Visiting Fellowship

Informal enquiries about the Visiting Fellowship scheme are welcome and should be directed to the Alwaleed Centre's General Manager, Mr Tom Lea: tom.lea@ed.ac.uk

How Visiting Fellowship Applications will be Assessed

We receive a high volume of applications for Visiting Fellowships and the process is therefore competitive. Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:

• the quality and originality of the proposed research
• its relevance to the Alwaleed Centre's focus on the contemporary Muslim world
• the fit with the expertise of the Centre's academic staff
• the potential contribution the applicant will make to the Centre's research community

Applications will be assessed by a committee of colleagues from across the Alwaleed Centre’s academic team.

Applicants will normally be notified of the outcome within four weeks of the relevant application deadline.

Preparing for your Visiting Fellowship

Successful applications will be assigned an academic mentor for the duration of their visit. Your mentor will initiate contact in advance of your visit to answer any questions you may have.

If your application is successful, a formal letter of invitation will be sent outlining the dates and terms of your fellowship. 

International applicants are responsible for ensuring they obtain any visa required for their proposed visit.

If you are interested in an Alwaleed Visiting Fellowship, please contact us directly: thealwaleedcentre@ed.ac.uk.