Call for Applications: British Academy Innovation Fellowships 2026–27 (Route B: Policy-Led)

Are you an early-career or mid-career researcher passionate about creating real-world impact through your research? The British Academy is now accepting applications for its prestigious Innovation Fellowships 2026–27 (Route B: Policy-Led), offering researchers the opportunity to work directly with leading UK government departments and policy organizations to address pressing societal challenges.

This fellowship provides a unique platform for humanities and social sciences researchers to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and policymaking while contributing to innovative solutions for issues affecting communities and societies.

About the Fellowship

The British Academy's Innovation Fellowships Scheme is designed to support established researchers in the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts for People and the Economy (SHAPE) disciplines. Through Route B (Policy-Led), successful fellows will collaborate with one of the Academy’s policy partners for a period of 12 months, working on priority policy challenges identified by those organizations.

Unlike many research grants, applicants are not required to submit a detailed research proposal at the application stage. Instead, successful candidates will work with their host policy partner to develop and refine a work programme after the award is made.

Fellowship Themes

Applications are invited under two broad policy programmes:

1. Resilient Communities

Research areas include:

• Valuing and mapping cultural infrastructure
• Understanding access to justice for individuals and families
• Community infrastructure valuation frameworks
• Social and cultural infrastructure for community resilience and emergency preparedness

2. Digital Society

Research areas include:

• Consumer protection, innovation, and regulation in an AI-enabled economy
• AI upskilling for growth, opportunity, and inclusive development

Successful fellows will work with organizations such as:

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
• Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
• Government Office for Science (GO Science)
• Digital Regulatory Cooperation Forum (DRCF)
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Local Policy Innovation Partnerships (LPIP) Hub

Fellowship Benefits

Selected fellows will receive:

• Funding of up to £120,000
• Opportunities to work directly with policymakers and government institutions
• Enhanced policy engagement and knowledge mobilization experience
• Professional development and leadership opportunities
• Stronger connections between academia and policy sectors

The fellowship duration is 12 months, with awards expected to commence between 1 and 31 March 2027.

Who Can Apply?

Applicants must:

• Be early-career or mid-career researchers.
• Be ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.
• Hold a long-term appointment at a UK-based Higher Education Institution (HEI) or Independent Research Organisation (IRO).
• Have an appointment that will continue throughout the fellowship period.
• Meet any additional security clearance and nationality requirements associated with their chosen fellowship area.

Independent researchers without a qualifying institutional affiliation are not eligible.

Key Dates

• Applications Open: 10 June 2026
• Application Deadline: 6 August 2026 (17:00 BST)
• Fellowship Start Window: March 2027
• Duration: 12 months

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications well before the deadline to allow sufficient time for institutional approval processes.

Why This Opportunity Matters

In an era marked by rapid technological change, social transformation, and complex policy challenges, evidence-based policymaking has never been more important. The British Academy Innovation Fellowships offer researchers a rare opportunity to move beyond academic publications and contribute directly to policies that shape communities, governance, digital innovation, and social resilience.

For researchers seeking to expand their impact while building meaningful relationships with policymakers and public institutions, this fellowship represents an exceptional career development opportunity.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should carefully review the scheme guidance, application notes, and scope summaries before submitting their applications through the British Academy's application system.

Official Opportunity Page:

https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/funding/schemes/innovation-fellowships-route-b-policy-led/