UKRI policy fellowships 2025 has launched with the opportunity to apply for one of 42 policy fellowships based with a host in 1 of 29 different UK government departments, devolved governments and What Works Networks.
The UKRI policy fellowships are designed to improve the exchange of specialist knowledge between academic institutions and policy, facilitating deeper, more enduring connections between researchers and policy makers. These exciting positions will allow fellows to undertake cutting edge research and inform decision-making on the most pressing policy problems of our time. The fellowships aim to support career development and enhance fellows’ understanding of applying research in public policy-focused contexts. All fellows will become part of a cohort of academic researchers and receive training, mentoring and networking opportunities with likeminded individuals.
Fellowship positions will be organised around policy priority areas and government missions which address national and global challenges. Three types of fellowships are offered:
- Core policy fellowships, open to early and mid-career academics, focusing on key public policy priority areas and, where applicable, aligning to the government missions.
- Natural Hazards and Resilience policy fellowships, open to early and mid-career academics, helping build resilience against natural hazards; extreme natural events or situations that could cause or threaten serious damage to human welfare.
- What Works Innovation fellowships open to all career stages and based within the What Works Network to increase the supply of and demand for evidence to address priorities in the hosts’ policy areas.
All fellowship opportunities are 18 months in duration and open to applications from researchers based at an organisation eligible for UKRI funding. Depending on the fellowship, researchers will be in the economic and social sciences; a researcher in an eligible discipline in accordance with the specific fellowship position; or be able to demonstrate the generation of interdisciplinary insights with other recognised academic disciplines. Full details can be found at UKRI policy fellowships 2025 – UKRI
Closing date is 15 July
Specific positions we wished to draw your attention to:
Core Policy Fellowships:
- Cabinet Office Clean Energy Mission fellowship
- DAERA One Health and climate change fellowship
- Welsh Government using behavioural science to inform successful climate policies fellowship
Natural Hazards and Resilience Policy Fellowships: