Institute of Advanced Study

Durham Engagement & Support

Scholars from Durham University are the driving force behind the work of the Institute of Advanced Study. Staff can contribute to and benefit from the IAS in a number of ways.   

IAS Fellowships

Durham scholars are welcome to apply for IAS Fellowships linked to the annual theme.  Fellowships are for three months and open to permanent members of academic staff.  Visit the IAS Fellowship Scheme webpage for further details.

Fellowship nominations in connection with the Light  theme (2013-14) have now closed.  The scheme will re-open in April 2013 for applications for the 2014-15 academic year.  The theme for 2014-15 is 'Emergence'.  Once the scheme opens a Fellowship Nomination Proforma at the bottom of this page must be completed and and submitted, electronically, to Linda Crowe.  Please read the attached guidelines for nominating an individual for a Fellowship prior to completing this proforma.

IAS Annual Themes

Any individual, research group, or department can propose annual themes or respond to calls for activities linked to the Institute's annual themes.  The themes are broad, open to inflection, and designed to be as responsive as possible to research interests and strengths across the spectrum of disciplines at Durham.

Individuals or departments are welcome to suggest themes at any time of the year and simply need to email their suggestion, along with as much detail as possible about activities or fellows that could be linked with it, to the IAS.

Themes are selected in consultation with departments and the IAS Advisory Council.  They are chosen for their ability to resonate with research interests at Durham, for their interdisciplinary appeal, and their ability to contribute to internationally recognised cutting edge research.

Themes are announced 18 months ahead and an annual scoping meeting is organised to which all departments are invited to send representatives to enable inter- intra- and multi-disciplinary programmes of work to be mapped out for the year.

If you would like to propose an annual theme please email your suggestion to Linda Crowe.

IAS Seed-Corn Funding

All members of staff are encouraged to develop research networks, programmes or proposals on the groundwork laid by IAS activities.  The IAS provides seed-corn funding for a wide-range of inter- intra- and multi-disciplinary activities (workshops, conferences, seminar series, lecture series) linked to its annual theme to help develop international research networks, to build research capacity, and to support research grant applications and high-quality research publications. 

The 2013-14 theme is Light.  The deadline has now passed for activity proposals under this annual theme, however if you have any questions please contact Linda Crowe.

The Institute has also developed a Research Incubation Strategy that provides additional support for those who wish to build on work developed under one of the Institute's previous annual themes.  Please visit the Research Incubation Strategy webpage for further details.

Research Conversations

The Institute is available throughout the year to Durham colleagues who wish to hold research conversations and meetings to take forward inter- or multi-disciplinary research proposals or grant applications. There is no deadline for applications to the IAS for support to hold Research Conversations simply contact the IAS (enquiries.ias@durham.ac.uk) with details of the project, departments involved, and the dates you wish to hold your conversations. 

Support is also available for research conversations linked to initiatives supported by the University's Seedcorn Fund, or for those who are intending to apply to this fund. For specific details about the support available from the IAS in connection with the University's Seedcorn Fund, please visit the IAS Support for University Seedcorn Fund webpage.

Supporting Research Networks (outwith the Annual Theme)

From October to March the IAS hosts international Fellows and a range of activities linked to the annual themes that emerge from the annual scoping meetings.  However, between April and September the IAS also offers financial and in-kind support for projects of the highest calibre within and between disciplines (that require support beyond departmental or faculty level) and not necessarily linked to the annual theme.  These might be grant applications, collaborative networks, writing projects, dissemination ventures, and other similar activities that will help to develop new capacity at Durham at the cutting-edge of a new or underexplored field of research, or to help support existing research excellence at Durham.   Visit the Supporting Research Networks webpage for further details.

Christopherson/Knott Fellowships

Since 2007 the Christopherson/Knott Foundation Fellowships at Durham University have been brought under the IAS umbrella, conferring successful applicants with IAS affiliation during the period of their fellowship.  Recipients of Christopherson/Knott Foundation Fellowships are automicatlly conferred with IAS Affiliate status for the duration of their Fellowship. For further infomation about the application process and current and former Fellows please visit the appropriate web-pages.

Fellowship and Activity Proposal Proformas

'About Time' Public Lecture Series - Commences 03 December

About Time - click on the image for full details