CFPs: Mo Ibrahim Foundation Academy Fellowship (Africa)

Fellows take part in the core work of the Institute, developing their skills through the leadership programme, and furthering their professional network in the field of international affairs.

Focus Areas

• A fellow’s time is split between three key areas:
  • Completing a personal research project: the fellow chooses and design a personal project to undertake with the guidance of a Chatham House expert (approximately 60%).
  • Leadership Masterclass Programme: it is a key part of all fellowships. It aims to develop fellows knowledge, network, self-awareness and to equip them with important skills on which they can draw in their future careers as leaders in their field (approximately 20%).
  • Contributing to ongoing research activities: working with their host research team and other Chatham House teams as appropriate, fellows contribute to existing research priorities in line with the Chatham House mission (approximately 20%).

Benefits

• The Academy faculty and alumni;
• Five-year Chatham House membership.

Program Specifications

• All fellows participate in and contribute to the Leadership Programme which encompasses the following components:
  • Intensive induction week
    • Academy fellowships begin with an intensive five-day induction week to become familiarized with the elements of the fellowships, meet their host research programme and have their first personal development coaching session.
  • Thematic sessions
    • In these sessions, fellows meet and discuss current international affairs challenges with subject matter experts from Chatham House and beyond. The sessions cover the principal substantive and skills-based areas vital for informed and effective international leadership. Fellows usually chair these sessions and are expected to contribute to and learn from one another’s experience.
  • Leadership skills workshops
    • Fellows participate in half-day workshops focusing on specific aspects of leadership such as achieving policy impact, stakeholder mapping, crisis management and negotiation skills.
  • Leadership Briefings
    • Fellows engage in discussions with a diverse group of global leaders from government, business, media, and the non-profit sector. In these informal sessions, leaders share their leadership visions and strategies, along with personal insights from their own leadership journeys. The sessions feature members of the Academy’s faculty among other speakers.
  • Project presentations
    • Fellows present updates on their research projects to help develop presentation skills, provide a forum for peer-review and to analyse issues outside their own area of expertise.
  • Personal development coaching
    • Fellows have access to one-on-one sessions with a dedicated coach as a way to grow their self-awareness. Fellows work with the coach to set personal development objectives which they work to meet during their fellowship and beyond.
  • Media training
    • Fellows learn effective interview skills needed for television and radio culminating in a mock interview from which they receive feedback on style and any areas of improvement
  • Career mentoring (optional)
    • Fellows’ development is facilitated and supported by partnering them with mentors to enhance their career perspective and path.

Funding Information

• Academy Fellows receive a monthly stipend of £2,565 for London living expenses to cover accommodation, utilities, food and transport.
• Academy Fellows spend ten months at Chatham House between October 2025 and July 2026.

Costs Covered

• Relocation costs: travel, accommodation support and visa fees. If required, Chatham House will sponsor a fellow’s visa (T5: Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange);
• UK Immigration Health Surcharge (excluding dental/optical care and prescriptions); and
• Research expenses, relating to field work, outreach, events and publications.

Eligibility Criteria

• Citizenship
  • The fellowship is open to citizens of any African country.
  • Applications are also accepted from applicants holding dual nationality which includes any African country.
• Education
  • Applicants must hold a completed BA degree or equivalent and have experience with conducting research.
• Career
  • The ideal candidate should be at the early-to-mid-stage of their career and come from one of the following fields or work: academia, NGO, business, government departments, civil society or the media. All applicants should possess knowledge of, and an interest in, international affairs, their chosen area of research, and Chatham House’s mission and research.
• Age restrictions
  • They do not impose age restrictions for applicants.

Selection Criteria

• Meet nationality criteria;
• Have experience conducting independent research and hold an undergraduate or postgraduate level qualification or have equivalent professional training or experience in a relevant area;
• Have the relevant background experience, including experience in the field of the proposed research, as demonstrated through a CV;
• Have proven leadership experience or potential;
• Show commitment to the Chatham House mission, goals and values and to identifying evidence-based solutions to some of the world’s most pressing international challenges;
• Be able to communicate how the fellowship will enable them to create positive impact, in line with the Chatham House mission and overarching purpose of Academy Fellowships as outlined above;
• Show motivation to undertake the fellowship, meet all fellowship deliverables, and take full advantage of the networks, events and opportunities offered at Chatham House; and
• Demonstrate proficiency in spoken English.

Application Requirements

• To apply for this fellowship, they need:
  • The applicant’s CV/résumé
  • The names of two referees
  • The applicant’s proposal for a research project based on the topic guidance

For more information, visit Chatham House.