Deadline: May 24, 2026
Applications are open for the African Leadership Centre Fellowships for African Scholars in Peace, Security and Development 2026. This award is designed for young African scholars passionate about a career in leadership, security, and development, to impact discourse and practice in these areas.
Spanning eighteen months, this fellowship combines rigorous academic research, impactful writing, and policy analysis on leadership, security, and development issues, culminating in a six-month attachment at a leading African university, regional organization, or Centre of Excellence on the continent.
This programme uses modalities of learning that integrate a master’s programme on Global Leadership and Peacebuilding at King’s College London with a uniquely tailored mentoring programme—comprising numerous group mentoring sessions, simulation practices, one-on-one and peer-to-peer mentoring sessions, institutional visits, and attachment.
Upon completion, fellows emerge with academic knowledge, research skills, mentorship training, and practical experience, connected to a network of distinguished African experts in peace, security, and development to take part in setting a new peace, security and development agenda for Africa.
Eligibility
Candidates must be able to demonstrate the following values during all phases of the programme: promoting African led ideas and processes of change; independent thinking; integrity; pursuit of excellence; recognition of youth agency; and respect for diversity in all its forms.
- Candidates must have citizenship in an African country.
- Successful candidates must hold valid travel documents prior to acceptance.
- Candidates must hold a master’s or bachelor’s degree with an equivalent level of professional experience.
- The fellowship is open to junior faculty members based in universities in Africa from departments of political science; international relations; history, law, development studies, peace, security and conflict studies, and related departments.
- Candidates need to demonstrate an interest in pursuing careers in the field of peace, security and development. Previous study or engagement with the issues of security and development is not required. However, candidates must demonstrate a basic familiarity with these issues.
- Candidates must additionally be able to demonstrate the capacity to undertake research on issues relating to peace and security in Africa.
- Candidates will be expected to have a clear plan on how to utilise knowledge gained in the Fellowship upon returning to their countries and academic institutions.
- If offered the Fellowship, candidates should secure unconditional acceptance into the MSc in global Leadership and Peacebuilding at King`s College London by the University’s deadline. Note that for most African students passing an English Language Proficiency Test is mandatory to gain unconditional acceptance to the MSc Programmeme at King’s College London.
Application
For more information, visit African Leadership Centre Fellowships.
