IASH seeks to support the career development of new staff at the University of Edinburgh and those on fixed term contracts, in order to contribute to the aims of Strategy 2030, namely to help promote a diverse, and inclusive research culture, and to provide better education and training for exceptional early career researchers. IASH is one of the most diverse units within the University, welcoming scholars from across the globe. Offering the opportunity for early-career university staff to build networks with our Fellows (and vice versa) will also help seed longer-term international research collaborations.
We routinely receive requests from staff to join our mailing lists and events, but have struggled to find ways to actively involve them. In some cases, these are colleagues such as Teaching Fellows seeking to transition to Postdoctoral Fellowships in time; early-career contract researchers who are seeking to transition to lectureships; new staff such as Chancellor’s Fellows who wish to grow their networks and engage with our themes; and those embarking on other funded fellowships such as those offered by the British Academy, Wellcome and Leverhulme.
The IASH Affiliate programme offers affiliate status without the administrative burden of Fellowships. These would be extended, on application, under the following eligibility criteria:
- Current UoE contracted staff member, including fixed term contracts, generally no more than 5 years post-PhD as determined by date of graduation
- Affiliate status to last one year or until end of contract if shorter than one year, renewable on request
- Research active or (for Teaching Fellows only) having a research interest in an area that aligns with an IASH core theme (medical humanities, digital humanities, public humanities, environmental humanities, decoloniality; themes aligned to GENDER.ED or RACE.ED or other interdisciplinary research across the humanities and social sciences)
The offer:
- Affiliate webpage on IASH website to build profile
- Regular training sessions and skills development
- Invitations to attend events, retreats, and weekly seminars (not Fellows’ Lunch)
- Assistance with organising Speculative Lunches, book launches, etc. including free room hire
- Access to financial support to organise workshops where one or more current Fellows are co-organisers
We are not currently able to offer:
- Office space / hotdesking
- Administrative support (other than outlined above)
- Institutional email/EASE/VRS
- Funding (other than outlined above)
- Work-in-Progress seminar slots to present your work, or other formal Fellowship benefits
To apply, please send a short cover letter to iash@ed.ac.uk by Friday 31 July 2026 outlining your current research and interest in joining the IASH community. Places are limited and acceptance cannot be guaranteed.