Global Faculty Fellowship Mini Visits

Here ‘AI’ is interpreted very broadly, e.g.: including topics in Bayesian Inference and Robotics; ‘Science’ covers any typical topic in Natural Science and Engineering (Epidemiology, Biology and basic science in biomedicine are included but clinical medical themes are not covered, including conventional medical imaging). Example topics include Bayesian optimization for molecular or materials design; machine learning for single cell data; physics-based ML for turbine design; satellite imaging to predict disease risk; and Astrostatistics. These posts are not suitable for research into generic AI with general application: candidates must be aiming to substantially advance a particular area of science. Applicants could view themselves as AI researchers tackling a particular piece of Science or Science researchers using AI to transform their area. A deep knowledge of AI is not a precondition for this fellowship: only an appreciation of the need for AI and a willingness for skill acquisition in AI. 

We do include epidemiology but outside this no: the grant’s principal orientation is towards the natural sciences and engineering. 

The Faculties of Natural Sciences and Engineering are participating. If the principal mentor is from mathematics, then the applicant needs to apply via the Chapman-Schmidt Fellowship. The Centre for Environmental Policy is not participating. Applicants to medicine can only be via the Imperial College Research Fellowships. The Business School is not participating. Importantly candidates can have second mentors from any department including those in Medicine or the Business School.

‘Science’ covers any typical topic in Natural Science and Engineering (Epidemiology, Biology and basic science in biomedicine are included but clinical medical themes are not covered, including conventional medical imaging): fellows are expected to have their principal mentor in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Faculty of Engineering, but Medicine participates via the ICRF scheme. We are pleased to support medical research that attempts to characterise a biological system/process including a pathophysiological process/state. Our centre does not seek to support translational medical research or the development of therapeutic technologies. A proposal can certainly connect to therapy and technology, but this should not be the principal objective of the fellowship.

Yes! Deep knowledge of AI is not a precondition for applying -- the fellowship can help you pivot into acquiring AI skills to advance your disciplinary area. You might want to pick your mentors and design your training program accordingly. 

Yes! Deep knowledge of the Scientific area is not a precondition for applying -- the fellowship can help you pivot into acquiring deeper subject area expertise. You might want to pick your mentors and design your training program accordingly. 

Yes! Critically you should view this fellowship as an opportunity to pick one application area and pivot into gaining a much deeper mastery of it -- you cannot cover multiple application areas in different fields within the fellowship. You might want to pick your mentors and design your training program accordingly. 

Yes! You would need to cover how the AI you do is somewhat distinctive and not very widespread in the field. 

In some scientific subfields there are now very well-established AI tools, and the use of these particular AI tools could be considered ‘completely routine,’ ‘standard practice appearing in almost all papers within the scientific subfield’ or extremely widely used’: these fellowships are broadly intended to unlock new areas of science through AI. While we appreciate that this is a grey area, we ask candidates to clarify if they are proposing a different set of AI tools to those that are very well established (or developing new AI tools) with the goal of unlocking new science; or taking some kind of distinctive approach; or that their approach is not very standard practice. A particular use of AI that is standard practice in one subfield might be rare in another (perhaps close) subfield: for any given AI approach our fellowship favours the application of an AI approach to a subfield in which it is more rarely used.  

This fellowship is not about supporting researchers that already do generic AI to continue doing more of their work without strong engagement with specific disciplinary concerns outside their current area in generic AI. AI includes topics like inference, robotics, control, signal processing, AI hardware etc. Science is as above and explicitly excludes topics within ‘AI’ as defined. A project is not AI in Science if e.g., it uses new ideas from signal processing to develop robotics or new Machine Learning to improve robotic control or Bayesian Optimization to Improve AI Hardware -- these would be ‘AI in AI’ projects. Research projects that e.g., seek to develop better AI by studying the brain are outside remit (Science for AI). 

An answer through examples is easier. A researcher in algebraic geometry might want to use the fellowship to pivot into acquiring AI skills to allow development of theorem proving assistants in algebraic geometry. Or a fellow might use large libraries of solutions to equations and develop AI tools to make sense of them. In both cases insight into specific mathematical structures is gained by using AI and thus is within remit. A possible heuristic is to ask -- “am I trying to use AI to (ultimately) make a mathematical discovery”? A researcher with a focus on PDEs might use the fellowship to use AI (e.g., physics-based ML) for a specific scientific or engineering challenge (nominal engagement with a specific area is insufficient). Many areas like Astrostatistics, Biomathematics, Climate Mathematics or Engineering Mathematics often already straddle both AI and Science and so will often be straightforwardly within remit (providing that AI is used to advance some particular area of science). Statistics with generic application areas is not in remit; method development with generic application areas is not in remit. 

It needs to be an essential/catalytic component of the proposal and not an add-on which, upon removal, would leave the science unchanged. In a successful proposal, removing the AI (note our broad definition of AI) would severely compromise the whole project because it is through the use of AI that the scientific goal is being achieved. 

Each year, the Global Faculty Fellowship will offer 12 short visits of 2-6 weeks to visit the I-X Centre for AI in Science. These visits will have three defined outcomes: As a recruitment opportunity for future GFF cohorts; to build capacity with Partners; and create a wider network of AI in Science engaged faculty from Low- and Middle-Income partner countries. 

The visit provides flexible options for those interested in creating connections through networking with existing GFFs and Imperial Faculty, as well as for those wishing to collaborate by undertaking a short research project at Imperial hosted in a relevant department. 

The length of the visit should be between 2 and 6 weeks. To take place from 2026 – 2028. The first cycle will run in 2026. 

Faculty invited to the visits will be selected from three groups: 

1. GFF candidates unsuccessful in previous rounds 
2. Relevant colleagues who are faculty members and suggested by existing GFFs 
3. Open call for Faculty members at partner institutions to apply

The fund will provide: 

• Subsistence grant: £950 per week to cover food, accommodation and other necessary expenses.  

• Return economy flights 
• Payment for standard visitor visa (£127) 

• Contribution towards costs for travel/medical insurance 

• Administrative support for visa application and ATAS clearance, where required. 

Please note, only individuals are eligible for the funding, dependents will not be supported.

Visitors are expected to arrange their own accommodation in London for the duration of their stay. Suggestions for potential accommodation options can be found in our FAQs for visiting researchers.

Participants must:

• Be a current Faculty member at one of the I-X Centre for AI in Science Global Faculty partner institutions. This includes Indian Institute of Science (IISc), National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), India, University of Ghana (UoG), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), and University of Sao Paulo (USP).
• Each partner institution will be invited to send Faculty for a mini visit. The selection committee will seek to build a cohort with representation from all partner institutions. To maintain geographical balance and ensure programme diversity, I-X Centre for AI in Science leadership team reserves the right to make final selections with consideration for overall cohort structure.  
• Have a Letter of Support from an academic host at Imperial. The host should ensure that the Letter of Support is approved by the Head of Department. 
• Provide a contact name and email from their home institution to confirm institutional support of the visit and in case of any issues. 

*If you have any queries relating to eligibility, please get in contact.

Applications are now closed.

Please read the following information carefully.

Visiting Faculty must decide the purpose of their visit: 

1. Meetings: To attend meetings and events within the remit of a UK standard visitor visa. This will require confirmation from a Host Academic to host you and provide desk space throughout the visit. 
2. Research: To undertake research in additional to attending meetings and events. This will require ATAS clearance and confirmation from a Host Academic to host you and provide desk space for the duration of the visit. 

Visitors are requested to provide a short outline of the activities they plan to undertake during their time at Imperial, so we can help identify if ATAS is necessary.  

All applicants must provide confirmation from an Imperial host (by completing this form). Please note, this form is only accessible by Imperial staff.let

In addition, we request a contact name and email from your home institution to confirm institutional support of the visit and in case of any issues. 

The host department must agree to bench-fee waiver, workspace/lab access, induction/supervision plan. The I-X AI in Science Centre will invite the visitor to relevant events to network with existing I-X/GFF Fellows including Tuesday coffee mornings and Thursday lunch; however desk space cannot be allocated for the duration of the visit. 

Finding a host academic 

It is your responsibility to identify and contact a potential host department/institute, based on what best aligns with your research focus. A list of all Departments and Institutes, and links to their webpages, can be found here. Visitors should then contact academics directly to explore the possibility of a visit. However, it is at the discretion of the Imperial academic as to whether they would like to host you. We encourage pre-existing collaborators to explore opportunities for visiting researchers. 

A letter template that applicants can use to contact potential supervisors can be found here:  Template letter for potential host supervisors mini visit

Additional guidance for a research visit 

In addition to the information provided above, if you plan to carry our research at Imperial, you must apply for ATAS clearance. Unless you are visiting the Faculty of Medicine or Imperial Business School, as these are exempt. 

Applicants must complete the ATAS Certificate online and have support confirmed by an Imperial host (by completing this form). You are strongly encouraged to apply for ATAS at the same time as completing the application form, as the wait times for approval can be up to three months, and you must have your ATAS Certificate before you can apply for your visa. Please consider this when proposing the timing for your visit. The ATAS Certificate is free to apply for and your Imperial host can provide further clarification. 

The department hosting your research visit must also agree to bench-fee waiver, workspace/lab access, induction/supervision plan.  

To complete the application:

1. Applicants must first decide on the preferred visit option. Option 1: Meetings or Option 2: Research. You can then identify and contact a suitable Host Academic to seek their approval to host you for the visit.
2. Applicants must submit the application form.
3. Please share the Host Approval Form with your host academic so they can approve and sign off on the date of your visit.

You must answer the following questions (in the application form):

• Please provide a ‘layperson’ summary of your research work (100 words)
• What will you do during your research visit? (200 words) only for Option 2: research

Three groups of eligible Faculty will be invited to apply for the visit opportunity: 

1. GFF candidates unsuccessful in previous rounds 
2. Relevant colleagues who are faculty members and suggested by existing GFFs 
3. Open call for Faculty members at partner institutions to apply

Each partner institution will share the opportunity internally for faculty to apply for a mini visit. The selection committee will seek to build a cohort with representation from all partner institutions. To maintain geographical balance and ensure programme diversity, I-X Centre for AI in Science leadership team reserves the right to make final selections with consideration for overall cohort structure.  

Applications will be reviewed in early February and outcomes will be shared as soon as available.

Applicants will be informed via email and provided with further details on receiving the grant and arranging the visit.

I am a Faculty Member from a University not currently partnered with Imperial, am I eligible?

Unfortunately you are not eligible for this scheme. We keep our website and social media pages up to date with current opportunities, so please check back to see what you may be eligible to apply for.

Is the scheme fully funded?

The scheme covers your flights, travel to visa centres, visa fees and provides a monthly stipend. For a detailed breakdown, please see below.

You should prepare to have at least £200 (or equivalent) available to you if successful as there may be some instances where we you will need to pay in cash/local currency. We will reimburse you when you arrive in the UK. 

Can I extend my visit beyond 2026 if I experience delays?

Please contact GFF@imperial.ac.uk if you are unable to visit within 2026 and we will review your application on a case by case basis. We intend to fill all visit opportunities in 2026, so it is not guaranteed you can apply late.