Fellows visiting Imperial’s Sir Michael Uren Hub, to speak to scientists leading on cutting-edge work in their fields, and talk to them about some of Imperial’s pioneering AI and robotics science.
Course Information
Dates: February - October 2026
Application deadline: Applications for 2026 are now closed.
Duration: 9 months
Cost: The fee for the Fellowship is £1000.
Time commitment: 6/8 hours per month. Fellows must also commit to 4 in-person days throughout the year.
Location: London and Online
Format: Individual research project & in-person days at Imperial College London
About the programme
The Imperial AI Policy Fellowship is a unique development programme designed to support senior civil servants in understanding the role and impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector. Hosted by the Imperial Policy Forum, the programme combines theoretical learning with practical application, allowing Fellows to refine problem statements related to significant policy challenges and explore how academic research can be leveraged to support policy development, delivery, or evaluation. Fellows will focus on a particular challenge or question they wish to focus on during the programme.
Fellows will be asked to choose a particular challenge or question they wish to focus on. Throughout the programme, each Fellow will be paired with an academic mentor(s) who will help guide their research project. This mentorship, along with additional meetings and touchpoints with the broader Imperial community, will provide a robust support system to ensure Fellows' success. The programme will also include in-person days at Imperial College, featuring expert-led workshops and lectures on AI, as well as networking opportunities with like-minded peers.
Your research project
Types
Recommendations for adoption of AI in a particular part of your Department
Co-designing strategic planning or technical-level solutions for policy challenges
Piloting innovative or experimental applications for AI in the public sector
Improving systems and infrastructure for AI including data storage and management
Facilitated workshop for colleagues in your team/department
Examples
Considering the meaning of 'Sovereign AI' in a UK context
Exploring ways of building public trust of AI in healthcare settings
Use cases for AI in reducing the costs of environmental mapping and monitoring
Impact of AI on the accessibility, quality and affordability of higher education
How governments can effectively partner with the private sector to apply technology for the public good
How to create a AI safety and assurance regime
Benefits
- Tailored learning experience: Fellows will receive a personalised programme, addressing their unique needs and interests, ensuring that the course is relevant and impactful to their roles.
- Practical application through research projects: Fellows engage in a research project with a mentor, enabling them to directly apply their learning to real-world issues and areas of interest within the public sector.
- World-Class Expertise: Learn from Imperial College London's globally renowned faculty, leaders in AI research and application across engineering, medicine, and science.
- Networking opportunities: Fellows can connect and collaborate with peers from across the civil service who share similar interests and challenges, fostering valuable knowledge exchange and a cohort community at Imperial.
- Tailored for Public Sector: Gain practical insights through a curriculum co-designed with civil servants to address the unique challenges of public sector AI deployment.
“I thought I had a reasonable understanding of AI before joining the Fellowship at Imperial, but the time I have spent with my mentor and the other professors has given me a significant boost in my knowledge. The Fellowship has given me a lot of really useful insight into how I can use different types of AI within my portfolio.” Senior Civil Servant, Home Office