Fellows attend a lecture by Professor Tom Coates on the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, including LLMs, training data and agentic AI.

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. 

In collaboration with Enterprise Lab, Fellows took part in a workshop with several of Imperial's AI startups at our Deep Tech White City campus.

Course Information

Dates: February - October 2027

Application deadline: Applications for 2027 will open on Monday 14 September 2026. If you would like to be included in the mailing list, please email Christina Taylor. 

Duration: 9 months  

Cost: The fee for the Fellowship is £1500 (no VAT to be added). 

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 bespoke learning and development programme for senior civil and public servants seeking to strengthen their understanding of the role and impact of AI in the public sector. The programme combines theoretical learning with practical application, equipping Fellows with the knowledge, networks, and support to engage confidently with AI-related policy challenges. There are two parts to the Fellowship:  

  1. A series of in-person days at Imperial College London held throughout the year. These sessions provide structured opportunities for Fellows to build their understanding of the fundamentals of AI and to consider their implications for public policy, strategy, regulation, and delivery. Through expert-led lectures, workshops, and discussion, they are designed to deepen knowledge, encourage critical engagement, and create space for reflection and exchange with peers and specialists. 
  2. Fellows have the opportunity to explore specific AI policy challenges through a research project or guiding question. Each project is fellow-led and shaped by the Fellow’s own policy priorities and objectives, with support from one or more academic mentors who provide expert guidance throughout the programme. This allows each project to be developed in a way that is most relevant and useful to the Fellow’s area of work, while benefiting from ongoing academic and institutional support. 

Fellows will also benefit from regular engagement with the Imperial Policy Forum and the wider Imperial community. Together, these elements ensure that the Fellowship offers an introduction to key AI concepts as well as the opportunity to apply that learning to live policy questions. 

“The AI Policy Fellowship was a genuinely unique opportunity to engage with, and build trusted networks across, a cohort of senior Government colleagues grappling with the disruptive technology of our time. The project work was particularly valuable. In my case, it enabled access to independent, expert research from world‑leading academics used to working beyond the Defence context...I would thoroughly recommend the AI Policy Fellowship to leaders working at the forefront of AI‑enabled transformation.” Hugh Woodward, Head of HQ and Strategy, Defence AI Centre, Ministry of Defence

Your research project

Types

Written 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

Published white paper

Patient safety research, our progress, 2019, IGHI

Examples

Piloting an AI model for the Food Standards Agency which aims to help organisations identify regulations and relevant bodies applicable to new food products.

Co-written paper between MHRA and NHS on the accountability gap on clinical negligence, product liability and practitioner literacy in the UK healthcare system.

Collaborative workshop on human-centred AI design between the Home Office and Imperial's Collective Innovation Lab.

Sovereign AI in Defence - a paper co-written by Imperial academics David Shrier & Aldo Faisal, the Trusted AI Alliance, conducted in consultation with the UK Ministry of Defence.

"The fellowship was a really welcome opportunity to delve into the science that underpins AI and ground policy development in a deeper understanding of what the technology is capable of. It felt very hands-on and relevant, and I came away with a clearer sense of how AI is already being used across government and a more nuanced understanding of its potential." Rachel Kempsell, Cabinet Office

Benefits

2026 Fellows visit Imperial's White City campus for a workshop with AI startups.

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.