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Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies
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Call for Applications: The Slater Fellowship 2026/27

 

University College and the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS) at Durham University are delighted to invite applications for the 2026/27 Slater Fellowship, a three-month residential fellowship at Durham University during Epiphany Term 2027 (11 January – 19 March 2027). 

The Slater Fellowship is funded by University College and offers the post holder full board and accommodation for one University term at University College (Durham Castle) and membership of University College’s Senior Common Room. Please note that the accommodation we can offer is a double en-suite room, usually available as single occupancy. We cannot offer family accommodation; this would have to be sought privately, by the Fellow, if desired. 

During tenure, the Fellow is expected to engage in academic work within their subject, to participate fully in the life of the College and the Institute, and to deliver a public lecture or seminar hosted within College and organised jointly with IMEMS. Both the College and IMEMS must be acknowledged in any resulting output from the Fellowship. 

Fellows will be encouraged to use Durham University's Library and Collections. Durham is also home to a number of other significant collections, including those at our partner libraries of Durham Cathedral Library and Ushaw College, and is a gateway to other medieval and early modern collections and sites. 

To be eligible for the post, applicants must hold a position at another University and have research interests that fall within the scope of IMEMS.  

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented, including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. We are committed to equality: if for any reason you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on your career path, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, or being affected by the circumstances of COVID-19, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will recognise that this may have reduced the quantity of your research accordingly.  

Durham University’s Athena Swan institutional award recognises and celebrates good practice in recruiting and supporting the development of women. We have also signed up to the Race Equality Charter, a national framework for improving the representation, progression and success of minority ethnic staff and students within higher education. 

How to apply  

Applicants should submit the following:  

  • A CV  
  • A brief summary of what you propose to work on during your time at Durham (maximum one side of A4). 
  • A short statement (up to 500 words) on how the Fellow will engage with University College students and staff to support the Wider Student Experience. In the past, Fellows have worked with an array of groups including Castle Theatre Company, our student Librarians and postgraduate researchers. We are open to creative ways of connecting with our student body. Proactive engagement with the College is key to the success of the fellowship. Applicants are welcome to contact Ellen Crabtree, Vice-Principal of University College: e.p.crabtree@durham.ac.uk for informal queries.  

Applicants must demonstrate how their proposed research complements or ties in with existing IMEMS research, whether of individual members of the Institute or collaborative projects. Proposals for projects involving Durham staff or postgraduate students and those which are interdisciplinary in nature are particularly welcome. Proposals for research using primary source material in the collections held in Durham University’s Palace Green Library, Durham Cathedral Library and other regional collections are also strongly encouraged. It is recommended that applicants check with the relevant library or collection that source material will be available for consultation as part of their application. 

The closing date for receipt of applications is midnight (UK time) 19/01/26.  Please submit your application to admin.imems@durham.ac.uk. 

We aim to inform applicants of the outcome within one month of the closing date. 

Further information  

  • Informal enquires about research projects and eligibility for the Fellowship may be directed to Professor Ita Mac Carthy, Director of IMEMS: director.imems@durham.ac.uk   
  • Informal enquires about University College and the provisions of the Fellowship should be directed to Dr Ellen Crabtree, Vice-Principal of University College: e.p.crabtree@durham.ac.uk  
  • Contact for Durham University Libraries and Collections: Dr Jonathan Bush, Research Engagement and Collections Development Archivist: jonathan.bush@durham.ac.uk