Imperial-AIMS Global Fellows Programme

Imperial College London is delighted to partner with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) for the 3rd bilateral Global Fellows Programme (GFP), taking place from 14th – 18th July 2025. The in-person programme will take place in London, hosted by Imperial College London.

In the current scientific environment international and interdisciplinary collaborations and networking are fundamental to developing successful projects. In a competitive research environment funding bodies increasingly look for interdisciplinary, collaborative research with partners from around the world. The modern researcher requires both excellence in research and strong professional collaborative competencies.  

This exciting programme is designed to facilitate participants to actively focus on the development of these professional skills and competencies. Approximately 30 doctoral researchers from AIMS and Imperial will work together to develop professional, research, and collaborative skills as well as the intercultural awareness that is required to establish and continue successful collaborations. 

During this five-day Global Fellows Programme, participants will work in interdisciplinary and international groups, assisted by a coach from one of the partner institutions. During the programme, participants will enhance:

• Their ability to work collaboratively on research ideas 
• Their ability to network and communicate effectively with impact in interdisciplinary and intercultural teams
• Their intercultural and international competency and awareness 
• Their creativity to develop collaborative research ideas 
• Their appreciation of research in international institutions

Participants will also have the opportunity to apply those skills and competencies to develop creative innovations addressing global challenges under the Imperial-AIMS Global Fellows Programme theme: ‘Innovative approaches to water security’.

Water security is crucial as it impacts not only our health but also has implications from a broader socio-economic and environmental perspective including flooding and drought. To tackle such problems requires collaboration from diverse disciplines including science, engineering, health, and policymakers to develop solutions that promote safe and equal access to clean water and sanitation. 

The Global Fellows Programme will bring together participants from a range of disciplines to explore convergence science approaches to tackling water security challenges.  

Participants will apply their skills and competencies to develop creative innovations addressing global challenges under the programme theme “Innovative approaches to water security”.  The programme theme will align with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6, which emphasizes the importance of clean water and sanitation for all. Innovative approaches to water security are necessary to safeguard human health and well-being, ecosystems, economic development, and mitigate the impacts of climate change and water-related hazards, including flooding, droughts, pollution and waterborne diseases.

A background on the theme is not required, doctoral candidates from any discipline are invited to apply to this 5-day professional development course, the Imperial-AIMS Global Fellows Programme: “Innovative approaches to water security”.

This is a chance to challenge yourself outside of your normal working environment, meet people from other disciplines and cultures, and have fun!  

Student Experiences: 

• ‘The GFP has been one of the highlights of my time as a PhD student. Meeting new people, getting of my comfort zone, and working on a project in a different research field has been a rewarding experience that, in my opinion, all PhD students should try to experience.’
  
• ‘Knowing is not enough. We must apply.’
• ‘I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about other cultures, develop their professional skills and have fun whilst doing it!’
• It allowed me to engage with peers I might never have had the chance to meet otherwise, fostering collaborations and expanding my academic and cultural horizons. This programme is a testament to the power of bringing diverse minds together to tackle global challenges
• ‘The GFP was a great avenue to meet fellow PhD students in an interdisciplinary environment to work on a project not necessarily in your field.’

You can read student experiences of previous Global Fellows Programmes on this webpage.  

For any additional queries not answered in webpages, please contact Laura Bulmer & Beth Yates