IAS Visiting Sabbatical Fellowships
Program Overview
The UWA Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) Visiting Sabbatical Fellowship provides a collegial, interdisciplinary environment for distinguished scholars on sabbatical to pursue independent research, explore new intellectual directions, and engage with the UWA research community.
Objectives
The Visiting Sabbatical Fellowship aims to:
- Provide scholars with protected time and institutional affiliation to advance their research.
- Foster interdisciplinary exchange across UWA faculties.
- Strengthen international research links and scholarly visibility.
- Enrich the intellectual life of UWA through seminars, masterclasses, and informal engagement.
Fellowship Structure
Number of Fellowships: Up to two (2) per year.
Duration: Normally 3–12 months, aligned with the visitor’s sabbatical arrangements.
Round Frequency: One annual round.
Application Deadline: June, for fellowships commencing in the following academic year.
Benefits
Visiting Sabbatical Fellows will receive:
- Office space at the Institute of Advanced Studies.
- Formal affiliation with UWA as an IAS Visiting Sabbatical Fellow.
- Full access to UWA library services, digital resources, and research infrastructure (by prior agreement).
- Inclusion in the IAS intellectual community, seminars, and events.
- Administrative support for academic activities (e.g. seminars, workshops, masterclasses).
Remuneration
- The Fellowship does not provide remuneration for travel, accommodation, living allowance or salary.
- The Fellow is expected to be supported by their home institution, sabbatical funding, or external sources.
- IAS will cover the costs associated with the Australian Subclass 408 (Temporary Activity) visa, where required.
Benefits and Criteria
Selection Criteria
Applicants must:
- Hold a PhD or equivalent qualification.
- Be on approved sabbatical or research leave from their home institution.
- Secure the support of a UWA academic host.
- Demonstrate scholarly excellence and an active research profile.
Host Requirement:
- Each applicant must be supported by a UWA Host Researcher (A letter of conformation/support form UWA host is required).
- Preference will be given to applications where the host is from a different disciplinary background to the applicant.
Selection Priorities
While applications are welcomed from all disciplines, the IAS will give preference to:
- Interdisciplinary and cross faculty research.
- Scholars whose work resonates beyond a single disciplinary domain.
- Applicants who propose engagement with the wider UWA community (e.g. public lectures, seminars, masterclasses).
Expectations of Fellows
- Visiting Sabbatical Fellows are expected to:
- Be in residence at UWA for the duration of their fellowship.
- Engage actively with the IAS community.
- Contribute at least one IAS related activity (e.g. public lecture, seminar, workshop).
- Acknowledge IAS affiliation in publications arising from the fellowship.
Unlike grant based fellowships, there are no prescribed research outputs.
Governance and Selection
Applications will be assessed by the IAS Director and Advisory Board against:
- Scholarly merit.
- Interdisciplinary potential.
- Fit with IAS intellectual priorities.
- Capacity to contribute to UWA’s research culture.