Chevening British Library Coptic Collections Fellowship 2027 (Funded)

The Chevening British Library Coptic Collections Fellowship 2027 is a 12-month research fellowship co-funded by the British Library and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It is open to mid-career professionals from Egypt, Palestine, and Sudan with strong interest in Coptic manuscript heritage. The fellowship takes place at the British Library in the UK, where fellows work with Dr. Michael Erdman, Head of Asian and African Studies (interim), to survey Coptic holdings, enhance catalogue records, investigate collection provenance, and develop community engagement opportunities. The British Library holds one of the world's most significant Coptic manuscript collections, comprising hundreds of codices and fragments documenting over 1,500 years of Coptic history, theology, and literary culture. What you get • 12-month period of project-based activity at the British Library • Living expenses for the duration of the fellowship • Return economy airfare • Allowance package for fellowship-related activities • Up to £1,000 for approved project-related expenses How to apply 1. Visit the application portal (click the link provided on the page) 2. Submit application by the deadline of October 27, 2026, at 12:00 UTC

• Citizen of Egypt, Sudan, or Palestine • Normally resident in country of citizenship; if resident elsewhere, must be in MENA region in Chevening-eligible, ODA-eligible countries (Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen) • Must demonstrate clear intention to return to and contribute to country of citizenship after fellowship • Must return to country of citizenship for at least one year after fellowship ends • Postgraduate level qualification or equivalent professional training/experience in relevant area • At least five years of professional and/or academic research experience • Currently employed or enrolled as a PhD candidate (PhD must not be with a UK/EU or USA university) • Excellent knowledge of Coptic (Sahidic or Bohairic); Arabic and/or Greek knowledge desirable • Good written and spoken English with ability to communicate research findings effectively • Experience of cataloguing and handling manuscript collections with knowledge of manuscript description standards • Experience of provenance research and documentation, or demonstrable interest in this area • Experience of working with heritage communities or delivering engagement activities related to cultural heritage collections