BIEA Joins AHRC International Placement Scheme Partnership to Strengthen International Research Networks between the UK and Africa

The British Institute in Eastern Africa (BIEA) is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the United Kingdom’s national funder for arts and humanities research part of UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), as part of its flagship International Placement Scheme (IPS).

For more than twenty years, IPS has supported UK-based researchers to gain international experience through placements at leading research institutions around the world. As AHRC refreshes the scheme to meet the skills and leadership needs of an increasingly interconnected research landscape, IPS is evolving into a strategic investment in researcher mobility, international collaboration and professional development.

On 14 September 2026, BIEA Director Dr Rachel Ibreck joined representatives from leading research and cultural institutions across Kenya, South Africa and the UK at a partnership event hosted by AHRC in London. She introduced the BIEA’s research and activities, including existing commitments to supporting early career researchers, and emphasised how the IPS aligned with the institute’s mission. The gathering celebrated a new phase of engagement between AHRC and partners across Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting a shared commitment to strengthening researcher mobility, expanding international research networks and developing equitable, mutually beneficial collaborations across the arts and humanities between the African continent and the UK. AHRC Executive Chair, Prof. Christopher Smith welcomed the BIEA to the scheme:

“I am delighted to welcome the British Institute in Eastern Africa as a key partner in the AHRC International Placement Scheme from 2027. Together, we are creating new opportunities for international collaboration, learning and knowledge exchange for early career researchers across Sub-Saharan Africa. I look forward to seeing the new connections, future ideas and impact that emerge through this exciting next chapter of the scheme.”

Through this partnership, BIEA will play a key role in supporting researchers undertaking placements at AHRC’s primary IPS African host institutions. In particular, BIEA will provide an additional layer of support, networking opportunities and integration into wider regional research communities.

Researchers participating in the scheme will benefit from BIEA membership, gaining access to a diverse network of scholars, expertise and professional development opportunities spanning Eastern Africa and beyond. As an internationally recognised hub for interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange, BIEA supports innovative scholarship on the histories, cultures, societies and heritage of aregion extending from Sudan to Mozambique.

A central feature of this new collaboration is BIEA’s support for the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre (JHGC), which will join AHRC’s network of host institutions from the 2027 round of IPS. Through its regional networks, research expertise and on-the-ground support, BIEA will help researchers maximise the wider opportunities afforded by their placements, fostering connections that extend beyond a single institution and creating pathways for long-term international collaboration.

Addressing complex global challenges requires researchers who can work across borders, disciplines and cultures. By connecting researchers to regional networks, institutions and communities, IPS will help develop the globally connected research leaders needed to tackle these challenges.

We look forward to supporting the next generation of researchers as they engage with new perspectives, build international networks and contribute to deeper, more sustainable partnerships between African and UK research communities when applications for the 2027 placement round open through the UKRI Funding Finder in November 2026.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK, investing more than £9 billion annually spanning all disciplines and all sectors. We are nine councils, drawing on our unique breadth and depth of expertise to work with government and other stakeholders to enrich lives, by increasing our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, supporting innovative businesses and public services, and creating high-quality jobs throughout the UK. 

The Arts and Humanities Research Council funds world-class, independent research in subjects from philosophy and the creative industries, to art conservation and product design. Our research addresses some of society’s biggest challenges, such as tackling modern slavery, exploring the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, and understanding what it is to be human.