Organizer Information
The British Library, one of the world’s major research libraries, hosts this fellowship in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The British Library’s Asian and African Collections hold the UK’s largest and most significant collection of Thai, Lao, and Khmer-language printed materials, comprising more than 10,000 books and ephemera and over 50 periodicals. The collection includes rare and unique examples of early printing from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.
Title & Description
Chevening British Library Southeast Asian Fellowship
The Chevening British Library Southeast Asian Fellowship is a 12-month research fellowship for mid-career professionals from Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand with a strong interest in rare printed works, bibliographical research, cataloguing, and curatorial practice.
The selected fellow will undertake a research project focusing on the British Library’s collection of early printed works in Cambodian, Lao, and Thai languages, covering approximately 1840–1950 and around 600–800 items. The fellow will survey, identify, assess, and research these materials and create metadata in the original scripts and Romanisation, supporting the development of catalogue records by the supervising curator.
The fellowship contributes to improving access to under-researched Southeast Asian heritage materials while supporting research into printing history, book culture, manuscript traditions, conservation, and digitisation.
Categories
- Research
- Cultural Heritage
- Bibliography
- Archival Studies
- Library & Information Science
- Southeast Asian Studies
- Curatorial Practice
- Book History
Eligibility
The fellowship is open to citizens and residents of Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand who meet both the programme-specific and general Chevening Fellowship requirements.
Applicants must:
- Hold a postgraduate-level qualification, or equivalent relevant professional training or experience.
- Have at least five years of significant professional and/or academic research experience.
- Be currently employed or enrolled as a PhD candidate; the PhD must not be with a UK, EU, or USA university.
- Have excellent written and spoken knowledge of Thai, Lao, and Khmer, or excellent Thai together with either Lao or Khmer.
- Have good written and spoken English.
- Have an interest in bibliographical description, cataloguing, and curatorial work.
- Be willing to use digital tools, including AI-assisted approaches, for metadata creation.
- Have experience communicating research to non-specialist audiences.
- Have an interest in Southeast Asian printing, book culture, and manuscript traditions.
General Chevening requirements also include demonstrating leadership potential and returning to the country of citizenship for at least one year after the fellowship.
Program Benefits & Awards
- A 12-month project-based fellowship at the British Library.
- Living expenses for the fellowship period.
- Return economy airfare.
- An allowance package for fellowship-related activities.
- Up to £1,000 for approved project-related expenses.
- Specialist experience in metadata creation and rare-book research.
- Access to curatorial, conservation, and digital expertise.
- Professional networking opportunities.
- Opportunities to publish research findings and participate in public engagement, presentations, and conferences.
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 27 October 2026
- Fellowship Start: September 2027
- Fellowship End: September 2028
- Duration: 12 months
Location
British Library, United Kingdom
Additional Details
The fellow will work closely with Henry Ginsburg Curator Jana Igunma, colleagues in the Southeast Asia section, and specialists at the British Library’s Conservation Centre. The project may involve researching approximately 600–800 early printed works and contributing metadata that can support future catalogue development, conservation priorities, and digitisation initiatives.
Fellows may also write a blog post or journal article, organise a collection show-and-tell or staff presentation, participate in public engagement activities, and present findings at a national or international symposium or conference.
Applicants must also satisfy Chevening’s general eligibility rules, including restrictions relating to British or dual British citizenship, previous UK Government scholarship funding, and certain current or recent employment relationships with the UK Government, British Council, or sponsoring organisations.