The application for the Deterrence Futures Fellowship 2025 is now closed. Visit our dedicated page to stay tuned to updates from our network.
This 18-month programme is for early- and mid-career professionals with 3-7 years of relevant professional or academic experience who are keen to deepen their knowledge and engage with the evolving concept and practice of deterrence and its role in UK and international security.
We welcome applications from citizens of NATO member states working across academia, think tanks, NGOs, governments, the armed forces, and the private sector.
Fellows will deepen their knowledge on nuclear deterrence by engaging with a range of perspectives and approaches to the current and future role of deterrence for the UK and further afield. Over the course of the programme, Fellows will analytically engage with the following thematic areas, among others:
- Foundations of UK and Allied nuclear deterrence
- Nuclear, conventional, and integrated deterrence and emerging and disruptive technologies
- The politics of nuclear deterrence and its interaction with disarmament efforts and platforms
- Escalation management and strategic communications
- Evolving capabilities of Russia and China and the changing nuclear order
The fellowship also provides an opportunity for Fellows to connect with senior officials and top international experts, participate in scenario-based discussions and exercises, and receive professional development support.
Fellowship programming will include:
- Five in-person meetings
- Two site visits (one in the UK, one elsewhere in Europe)
- Regular online professional development seminars, meetings with experts, and programming tailored to Fellows’ interests
- Development of policy briefs, with the option to write short-form policy articles, related to the UK Nuclear Deterrence Network’s three areas of focus.
The fellowship is an unpaid, non-residential professional development programme. The UK Nuclear Deterrence Network will, however, cover all travel and accommodation costs for the programme’s in-person engagements.
The Fellowship is primarily open to British citizens, as well as citizens of other NATO member states currently residing in the United Kingdom. A limited number of spaces are reserved for citizens of any NATO member state residing in other European NATO states.
We actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including people of colour, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people with disabilities.
We are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful environment where diverse perspectives are valued and welcomed. Fellows will represent a broad range of viewpoints and backgrounds and must therefore embrace an open mindset and voice disagreements respectfully.