The University of Brighton’s Centre for Design History is now accepting applications for its 2025–26 International Visiting Research Fellowship. Aimed at established researchers in design history.
Key Takeaways
What Is the University of Brighton Visiting Fellowship?
The University of Brighton isn’t just a coastal campus with scenic views—it’s also one of the UK’s most dynamic hubs for critical thinking in design history, material culture, and visual culture. And now, it’s opening its doors to international researchers through its Visiting Research Fellowship (VRF) for the 2025–26 academic year.
Offered by the Centre for Design History (CDH), this short-term research residency isn’t your average academic holiday. It’s tailored for scholars whose work intersects with one or more of the centre’s six major themes: from the political edge of design activism to the legacy of transnational material cultures. The aim? To foster deep, interdisciplinary conversations and build a truly international research community that’s as innovative as it is inclusive.
Who Can Apply for the 2025 Fellowship?
If you’re an established researcher with a doctoral degree or equivalent professional experience, and your work aligns with CDH’s thematic priorities, you’re in the running. This isn’t a program for entry-level academics, though—those who’ve completed their PhDs within the last two years should explore CDH’s Post-doc VRF scheme instead.
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The 2025 Visiting Fellowship has a clear international orientation. Whether you’re based in São Paulo or Seoul, as long as you can commit to conducting on-site research in Brighton, engage with the university community, and bring fresh perspectives to CDH’s ongoing projects, you’re exactly the kind of scholar they want. Multidisciplinary thinkers and those addressing global questions in design and cultural studies are especially encouraged to apply.
What Does the Fellowship Offer?
While this isn’t a salaried role, the University of Brighton ensures you’re not footing the entire bill either. Selected fellows receive up to £1,000 in support for travel, accommodation, and research expenses, along with a £200 administrative fee. That’s enough to help cover a productive short-term stay—whether it’s a week or two full months.
What’s more, fellows are treated as full academic affiliates. That means you’ll get a campus card, university email account, and full access to the library, archives, and seminar series. Want to dive into rare exhibition catalogues? Work with curators? Host a research workshop? All of that’s on the table. However, be mindful that living expenses aren’t covered, so some personal or institutional financial planning will be necessary.
What Are the Key Themes and Research Areas?
The CDH is refreshingly specific about its academic vision. Rather than casting a wide, vague net, it invites researchers working in clear, progressive areas, including:
- Decolonizing Design History: Critiquing Eurocentric narratives and opening the field to underrepresented voices.
- Fashion Cultures: Exploring fashion as a social, political, and material phenomenon.
- Graphic Design History: From protest posters to digital typography—tracing the visual language of change.
- Critical Heritage Studies: Investigating how museums, collections, and public memory shape identity and politics.
Other key focuses include Design Activism, Sustainability in Design, and Architectural and Spatial Histories. These are not just buzzwords—they’re active research clusters where fellows are expected to contribute with fresh ideas, case studies, or even new methodological approaches.
How to Apply and What Is the Deadline?
The process is refreshingly straightforward but competitive. Interested scholars must submit a well-prepared application by 5 pm GMT on Friday, 10 October 2025. You’ll need to include:
- A short research proposal outlining your project and how it connects with CDH’s themes.
- A CV showcasing your academic background and publications.
- A brief plan for engagement—how you’ll contribute to the CDH community while in Brighton.
Applications are reviewed by a selection panel, with decisions to be announced by 24 October 2025. If selected, your fellowship must be completed—and all related expenses processed—by 30 June 2026.
Why Consider the University of Brighton for Research in Design History?
Brighton may not have the global fame of London or Oxford, but in the world of design history and material culture, it’s punching well above its weight. The Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Brighton is known for its critical, socially engaged approach to research. And the CDH has steadily grown into an internationally respected institution, driving debates around heritage, identity, and material politics.
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More importantly, Brighton itself is a city that inspires research. With its rebellious history, vibrant arts scene, and deep design legacy, it’s more than just a backdrop—it’s a case study in itself. For scholars looking to break new ground in interdisciplinary cultural research, it offers both intellectual nourishment and academic relevance.
Final Thoughts: A Unique Opportunity for Global Researchers in 2025
The 2025 International Visiting Research Fellowship at the University of Brighton is more than a research opportunity—it’s a collaborative, international platform that offers scholars the tools and community to advance their work in meaningful ways. Whether you’re questioning colonial legacies in design or tracing the cultural roots of textile patterns, this program provides you with the time, space, and academic environment to take your research further.
For scholars who are tired of jumping through bureaucratic hoops for marginal support, the Brighton model offers something refreshingly human: a short but impactful fellowship with purpose, structure, and real community. And in today’s hyper-competitive academic environment, that’s something worth applying for.
Karan Rawat
Content strategist and Full-time editor of The Immigration World. Karan focuses on simplifying complex immigration rules and scholarship opportunities into clear, practical guidance for global readers. Passionate about making international relocation easier for everyone.
