Applications for the Sydney Horizon Education Fellowship are now open
The Sydney Horizon Education Fellowship has several purposes:
Through a high-profile fellowship, build the careers of EF academics at Levels C and D.
Build an academic group who are supported to address important ‘problems’ in education for their faculty/University school or the University over an 18-month period.
Cultivate a pool of applications highly qualified for national teaching awards, HEA principal fellowship, and senior education-related roles in this and other Universities.
Advance the Sydney 2030 education strategy.
Progress Collective Excellence 28.
Eligibility
EF academics, Level C or D, in a continuing role at 0.8 FTE or greater are eligible.
Fellows must have passed probation, have more than 18 months in an academic role at the University of Sydney at the time of application, currently hold an EF role, and have a demonstrated intention to build a career as an EF academic.
Terms
The initial fellowship is for 12 months, with renewal for a further 6 months on submission of a report showing satisfactory progress and participation in the first 10 months.
Fellows are expected to contribute meaningfully to the EF community after graduation (e.g. as mentors to other EF academics).
Each fellowship will begin in July of the first year and run through to December of the second year.
Additional terms are available in the ‘Sydney Horizon Education Fellowship Information Sheet’.
Number of fellows
Two new fellows appointed each year.
Selection based on merit.
Currently, funding is available for 2026, 2027, and 2028, with a total of four fellows for the program.
Activities and affordances
Each Fellow will work on a core educational issue that is nominated by the DVC(E&S) or faculty/University school for the duration of the fellowship.
$7,500 per fellow for dissemination/conferences
Further conditions and activities are shown in the ‘Sydney Horizon Education Fellowship Information Sheet’.
Appointment
By application after open call by each faculty and University school.
The fellowship will buy out 35% of the academic’s time (50% of their teaching workload); the academic’s service and research workload allocation will be unaffected. Staff with fractional FTE positions will still be funded at 35% buyout of a 1 FTE position.
50% of the fellows will be at Level C, and 50% at Level D. If an academic is promoted during the tenure of their fellowship, their funding does not increase.
Relevant projects and contact details about the projects are shown in the ‘Sydney Horizon Education Fellowship Application Form’.
Applicants are very strongly advised to contact the relevant dean or the DVC(E&S) to discuss their proposed program of work before writing their application.
Selection criteria
Detailed selection criteria are available in the ‘Sydney Horizon Education Fellowship Information Sheet’.
Responsibility and contacts
The oSDVC&P portfolio provides the funds for the Fellowship.
Please submit your application, and queries about the application and proposed program of work, to the relevant email address for your home faculty or University school (shown in Part 2 of the Application Form).
If you have queries about the Fellowship that are not about your proposed program of work, please contact Susan Rowland ([email protected]).
Due date
Applications due from faculties and University schools to oSDVC&P: 5 pm, MondayMay 11th 2026.
Please note, all applications must be made through your home faculty or University school. No applications will be accepted through direct submission to the oSDVC&P.
The internal deadline (for your home faculty of University school process) will be at least two weeks earlier than May 11. Your dean will advise prospective applicants of the internal deadline.