In 2026, the History of Education Society will fund THREE Fellowships to establish a higher public profile for the History of Education Society and its associated publications, conferences and activities. The aims of the Society include the promotion of the study and teaching of the history of education; promoting the public profile and an informed public understanding of the history of education; and fostering collaboration and exchange among those interested in the history of education in the UK and around the world.
- The Peter Gosden Fellow will maintain and develop the Society’s online presence through the website, social media and blogs.
- The Richard Aldrich Fellow will undertake the annual update of the Exe Libris bibliographical database of publications released in the calendar year 2026, and work with the editors of History of Education Researcher in the preparation of an annual review of periodical literature (RPL).
- The Ruth Watts Fellow will produce a series of podcasts that will be hosted by the Society’s website and on other platforms.
The Fellowships will run from 1 January to 31 December 2027. Each Fellow will be mentored by one or more members of the Society’s Board of Trustees.
The responsibilities of each Fellow are outlined below, together with information about the reward package and the application process.
Reward package
Each Fellow will receive:
- A honorarium of £1,000, paid in four instalments of £250 each. These will be paid on or before the last day of March, June, September and December.
- Membership of the Society and, for those without institutional access, a subscription to History of Education for the period of the Fellowship.
- Free attendance at the Society’s annual conferences (i.e. the student and main conferences) to include the conference fee, conference meals if these are additional costs, accommodation costs agreed in advance, and standard class travel expenses (to a maximum of £150) from within the UK to the conference venue.
- Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses required for the fulfilment of the Fellowship, subject to prior approval.
Responsibilities of Fellows
The specific responsibilities of each Fellow are listed below. Fellows should consult with their mentors and aim to attend at least two executive committee meetings a year in addition to tabling brief reports for all meetings; these will be included as standing items on the agenda. Reports from Fellows will be included as standing items on the AGM agenda, and necessary steps will be taken to invite the Fellows to participate.
Peter Gosden Fellow
- Maintaining and updating the Society’s website.
- Ensuring that a blog is posted on the Society’s website at least ten times during the year of the Fellowship.
- Ensuring that regular social media posts are sent out as and when necessary, including working with the Ruth Watts Fellow to publicise the release of each of the Society’s podcasts.
- Liaising on a regular basis with the Society’s postgraduate representative(s) to maximise efficiency and effectiveness when publicising news and events relating to postgraduate students.
- Liaising with the organisers of the annual conferences (main and student conferences) to ensure appropriate and timely publicity regarding the activities of the Society.
- Consulting with the Fellow’s appointed mentor(s) on a regular basis.
- Producing reports for each executive committee meeting and attending at least two of them.
Richard Aldrich Fellow
- In the early part of the year, updating the Society’s online Exe Libris database. From a list of around 60 journals, articles relevant to the history of education will be assessed and entered into the Exe Libris electronic database. Full training will be given to the successful candidate.
- Authoring the annual Review of Periodical Literature (RPL) with an appropriate colleague/member of the Executive. The Fellow may be the sole author, or write the RPL together with an agreed member of the Society’s executive committee, or another suitable person. The RPL is published in the History of Education Researcher.
- Consulting with the Fellow’s appointed mentor(s) on a regular basis.
- Producing reports for each executive committee meeting and attending at least two of them.
Ruth Watts Fellow
- Commissioning, producing and hosting a series of 6–10 audio podcasts for release at intervals during the year.
- Releasing each podcast on the Society’s website and on other appropriate platforms (e.g. Spotify). Training will be given to the successful candidate.
- Working with the Peter Gosden Fellow to ensure the widest publicity for each podcast.
- Consulting with the Fellow’s appointed mentor(s) on a regular basis.
- Producing reports for each executive committee meeting and attending at least two of them.
Application process
Applications are welcome from anyone interested in furthering the mission and aims of the History of Education Society as set out above. Previous applicants – including successful ones – are welcome to apply again, but in awarding Fellowships the Society may prioritise those who have not held them before.
Please state clearly which Fellowship(s) you are applying for. The Society welcomes applications for more than one Fellowship.
Fellows will usually be undertaking, or have recently completed, a postgraduate degree in the history of education or another relevant area. Personal or professional experience of using social media would be desirable for those applying for the Peter Gosden Fellowship, and knowledge and experience of bibliographical research would be desirable for those applying for the Richard Aldrich Fellowship. For the Ruth Watts Fellowship, an understanding of the methods and technologies of podcasting would be an advantage, but is not an essential requirement.
Applicants should also name two referees whom we may approach for references. Please do not ask referees to write in advance.
Fellows can be based anywhere, but must have ready access to the relevant information technology and to a reliable internet connection. Reasonable travel costs within the UK will be reimbursed.
Interested applicants should send a letter of application (no more than two pages) specifying the Fellowship(s) for which they wish to be considered. The letter should outline their suitability for the role, include the names and contact details for two referees, and should be accompanied by a short curriculum vitae (also no more than two pages). Applications should be sent to the Society’s vice-president, Professor Mark Freeman ([email protected]).
Closing date: 12 noon (GMT) on Friday 27 November 2026
Short-listed applicants will be interviewed online in early to mid-December.