FLAIR fellowships more diverse in second round

But diversity—while pleasing—was not a criterion for funding, backers say

The second round of the United Kingdom-funded Future Leaders–African Independent Research (FLAIR) fellowship programme, announced on 11 May, features a more geographically diverse set of winners than last year’s inaugural round. 

The fellowships, aimed at helping early-career African researchers build independent careers on the continent, are funded by the UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund. Each fellow receives up to US$390,000 to conduct research over two years. The programme is jointly managed by the UK Royal Society and the African Academy of Sciences in Nairobi, Kenya.