2027 Academic Fellows Program - expressions of interest now open
The Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) is inviting expressions of interest for its 2027 Academic Fellows Program.
The program includes academics from ANZSOG partner universities and visiting scholars from institutions around the world, creating opportunities for diverse perspectives and expertise to inform contemporary public sector challenges.
The Academic Fellows Program is a key part of our ongoing engagement with academia and the public sector, enriching and growing our knowledge exchange and mobilisation networks.
Through the program, Academic Fellows:
Contribute applied research on policy and governance challenges
Participate in knowledge exchange with public sector professionals
Support shared learning and policy-relevant insight
Help shape agendas around emerging public sector knowledge needs
Professor Caron Beaton-Wells, Dean and CEO of ANZSOG, said the Academic Fellows Program reflects ANZSOG’s distinctive role in connecting research, education, and practice across the public sector.
“ANZSOG collaborates with both academia and the public sector to develop and deliver innovative research and professional education in public governance, leadership and capability,” she said.
“Consistent with ANZSOG's 2030 Strategy, we are focused on the transformation of governance to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It is integral to this goal that we strengthen our academic ecosystem and relationships.”
The program supports leading scholars to contribute their expertise to contemporary policy and governance discussions while strengthening connections between universities and the public sector.
Recent and current Academic Fellows are exploring some of the most pressing challenges facing governments. Among the outputs from the Fellowship published to date are:
Associate Professor Yee-Fui Ng (Monash University) on the effectiveness and accountability of anti-corruption commissions
Associate Professor Grant Walton (Australian National University) on a new framework for responding to the geographies of corruption
Professor Brian Head (The University of Queensland) on internal government capability, the use of consultants, and long-term public service policy capability
Professor Giliberto Capano (University of Bologna) on designing robust and micro-calibrated policy
Dr Andrew Mycock (University of Leeds) on strengthening university–government collaboration.
Through these reports, practitioner roundtables, public lectures and other knowledge exchange activities, Fellows are helping translate leading research into practical insights for the public sector.
Associate Professor Azad Singh Bali, a 2025 Academic Fellow, said the Fellowship provided a unique opportunity to engage with both senior public sector leaders and fellow researchers.
“The ANZSOG Fellowship brought me into conversation with senior public sector practitioners that were both challenging and generative. The peer group of Fellows was equally stimulating — a remarkable mix of academics thinking seriously about the same problems from different disciplines and perspectives. Together, these relationships sharpened my thinking on issues of policy design and public sector capacity in ways that have had a lasting influence on my work.”
“These fellowships will attract talented researchers to contribute to ANZSOG's work in a range of ways,” Professor Beaton-Wells said.
“The program will also make an important contribution to supporting the next generation of public administration scholars.”
Applications are open until 31 August for both Resident Academic Fellow and Visiting Academic Fellow streams. Up to eight Fellows will be appointed in 2027. Fellows engage with ANZSOG over a 12-month period through a flexible series of activities tailored to their expertise, interests and availability.
For further information about the Academic Fellows Program and application details, visit the Academic Fellows page.