The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the world’s oldest international university network established in 1913, continues its legacy of advancing global collaboration through the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme Climate Resilience Fellowships. Inspired by His Majesty King Charles III, the programme aims to equip mid-career professionals across Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with practical expertise in climate adaptation. These fellowships are designed to strengthen resilience, foster innovation, and support climate-responsive development in some of the world’s most vulnerable nations.

Commonwealth SIDS face enormous and escalating challenges brought on by climate change, including intensified storms, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and socio-economic disruptions. The fellowship seeks to address these pressures by empowering professionals who work at the frontlines of climate adaptation within government, civil society, and the private sector.

Building long-term resilience requires practical, community-centred solutions rooted in scientific understanding, cultural knowledge, and collaborative leadership. The programme therefore focuses on strengthening participants’ capacity to design, implement, and scale adaptation strategies that meet the specific needs of their national contexts.

Fellowship Objectives

The fellowship aims to promote climate adaptation through four central objectives:

• Strengthening the skills and leadership capacity of mid-career professionals working in climate adaptation roles within SIDS.
• Establishing a collaborative platform where solutions to climate-related challenges can be tested, refined, and implemented.
• Building an international, cross-sectoral network of climate adaptation professionals to foster shared learning and joint action.
• Ensuring adaptation strategies are inclusive, gender-responsive, and considerate of local and Indigenous knowledge systems.

These goals reflect the ACU’s commitment to supporting sustainable development through education, capacity building, and global cooperation.

What the Fellowship Includes

Participants will benefit from a fully funded, one-year blended professional development programme supported by expert mentors and facilitators. Core elements include:

• An 18-week online training course (February–July 2026) comprising live workshops, self-study modules, and assignments covering:
  • Climate literacy
  • Inter-sectoral collaboration
  • Policy influence
  • Climate finance
• A five-day residential workshop in Fiji (August 2026), providing hands-on learning, peer collaboration, and exposure to regional adaptation practices.
• A five-month workplace-based applied learning project (August–December 2026), enabling fellows to apply their new knowledge directly within their professional contexts.
• Access to a virtual Community of Practice, offering ongoing knowledge sharing, collective problem-solving, and opportunities for continued collaboration.