Duration: 12 months

Start Date: September 2025

End Date: August 2026

Deadline: 15th May 2025

Birmingham City University (BCU) a leading institution committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) invites applications for three Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships in Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, and Smart Cities, as part of a prestigious grant awarded under the UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund Early Career Fellowships programme. The British Council funded International Science Partnerships Fund puts research and innovation at the heart of our international relationships, supporting UK researchers and innovators to work with peers around the world on the major themes of our time: planet, health, tech and talent. 

About the Fellowship

This fellowship provides an opportunity for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from South Korea to engage with world-leading experts at Birmingham City University. The programme is designed to enhance understanding of research methodologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and practical applications in the fields of Smart Cities and Health. 

Research Themes

Fellows will work within BCU’s transformative research environment, focusing on:

• Artificial Intelligence for Smart Cities: Developing responsible and innovative AI-driven urban solutions.
• Data Science and Digital Transformation: Enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and resilience in urban development.
• Healthy and Sustainable Living Environments: Exploring the intersection of technology, health, and urban planning.

Key Activities and Opportunities

Fellows will engage in a variety of research and academic activities, including:

• Observing and contributing to research projects across the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Built Environment (CEBE).
• Participating in Faculty Research Groups and collaborative research groups to exchange knowledge and expertise.
• Attending research seminars, interdisciplinary team meetings, and faculty discussions.
• Delivering research presentations, seminars, and workshops on Smart Cities, AI, and health-related topics.
• Collaborating with BCU’s FUSE (Forum for University Students and Employers), engaging with industry mentors to enhance employability and real-world research impact.

Academic Leadership

Fellows will work under the supervision of internationally recognised experts in their fields:

Dr. Muhammad Afzal (Senior Lecturer, Lead of Big Data Analytics): Dr. Afzal is an AI and data science expert with a strong research portfolio spanning AI applications in computing, healthcare, and smart environments. He has over extensive research publications and extensive experience in collaborating with South Korean institutions on cutting-edge AI projects.

Dr. Mohammad Mayouf (Associate Professor, Head of Digital Built Environment): Dr. Mayouf specialises in Building Information Modelling (BIM) and digital processes that support sustainable, low-emission urban development. His research integrates complex data solutions to enhance decision-making in construction and smart infrastructure projects.

What does the fellowship offer?

This fellowship is funded by a grant award and therefore includes the following:

• Salary: £42,860 (for 12-months fellowship)
• Research Related expenses up to £10,000 per 12 months
• Return economy-class travel from South Korea to the UK (this will not reimburse costs for dependents).
• Costs for ECCTIS/IELTS fee if applicable
• Costs for visa and IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge)
• Access to BCU’s research facilities, industry networks, and mentoring support.
• Opportunities for professional development and future research collaboration.

What logistical and welfare support will I receive?

• Support before arrival including for visa application and flight booking
• Guidance to arrange accommodation/housing in Birmingham
• General information about adapting to living in the UK

Please see the following video for more information: Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, and Smart Cities

Eligibility 

Early Career Researchers (ECRs) have completed or are close to completion of their PhD, potentially waiting for their final viva voce examination, which must be passed prior to taking up the award. ECRs will not have held a permanent academic post or a permanent post with a research-related element, or one which allowed them to supervise PhD students or submit research grants as a principal investigator. Time spent in teaching-only roles or academic related roles does not affect ECR status, provided no research element was part of the role. If a researcher does not hold a PhD but has research experience equivalent to a PhD holder and works in a field where a PhD is not a prerequisite for established research activity, they can still be considered eligible. Participants from for-profit organisations cannot be funded. As we move toward greater inclusivity for ECRs from a wide range of backgrounds, we are no longer counting years spent in a specific career stage. Career breaks and alternative trajectories to an early academic career are all considered outside the definition of career stage.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be a permanent resident of South Korea
• Not be from a for-profit organisation.
• Agree to maintain contact with the British Council for purposes of monitoring and evaluation during and after their fellowship. 
• Demonstrate a plan and a passion to engage other early career researchers from their home country. 
• Have a strong research background and interest in international collaboration.
• Demonstrate proficiency in English (spoken and written).

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete this online application, which includes applicant information, short sections about your experience and interests, and the requirement to upload:

• A detailed CV (maximum 3 pages).
• Cover letter
• Two academic reference letters.

Note: Interviews will take place online in late May or early June 2025.

For information about the recruitment, please get in touch with the project lead and supervisor.

• Dr. Muhammad Afzal: muhammad.afzal@bcu.ac.uk
• Dr. Mohammed Mayouf: mohammad.mayouf@bcu.ac.uk

Please click the below link to download the Job Description:

Job Description - Research Fellow

At the heart of our Strategy for 2030 and Beyond, it is our mission to enable our students to transform their lives and to achieve their potential. Through our education and research, and the roles our graduates go on to play in the world, we not only support individuals to transform their lives, but we also play a part in transforming society.

Located in the centre of the UK’s second city, we are a university with a long heritage of innovation and of making, dating back to our origins in 1843 when we were founded as the Birmingham Government School of Design.

Our heritage of making through innovation and its application through knowledge exchange, and of creative research and practice, today finds it expression in our STEAM agenda, in our research and enterprise, and in our commitment to challenge-based learning. Working across disciplines, and delivering impactful research and enterprise, interdisciplinarity is at the heart of the continuing transformation of our academic portfolio.