Senior Research Associates and Fellow Commoners

It is envisaged that applicants will be: 

1. Eminent international figures who require an affiliation to complete a research project or publication (e.g. public figures, community leaders, states-people, business leaders, former diplomats, etc.);
    
2. Girton alumni who seek to rekindle their College affiliation to undertake a specific research project or publication, often relating to their various career and life experiences. 

Terms 

1. One-year term, renewable typically for no more than two further years on the recommendation of the Fellowships Committee to Council.
    
2. The following benefits would be offered, with costs met by the applicants, their employers, or funders: 
   - College door access card and UPay account.
   - Full dining rights, invitations to all College events and use of leisure facilities.
   - University card and University email.
    
3. The College will not offer residential accommodation or office space, though SRAs will have the option to book rooms as an internal user.
    
4. There is no upper age limit and no residential requirement.
    
5. SRAs will hold no governance role, voting rights, or access to College grants.
    
6. SRAs will be expected to pay a fee of £2,000 per term, to cover costs of Commons and use of facilities.
    
7. Prospective SRAs may apply for funding from existing Visiting Fellow Commoner schemes – Helen Cam or Mary Amelia Cummins Harvey – to offset costs (pending the availability of funds). Only those who receive an award would carry the associated ‘Visiting Fellow’ title.

It is envisaged that applicants will be: 

1. Eminent international academics/scholars who are seeking to work in the academic environment of Girton and Cambridge, perhaps also collaborating with Girton Fellows and/or using libraries and archives. 
    
2. Such appointees would be classed as ‘Senior Research Associate (Fellow Commoner)’. The secondary title would distinguish them for administrative purposes only as being funded by the College. The public-facing title would remain ‘Senior Research Associate’. 

Terms 

1. Three-year term, renewable typically for no more than two further periods on the recommendation of the Fellowships Committee to Council. 
    
2. Requirement to be research active and contribute to the intellectual life of the College.
    
3. The following benefits would be offered by the College: 
   - College door access card and UPay account.
   - Limited dining rights (2x lunches/dinner per week), invitations to all College events and use of leisure facilities.
   - University card and University email.
    
4. The College will not offer residential accommodation or office space, though Fellow Commoners will have the option to book rooms as an internal user.
    
5. There is no upper age limit and no residential requirement.
    
6. Fellow Commoners will hold no governance role, voting rights, or access to College grants.

Nominations from Girton Fellows for both SRAs and Fellow Commoners will be considered by the Fellowships Committee and subsequently by Council. For both positions, nominating Girton Fellows are asked to write a letter of introduction that states the reasons for the nomination and includes the proposed start date. This letter must be accompanied by the nominee’s CV and a one-page statement of the research or other project that the nominee would undertake while at Girton. For SRA nominations in which the individual’s circumstances make the annual fee impossible or inappropriate, the nominee should include a further statement (no more than one page) explaining these circumstances and requesting the fee to be waived. 

The Girton Fellowships Committee will consider nominations throughout the year, and nominations (with complete supporting documentation) must be sent to sra@girton.cam.ac.uk no fewer than five working days in advance of the next Girton Fellowships Committee meeting (see the College Calendar for dates).