The Basque Government has signed the Cambridge Basque Visiting Fellow agreement

The Basque Government has published in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country (BOPV) the cooperation agreement signed with Clare Hall (University of Cambridge) to develop the Basque Visiting Fellow program. The agreement was published in issue number 171 on September 8, 2026, under official reference 2026/3833, and provides for Basque researchers to undertake a stay in Cambridge.

The resolution is dated July 22, 2026, issued by the Undersecretary of Science and Innovation, and the agreement was signed on May 20, 2026, in Vitoria-Gasteiz and Cambridge. The agreement has a duration of three academic years —2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2028-2029— and a total budget of 426,099.91 euros to finance the international stays of Basque researchers.

Purpose and modalities of the agreement

The purpose of the agreement is for Basque researchers to undertake a research stay at Clare Hall, which is one of the five postgraduate colleges of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1966 and has a prolific visiting researchers program, hosting academics from around the world for periods of up to twelve months.

The program enables stays for a maximum of four people, in two modalities:

• Visiting Fellow (maximum two people): stay throughout the academic year, starting on October 1, for a minimum of 4.5 months and a maximum of 9 months.
• Post Visiting Fellow (maximum two people): stay between 2 and 8 weeks, requiring the person to have previously been a Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall (Life members).

One of the Visiting Fellow positions is reserved for researchers in the field of education who address digitalization methodologies and STEAM projects (science-technology competencies and Mathematics Education). The second position is open to researchers from any field of knowledge.

Financing and payment

The cost of the agreement is 426,099.91 euros, distributed over three academic years. The annual budget breakdown is as follows:

• 2026-2027 academic year: 135,162.54 euros
• 2027-2028 academic year: 141,920.67 euros
• 2028-2029 academic year: 149,016.70 euros

Payment will be made in two installments: the first, 75% of the total, in the last quarter of the year after the beneficiaries have accepted the grant; and the second, 25%, after the end of the academic year upon justification of expenses, submitting invoices and a descriptive report. The agreement covers the college’s general expenses, accommodation, meals, and local taxes.

Monitoring and selection

The agreement establishes two bodies: the Monitoring and Management Committee and the Selection Committee. The former may evaluate the results and decide on the extension of the agreement; the latter proposes candidates to receive the approval of the Governing Council of Clare Hall.

The agreement may be extended for three academic years if the parties so decide by mutual agreement, and any party may terminate it with two months’ prior notice. The agreement is administrative in nature and is subject to the regulations of Law 40/2015.

This agreement strengthens the internationalization of the Basque research system, as researchers will have the opportunity to work in one of the world’s most prestigious universities, while also spreading knowledge of Basque academic and cultural institutions.

Source: Official Gazette of the Basque Country, number 171, September 8, 2026, Section I (Other provisions), pp. 1-6 (official reference: 2026/3833).