Cardiff to host RAF fellowships

Cardiff University and the Royal Air Force (RAF) have announced two new fellowships for RAF personnel.

The fellowships are part of a new wave of the Chief of the Air Staff’s (CAS) Fellowship Scheme which has been expanded across the devolved administrations and aligned to the future capabilities of the RAF in areas such as cyber security, digital transformation and data science, renewable energy and sustainable development.

The CAS' Fellowships are RAF-sponsored full- and part-time postgraduate fellowships, aimed at generating focussed research papers on an air power-related topics and developing the intellectual capital of the RAF.

Following completion of their studies, RAF personnel become part of the wider group of CAS Fellows, whose skills and experience are then used to address the spectrum of conceptual challenges facing the RAF.

Cardiff University is partnering with the RAF to provide the ‘Lloyd George Fellowship’ (MSc in Data Science & Analytics) and the ‘Rosier Fellowship’ (MSc in Artificial Intelligence).

The courses will be run by the University’s Data Science Academy and offered on a 12-month full-time or 36-month part-time basis.

The announcement, made at a special ceremony at the University, underlines the University’s continued support of and cooperation with the armed forces.

In 2019, the University signed the Armed Forces Covenant, which sets out our pledge to support students and staff associated with the Armed Forces community.

It is a promise by the nation ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. The University has achieved Gold status in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme in recognition of the steps it has taken to support its staff, students and their immediate families, associated with the armed forces.

Professor Rudolf Allemann, Pro Vice-Chancellor International and Student Recruitment and Head of the College of Physical Sciences and Engineering, said: “I am delighted that the RAF has sponsored these wonderful Fellowships and chosen to host them here at Cardiff University. Our significant strength and expertise in data science and artificial intelligence will provide an invaluable learning opportunity for the fellows and provide them with knowledge and experience that will be closely linked to the RAF’s future priorities.

“Cardiff University has a long and valued history of working with and supporting the armed forces and we are extremely grateful and proud of the incredible contribution our forces make to Wales, the UK and the world.”

Air Commodore Adrian Williams, the RAF Air Officer for Wales, said: "I want to thank Cardiff University for their warm welcome here for the RAF today. There have always been strong links between the RAF and Wales and those links are especially strong here with the University of Wales Air Squadron, for example. I'm glad that we have strengthened those bonds between us for the future with the announcement of these Fellowships."