Position offered by The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) at Harvard University

The Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) is pleased to invite applications for Fellowship appointments to conduct advanced historical research in Islamic art, architecture, material culture, and archaeology at Harvard University. Our program does not support professional design, conservation, or urban development projects, nor are AKPIA Fellowships intended for research travel.

AKPIA Fellows are a full-time, immersion research appointment, to result in a lecture delivered to the AKPIA community, and a submission to the journal Muqarnas (published by Brill). AKPIA Fellows are expected to meet with the Director of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, to discuss their research and to consider potential submission topics for publication. We do not allow scholars to take on any other major responsibilities during their time at Harvard, including teaching jobs. AKPIA Fellows are expected to be active participants in the academic life of our program at Harvard University. They are encouraged to attend lectures hosted by AKPIA and HAA (the Department of History of Art and Architecture), and to meet with faculty, students and other visiting scholars.

We welcome applications both from senior scholars and from recent graduates. Ideally, research projects should be publishable in the annual journal of the Aga Khan Program, Muqarnas.

AKPIA Fellows have an affiliation with Harvard University's Department of History of Art and Architecture (HAA). They are given access to all Harvard University libraries, museums, and facilities in furtherance of a well-defined, specific research project. AKPIA Fellows participate in departmental symposia and they are also welcome to audit Harvard seminars and lecture courses, if they so choose (with instructor permission). 

RESIDENCY: Residency is required for AKPIA Fellows. Applicants who plan to spend a significant amount of time conducting travel research are not encouraged to apply. Fellows are responsible for arranging their own health insurance, which is required of all Massachusetts residents. Fellows are responsible for finding their own housing; the AKPIA Program does not provide housing for its scholars, nor does the Program assist with finding or securing lodging. Because the housing market in Cambridge is remarkably competitive and expensive, the AKPIA Administrator will share suggestions and resources regarding housing, which should be secured by the fellows as soon as possible, before arrival on campus.

DURATION: The maximum duration for Fellowships is twelve (12) months. Minimum duration (normally 3 months) may be negotiable depending on each case. The duration of a Fellowship may also depend on the funding proposal. Fellowships should take place between September and May.

FUNDING: AKPIA Fellowships may be fully funded, partially funded, or awarded to applicants who have their own institutional funding. Harvard University requires Fellows to have $5,417 USD per month (minimum) for living expenses while in residence in Cambridge. Applicants should provide a detailed budget proposal with their application materials, providing specifics about their own institutional funding (if any) and/or their AKPIA funding request (whether full or partial). Please note that Fellows who are funded by Harvard University will be subject to U.S. income tax, which is usually between 14%-30%.

APPLICATION: The required application is available as a writable PDF. Applicants should download this document and complete all relevant fields.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have a doctoral degree (PhD, DPhil, or equivalent). If you are applying for an AKPIA Fellowship and you have not yet officially graduated with the PhD, you will be asked to provide a letter from your Department Chair (or Registrar) stating that you have met the PhD requirements; it is also useful for us to know when you are scheduled to defend, and you should include this information in your proposal. A solid command of written and spoken English is required (Fellows are expected to present a public lecture on their research project as part of the AKPIA lecture series A Forum for Islamic Art and Architecture, delivered in English). Fellows must remain in Cambridge for the duration of the appointment.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: Application materials must be submitted as individual documents attached to a single email. Each type of application document (such as application form, CV, etc.) must be attached as separate files. Please name these files using this format: “Surname, file type.” For example: “Smith, Application,” “Smith, CV,” “Smith, Research Proposal” and so on.

The Committee will not consider incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline: March 15, 2024.

The following materials are required of applicants:

  • Completed, signed application form
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Research proposal, with research timeline and budget proposal
  • Two different writing samples of previous research publications
  • Letters of recommendation from two professors or scholars familiar with the applicant's research1
  • Original transcripts--when possible--in sealed enveloped from institutions where graduate work was conducted.2

Materials should be sent to: [email protected]

DEADLINE: All application materials must be received by March 15, 2024. Results will be announced by May 1st.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Please direct any inquiries about AKPIA Fellowships at Harvard University to [email protected] or 617-495-2355.

To view past research topics, see our previous Fellows and Associates.

Harvard University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or other protected status.

Other Opportunities: Given a prospective applicant’s past work and degrees, one of these programs may be more suited to her/his qualifications and interests. For useful information about all these programs, please visit the following links:

  • 1. Letters of recommendation and transcripts may be emailed directly to the Aga Khan Program from the institutions or recommenders (preferred), sent by a professional dossier and credentials service (such as Interfolio), or may be included with the other application materials in their original, sealed envelopes. Letter writers may email their letters directly to [email protected]. All other materials should be submitted as individual documents within a single email message.
  • 2. Emailed scans of original transcripts are acceptable.