The Titular Fellowships, funded by the Association of Commonwealth Universities' Development Fellowships Fund, aim to enable the universities of the Commonwealth to develop the human resources of their institutions and countries through the interchange of people, knowledge, skills and technologies.

The Titular Fellowships are offered each year in subject areas or fields of activity in which the needs of developing countries are particularly great. Fellows can come from inside or outside the university sector. The ACU wishes especially to encourage the movement of staff in both directions between industry/commerce/public service and the universities with a view to forging reciprocally beneficial links.

The programme has been devised for people of proven quality at a crucial stage of their career. It is not an immediately post-doctoral or degree-earning scheme; nor will Fellowships be offered simply for the pursuit of personal research. The ACU is especially keen to receive applications from women candidates; and for programmes intended to enhance the status and role of women in its member universities.