The Fleming Initiative to safeguard the legacy of the UK’s Fleming Fund

The Fleming Initiative will assume management of the Fleming Fund Fellowship alumni network from April 2026, ensuring the continuation of an important global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) capacity-strengthening programme, following the close of the final phase of the UK Government’s Fleming Fund. 

The move secures a home for the community of more than 350 AMR professionals and policymakers across Africa and Asia coming together in a One Health approach – across agriculture, animal, aquaculture, environmental and human health sectors. These individuals were trained through the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s Fleming Fund Fellowship Programme, which has strengthened national AMR responses in 21 countries since 2018. 

The new alumni network, hosted by the Fleming Initiative, will provide a long-term platform for collaboration, leadership and peer-to-peer learning. It will support Fellows through structured communication, mentorship, masterclasses, and joint research opportunities - all designed to help alumni Fellows continue influencing national AMR action plans and One Health policies. 

In partnership with the Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network (CAMO-Net) and Amp Health, the Fleming Initiative will offer targeted professional development, workshops, and regional placements, as well as linking alumni into ongoing global research and policy dialogues. 

The Fleming Initiative, a joint entity across Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, brings together science, policy, and people to turn innovation into real-world impact against drug resistance. Through its developing Fleming Centre and a growing global network of partners, the Initiative is creating collaborative environments where researchers, clinicians, and policymakers can co-design solutions to antimicrobial resistance. 

The Initiative’s leadership in AMR continues to expand, with new global convening roles and partnerships that connect research and technical innovation, behavioural science and public engagement - building on the scientific and diplomatic legacy that began with the Fleming Fund.

Professor Dame Sally Davies (UK Special Envoy on AMR) said: “As we look to the future, the enduring legacy of the Fleming Fund stands as a testament to the UK’s commitment to global health and the sustainability of our work on AMR. We have worked hard to nurture the fellowship scheme, championing exceptional talent and dedication in the fight against antimicrobial resistance worldwide. It is with great pride that we will see this vital network continue under the stewardship of the Fleming Initiative. 

"The Fleming Fund has been instrumental in starting to build a generation of AMR leaders across the world,” said Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair of the Fleming Initiative. “It is a privilege for the Fleming Initiative, as part of our dedication to supporting global AMR responses, to sustain and strengthen this legacy. Through this alumni network, we will continue to drive our interdisciplinary ethos, bringing people and evidence together to co-design solutions and strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems globally".

The transition of the Fleming Fund Fellowship alumni network to the Fleming Initiative ensures that the knowledge, partnerships and leadership built through the UK’s investment in AMR surveillance and capacity strengthening will continue to make an impact around the world. Working alongside national governments and international partners, the Fleming Initiative will build momentum around AMR awareness and activities and help alumni translate evidence into policy and practice – keeping antimicrobial stewardship, innovation and collaboration at the heart of global health systems.  

Notes to Editors

• The Fleming Fund is a UK aid programme managed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and delivered through Mott MacDonald. Since 2015, it has supported more than 30 countries to strengthen AMR surveillance and One Health systems. Read more at https://www.flemingfund.org/

• The Fleming Fund Fellowship Scheme supported 185 Fellows across 20 countries, building advanced technical and leadership skills to inform national AMR policy and practice (more details).

• The Fleming Initiative will manage the alumni network from April 2025, maintaining links with host institutions and mentors, and expanding opportunities through partnerships with CAMO-Net and AMPHealth.

• The Fleming Initiative is a global collaboration led by Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, committed to keeping antimicrobials working for the next 100 years. It combines science, policy and public engagement to create sustainable solutions to drug resistance through innovation, education and partnership. Read more at https://www.fleminginitiative.org/

• The Centres for Antimicrobial Optimisation Network (CAMO-Net) is a global collaboration funded by the Wellcome Trust that develops contextually relevant tools, data systems and practices that support equitable access to effective treatments. The network emphasises local leadership, capacity strengthening and collaboration between clinicians, policymakers and researchers to optimise antimicrobial use worldwide. Read more at https://camonet.org/ 

• AMP Health is a non-profit company based in South Africa that focuses on leadership and management skills which partners with teams across a range of programmes in public health. They build custom learning journeys for the teams that they work with, structured around a set of core leadership and management competencies. Read more at https://amphealth.com/