UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowships Programme 2026 (up to $10,000)

Deadline: September 30, 2026 Applications are open for the UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowships Programme 2026 . Established in 2001 under the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Capacity-Building of Human Resources, the UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowships Programme, also known as the UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme, is a long-standing initiative supported by the Government of Japan to strengthen research capacities and promote international knowledge exchange in areas aligned with UNESCO’s mandate. Since its establishment, the Programme has enabled 291 young researchers from 101 countries around the world to pursue postgraduate research, contributing to academic cooperation, capacity-building and the development of knowledge in fields of shared global importance. Under the 2026 cycle, UNESCO and the Government of Japan will award 10 fellowships to highly qualified young researchers from Africa, Small Island Developing States, Ukraine and Türkiye. The fellowships will support innovative and high-quality postgraduate research related to heritage conservation and management, sustainable development and artificial intelligence, with particular attention to interdisciplinary research connecting these themes with social, ethical, governance and contextual dimensions. Through research stays in Japanese universities and research institutions, fellows will have the opportunity to further develop their work and engage with Japan’s academic and research