UNESCO – Japan Young Researchers Fellowships Programme 2026

Applications are now open for the UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowships Programme (also known as the UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme), Cycle 2026. This programme supports young researchers who want to carry out postgraduate research in Japan. The main research fields are heritage conservation and management, sustainable development and artificial intelligence. Selected fellows receive a grant of up to US$10,000 to cover costs related to their research stay.

The fellowship lasts between 3 and 9 months and must be completed by December 2027. The application deadline is 30 September 2026 (midnight Paris time). Only nationals of selected countries in Africa, Small Island Developing States, Ukraine and Türkiye can apply. Applicants must be 40 years old or younger and hold at least a Master’s degree. There is no application fee. You can check out more Internships, BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

About the Programme:

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.

It aims to strengthen research capacities and promote international knowledge exchange in areas aligned with UNESCO’s mandate. Since its launch, the programme has supported 291 young researchers from 101 countries.

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 support innovative postgraduate research related to:

• Heritage conservation and management
• Sustainable development
• Artificial intelligence

Special attention is given to interdisciplinary research that connects these themes with social, ethical, governance and contextual dimensions.

Fellows will conduct research stays at Japanese universities and research institutions, where they can further develop their work and engage with Japan’s academic community.

Cycle 2026 at a Glance:

Invited Member States and Associate Members:

Africa – 47 Member States: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Arab States – 1 Member State: Bahrain

Asia and the Pacific – 17 Member States and 2 Associate Members: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Niue, New Caledonia*, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tokelau*, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Latin America and the Caribbean – 16 Member States and 7 Associate Members: Anguilla*, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba*, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands*, Cayman Islands*, Cuba, Curaçao*, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat*, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten*, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago

Europe – 2 Member States Türkiye, Ukraine

* Associate Members

Research Areas:

Research proposals must fall within one of the following main areas. Applicants should select one primary research area and one corresponding sub-area (full details are in Annex 2).

1. Heritage Conservation and Management (4 sub-areas)

• Promotion and conservation of cultural heritage for sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions, with a focus on entrepreneurship and youth
• Cultural heritage protection in conflict situations, with a particular focus on recovery and specific support to communities
• Sustainable cultural tourism and heritage conservation
• Preservation and accessibility of digital documentary heritage

2. AI for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Climate Action (5 sub-areas)

• AI for water resources modelling, flood and drought forecasting, groundwater assessment, and decision support systems
• AI-supported ecosystem monitoring, biodiversity assessment, and biosphere reserve management
• AI applications in geohazard assessment, land degradation, and sustainable use of geological heritage
• Social dimensions of AI-driven climate and resource decisions, including impacts on livelihoods and equity
• Integration of indigenous and local knowledge with AI-based environmental data and models

3. Ethical, Inclusive, and Human-Centred AI for Sustainable Development (6 sub-areas)

• Responsible use of AI in scientific research, data sharing, transparency, and reproducibility
• Trustworthy AI use and capacity building in science and technology systems at the national level
• Operationalisation of ethical principles, human rights, inclusion, and fairness in AI systems
• Social impacts of AI, governance models, and policy responses
• Addressing algorithmic bias, digital divides, and unequal access to AI benefits
• AI and the rule of law

4. AI for Sustainable Cities, Infrastructure, and Societal Resilience (6 sub-areas)

• AI for sustainable urban water management, sanitation, and resilience
• Use of AI for hazard prediction, impact modelling, and resilience planning
• AI-supported monitoring of air, water, and soil pollution
• Human-centred AI applications for urban planning, mobility, housing, and service delivery
• Participatory and accountable governance models for AI-enabled urban systems
• Community, youth and citizen engagement in AI-supported local solutions

5. AI and Education (7 sub-areas)

• AI and pedagogy, curriculum and the sciences of learning
• AI competencies for teachers, students and policymakers
• AI and higher education, research and the future of knowledge
• AI governance, regulation, ethics and sovereignty in education
• AI-enabled learning for sustainability and climate action
• Green AI literacy and sustainable AI education policy
• AI, media and information literacy, and information integrity for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must:

• Be nationals of one of the invited Member States or Associate Members listed above
• Be no more than 40 years old at the time of application
• Hold at least a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a field relevant to the proposed research and demonstrate strong academic and research potential
• Demonstrate sufficient proficiency in reading and writing in the language of instruction or supervision at the proposed host institution in Japan
• Have obtained acceptance from an academic supervisor at a Japanese university or research institution who will oversee the proposed research

Fellowship Grant and Eligible Costs:

Selected fellows may receive a grant of up to US$10,000. The grant is provided as a lump-sum contribution to cover costs directly related to the approved research stay in Japan.

The grant may cover:

• International and domestic travel for the approved itinerary
• Accommodation
• Medical insurance
• Personal subsistence in Japan (meals, local transportation and incidental expenses)
• Other research-related expenses (where applicable)

The grant does not cover:

• Tuition fees
• Purchase of equipment (including computers)
• Publication costs
• Participation in conferences (unless clearly justified as an integral part of the research)

Medical insurance is mandatory for all selected fellows and will be arranged by UNESCO. The cost will be deducted from the total fellowship amount before disbursement.

How to Apply:

Step 1 Read the Application Guide carefully to understand the requirements and submission procedures.

Step 2 Contact the National Commission for UNESCO of your home country to learn about national-level application procedures. (Find contact details of National Commissions for UNESCO on the official UNESCO website.)

Step 3 Prepare all required documents:

• Application form (Annex 3)
• Academic documents
• Recommendation letter
• Host institution acceptance letter
• Language certificate
• Research proposal (Annex 4)

Step 4 Submit your complete application to the National Commission for UNESCO of your home country at least 2 weeks before the deadline.

Step 5 Once your National Commission informs you that you have been nominated, submit the online application form and supporting documents to: [email protected]

Important: Only applications nominated by the National Commission will be accepted by UNESCO.

Step 6 National Commissions must submit letters of nomination and all application documents to UNESCO by 30 September 2026, midnight Paris time. Incomplete applications or those submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Selection Process:

Applications will be evaluated by a Selection Committee composed of experts from UNESCO and the Government of Japan. Evaluation is based on the merits of the candidates and the quality, relevance and originality of the proposed research.

The final selection decision is made by the Japanese authorities, based on the Committee’s recommendation, with due consideration to gender equality and diversity.