Digital Humanism Fellowship 2026–2027: Applications Now Open

Applications are open for the Digital Humanism Junior Visiting Fellowship 2026–2027 at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna. The fellowship welcomes doctoral researchers and recent postdoctoral scholars from all academic disciplines whose work examines how digitalization intersects with society, economics, politics, geopolitics and human values.

Selected fellows will spend three consecutive months at the IWM between February and June 2027. The application deadline is 21 September 2026 at 23:59 CEST.

For researchers across the Mediterranean working on AI governance, democracy, inequality, social justice, digital rights or the geopolitical consequences of technology, this is a particularly relevant international opportunity. The call has no geographic restriction: Mediterranean applicants are eligible on the same terms as applicants from other regions.

What Digital Humanism Means

Digital Humanism studies — and seeks to influence — the relationship between technology and humankind. Its purpose is not only to describe the digital transformation, but to help shape it in ways that support a better society and fully respect universal human rights.

The fellowship therefore welcomes interdisciplinary projects connecting fields such as computer science, the humanities and the social sciences. Relevant questions may concern democracy and governance, inequality and social justice, the opportunities created by digital transformation, or its societal, economic and geopolitical consequences.

What Selected Fellows Receive

IWM also provides fellows with office space, internet access, in-house research facilities and administrative services at no charge. Fellows join the institute’s scholarly community and are invited to participate in its activities. The selected junior fellows’ research terms will overlap with the presence of the Senior Digital Humanism Visiting Fellow.

The stipend is intended to cover all expenses associated with the fellowship, including travel to and from Vienna, accommodation, health insurance, utilities, local transport, telecommunications and research costs. These expenses are not reimbursed separately.

Who Can Apply

Applicants must meet one of the following conditions by the application deadline:

• Be enrolled in a doctoral program; or
• Hold a PhD awarded no earlier than 21 September 2022.

The call is open to all academic disciplines and does not specify a nationality or country-of-residence restriction. Researchers based in — or working on issues relevant to — Mediterranean countries are therefore eligible if they meet the academic requirements.

Additional restrictions apply:

• A candidate may not submit multiple IWM fellowship applications in the same academic year.
• Previous IWM fellows must wait three academic years before applying for another fellowship.

Research Areas of Particular Relevance

Strong proposals will connect digitalization to questions such as:

• Democracy and governance — including the effects of algorithms, platforms and AI on institutions, participation and public life.
• Inequality and social justice — including access, exclusion, discrimination, labor and the distribution of technological power.
• Human rights and human values — including how technological development can be aligned with rights, dignity and social well-being.
• Societal, economic and geopolitical change — including the regional and international consequences of digital transformation.
• Opportunities created by digital transformation — including constructive approaches to innovation and better social outcomes.

These themes make the call relevant to work across the Euro-Mediterranean space, but applicants should frame their projects around the fellowship’s scholarly criteria rather than geography alone.

What the Application Must Include

All materials must be submitted in English through IWM’s online application form. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

1. A brief motivation letter explaining how time at IWM would benefit the project, how the research connects to IWM’s mission and work, and the applicant’s concrete research and writing goals during the fellowship.
2. A short project description of no more than 550 characters, including spaces.
3. A project proposal of no more than 7,500 characters, including spaces, covering:
   • the project’s objectives;
   • the current state of research;
   • the methods; and
   • a work plan.
4. A curriculum vitae, including a list of publications.
5. Two academic recommendation letters from scholars familiar with the applicant’s work.

Recommendation letters are submitted directly by the recommenders. They receive an automated link only after the applicant submits the application, and both letters must arrive before the deadline. Applicants should therefore submit early enough to give their recommenders time to respond.

Fellowship and Selection Timeline

Each fellowship begins on the first day of its first month and ends on the last day of its third month.

How to Apply

Read the complete eligibility and submission instructions on the official Digital Humanism Fellowship call, then use the application button on that page to access IWM’s online form. The deadline is 21 September 2026 at 23:59 CEST.

Because the proposal and project-summary limits count spaces as characters, prepare both texts in a tool that provides an exact character count. Submit the application several days before the deadline so the two recommenders can upload their letters on time.

About the Fellowship

The fellowship forms part of IWM’s Digital Humanism Program. IWM is an independent institute for advanced study in the humanities and social sciences in Vienna. The fellowship is funded by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure of the Republic of Austria.