The Asia in the World (IIAS) Fellowship Programme 2026/27 in the Netherlands (Fully Funded)

The Asia in the World Fellowship Programme is a 12‑month, fully funded fellowship offered by the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) in the Netherlands. It is designed for early‑ and mid‑career researchers in Asian Studies to develop innovative, globally engaged research while building strong international networks. 

Additionally, The ‘Asia in the World’ programme is designed to promote innovative research and global collaboration in Asian Studies, ensuring that the fellowship benefits both individual researchers and the broader academic community. The co-hosting model helps sustain our ambition to make it a truly multi-centred mode of knowledge production and collaborative exchange.

Eligibility

• Applicants must hold a PhD (or successfully defend their dissertation by 15 February 2026).
  • Early- to mid-career researchers from around the world.
• Open to all nationalities and all disciplines within Asian Studies (social sciences, humanities, arts).
• Applicants must be available full‑time for the full fellowship period.

Program Dates

• Application Deadline: September 15, 2025
• Duration of Program: Early October 2026 until October 2027
• Duration: 12 months
• Where:
  • Main base at IIAS in Leiden, the Netherlands
  • A research stay (3–5 months) at one of IIAS’s co‑hosting institutions in Asia, Africa, Latin America, or Europe.

Program Themes

Projects should fit into one of IIAS’s main thematic clusters:

• Asian Cities
• Global Asia
• The Politics of Culture

Phases of the Fellowship

1. Phase 1 (first 6 months): At IIAS in Leiden – participate in seminars, events, and collaborative work.
2. Phase 2 (3–5 months): At a chosen co‑host institution abroad – deepen research in a different region in Asia, Africa, Latin America, or Europe.
3. Phase 3 (final months): Return to Leiden – organize a public event to share findings.

Co-hosting Institutions (during Phase 2), include:

• Airlangga Institute of Indian Ocean Crossroads (AIIOC) (Surabaya, Indonesia)
• Centre for Research in Anthropology (CRIA) (Lisbon, Coimbra, & Braga, Portugal)
• Centro de Estudos Afro-Orientais (CEAO) Federal University of Bahia (Salvador, Brazil)
• French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) (Puducherry, India)
• Kasetsart University (KU) (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Institute for Urban Research (IUR) Malmö University (Malmö, Sweden)
• Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies, University of Erfurt (Erfurt, Germany)
• Max Weber Forum For South Asian Studies (Delhi, India)
• School of Culture Resources of Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA) (Taipei, Taiwan)
• Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Madrid, Spain)
• International Research Laboratory Environment, Health, Societies (Dakar, Senegal)
• University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
• Worldmaking Heidelberg University (Heidelberg, Germany)

Program Benefits

• Monthly stipend: €1,250 during your stay in Leiden.
• Housing: Provided in Leiden and at the co‑host site.
• Round Airfare and Travel Expenses: Up to €1,000.
• Institutional support: Workspace, access to IIAS facilities, academic events, and networks.

Required Documents

• Online application form
• CV and list of publications
• Detailed research proposal / work plan
• (If shortlisted) two reference letters and a short video presentation

Application Process

• Submit all required materials through the IIAS application portal (provided down below).
• Shortlisted candidates are contacted by November 2025.
• Final decisions announced by February 2026.