Deadline: August 14, 2026
https://www.kennaninstitute.org/digital-fellowship
The Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship program is meant to promote original scholarship and quality non-fiction writing about Russia and the former Soviet Union. Fellowships will be awarded to ten outstanding figures from academia, journalism, and the expert community. The program will give fellows six months of financial support, integrate them into a network, and assist them in communicating their ideas to the public and to the policy community in Washington, DC. This program will also establish an international cohort, which upon completion of their fellowship will be incorporated into the Kennan’s alumni network. A selection committee will choose awardees for a six-month fellowship, beginning in late October 2026 and concluding in March 2027. Fellows will meet virtually once a month, and in the course of their fellowship they will be required to publish a piece for the general public and policy community, working with Kennan Institute staff to develop and edit ideas. The Digital Fellowship is designed to support a diverse range of research proposals and meet the fellows’ needs during the research process, from making professional connections to providing a platform for sharing findings.
The Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship is a response to the challenges of the current moment. This program aims to breathe new life into something that twenty years ago might have been taken for granted: intellectual exchange between the former Soviet Union and the West. The importance of this tradition has been a core tenet of the Kennan’s work throughout its more than fifty-year history. The program’s digital format greatly extends its reach across the globe, an essential first step to reestablishing and adapting fellowships in the institution’s new era.
Target Participants and Qualifications
The envisaged participants of this Fellowship are those engaged in study of Russia and/or broader Eurasia that are seeking an opportunity to foster their skills, professional network, and body of research.
The desired qualifications of applicants include the following:
– The Fellowship is intended for individuals with several years of experience working on, studying, or otherwise examining Russia and/or broader Eurasia.
– Applicants must have a good working knowledge of English as the fellowship will be conducted only in this language. Any publications produced by fellows for the Kennan Institute will be published initially in English, with the possibility of future translation into regional languages.
Objectives
The purpose of the Kennan Institute Digital Fellowship is to:
– Facilitate first-rate research and writing contributing to the field of Russian studies, especially where this work has policy relevance. It will give participants time, professional resources, and support while seeking to bring this work to a wider public and to the Washington-based policy community, actively helping the fellows and writers to accomplish this goal.
– Foster a network. Fellows will get to know one another throughout the program. They will share updates on their work, receive feedback, and build productive working relationships. These ties will be further strengthened when fellows become alumni; the result will be an active network with subsequent generations gaining access to the expertise of fellow alumni.
Number of Fellowships
10 Digital Fellowships will be awarded per year, with at least 4 positions reserved for researchers pursuing topics in the natural sciences, medicine, technology, or related fields.
Dates and Duration of Program
The inaugural Digital Fellowship program will take place from October 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, to be followed by several months of possible integration into the Kennan Institute’s event schedule.
Each selected participant will be provided with:
– A monthly stipend of $2,000 to support their research and participation in the program.
– Mentorship and consultation from the Kennan community of experts, where applicable.
– 6 virtual webinars tailored to the cohort’s unique needs.
– Inclusion in the Kennan’s alumni network of over 4,500 individuals across the globe.
The Kennan Institute will not be providing the following:
– Coverage for travel-related expenses, including visas. The program will take place entirely virtually.
Deadline for Submission: August 14, 2026, 17:00 EST
The Kennan Institute shall not be held liable for any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from or in connection with the services provided. By deciding to apply to the Fellowship and upon selection, participants acknowledge that the organizers bear no responsibility for the actions, omissions, or any other occurrences involving participants. Any claims, liabilities, damages, costs, or expenses related to the services involving the participants will be without implication of liability to the organizers.