TWAS offers fellowships to young scientists in developing countries to enable them to spend three to 12 months at a research institution in a developing country other than their own. The purpose of these fellowships is to enhance the research capacity of promising scientists, especially those at the beginning of their research careers, helping them to foster links for further collaboration.
The World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries, known worldwide by its acronym, TWAS, supports sustainable prosperity through research, education, policy, and diplomacy. The Academy is based in Trieste, Italy.
TWAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists from the developing world, under the leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and Nobel laureate. They shared a belief that developing nations, by building strength in science and engineering, could build the knowledge and skill to address such challenges as hunger, disease, and poverty. From the start, the Academy had essential support from Italian scientists and political leaders.
The Third World Academy of Sciences, as it was originally known, was inaugurated officially in 1985 during a ceremony attended by United Nations Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar. Initially, TWAS had 42 elected fellows, nine of them Nobel laureates. The name was changed twice: in 2004, to “The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World” and, in 2012, to the current one, “The World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries”. Today, TWAS has 1,296 elected fellows — some of the world’s most accomplished scientists and engineers — representing more than 100 countries; 11 of them are Nobel laureates. About 84 percent come from developing nations, and the rest are scientists from the developed world whose work has had a significant impact in the South. TWAS fellows are the foundation for all of the Academy’s work.
TWAS and its partners offer over 600 fellowships per year to scientists in the developing world who want to pursue a doctoral degree and postdoctoral research. TWAS prizes and awards are among the most prestigious given for scientific work in the developing world. The Academy allocates almost $1 million in research grants every year to individual scientists and research groups. It also supports visiting scientists and provides funding for regional and international science meetings.
Location:
ItalyBenefits
Terms of the Fellowships
- The fellowships are offered for a minimum of three months and a maximum of twelve months.
- TWAS covers international low-cost airfare plus a contribution towards subsistence amounting to a maximum of USD 300 per month. No other costs will be provided by TWAS.
- The host institution is expected to provide accommodation and food as well as research facilities.
- Fellowships are awarded by the TWAS Fellowships Committee on the basis of scientific merit.
Eligibilities
- The fellowships are for research and advanced training. They are offered to young scientists holding at least an MSc or equivalent degree.
- Eligible applicants for the fellowships are young scientists working in any area of natural sciences who are citizens of a developing country and are employed by a research institution in a developing country.
- There is no age limit. However, preference is given to young scientists at the beginning of their research career and those working in Least Developed Countries.
- Lists of possible host institutions divided by field are available on the official website. These lists are only a suggestion and institutions that are not included are acceptable as long as they are in a developing country.
- Institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China, are not eligible host institutions under this program. Applicants interested in conducting a fellowship in China are required to check whether their chosen host is a CAS institute. For a complete list of CAS institutes, see English.cas.cn/institutes/. Applicants wishing to attend a CAS institute should either apply to the CAS-TWAS President’s Postgraduate Fellowship Programme or consider the CAS Fellowships for Postdoctoral and Visiting Scholars from Developing Countries
- Note that the Fellowships are provided for South-South visits only, i.e. for visits by researchers from developing countries to institutions in other developing countries.
- Please be advised that applicants may apply for only one program per calendar year in the TWAS and OWSD portfolio. Applicants will not be eligible to visit another institution in that year under the TWAS Visiting Professor programs.
- One exception: the head of an institution that invites an external scholar to share his/her expertise under the TWAS Visiting Professor programs may still apply for another program.
Application Process
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Applicants must complete the online application form by clicking on the ‘Apply now’ button at the bottom of this page.
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While filling in the online application, applicants also need to upload the following documentation:
- scanned copy of your passport, even if expired (page with your name and surname);
- CV, maximum five pages including publications;
- Supporting Statement from Head of Home Institution;
- two reference letters of senior scientists familiar with your work. Please note that the Head of your Home Institution cannot be one of your referees;
- MSc certificate and relevant university transcripts;
- Official invitation letter from the Head of the Host Institute;
Application Deadline: October 9, 2023
Application ClosedOfficial link
