Published Date: 17 July 2026

Applications are now open for the Digital Humanism Fellowship 2026–2027, an exciting international research opportunity for doctoral candidates and early-career postdoctoral researchers interested in exploring the relationship between technology and society. Hosted by the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna, Austria, the fellowship provides scholars with the opportunity to spend three months conducting independent research while joining a vibrant interdisciplinary academic community.

The fellowship is part of the Digital Humanism Program, an initiative dedicated to understanding and shaping the complex interactions between digital technologies and humanity. Rather than focusing solely on technological innovation, the programme encourages research that critically examines how digitalization influences society, politics, economics, ethics, governance, and human rights.

Successful applicants will receive a monthly stipend, access to world-class research facilities, office space, and the opportunity to collaborate with leading scholars from diverse academic disciplines.

Applications close on 21 September 2026.

About the Digital Humanism Fellowship

The Digital Humanism Fellowship is designed to support innovative research that explores the social implications of digital technologies and contributes to creating a more human-centered digital future.

Digital Humanism recognizes that technological progress should not exist independently of human values. Instead, technology should be developed and governed in ways that strengthen democracy, protect universal human rights, promote social well-being, and improve society as a whole.

The fellowship brings together scholars from multiple disciplines to address some of the most important questions arising from rapid digital transformation.

Unlike programmes focused solely on technological innovation, the Digital Humanism Fellowship encourages applicants to examine the ethical, social, political, legal, cultural, and economic dimensions of digitalization.

What Is Digital Humanism?

Digital Humanism is an interdisciplinary research approach that seeks to:

• Understand the relationship between technology and society.
• Examine the societal impact of digital transformation.
• Promote responsible technological development.
• Ensure innovation respects universal human rights.
• Encourage collaboration between technical and non-technical disciplines.
• Shape digital technologies that benefit society.

The programme emphasizes that addressing the challenges of the digital age requires contributions from fields including:

• Computer science
• Political science
• Sociology
• Economics
• Philosophy
• Law
• History
• Anthropology
• Ethics
• Public policy
• Media studies
• International relations
• Other humanities and social science disciplines

Difference Between Digital Humanism and Digital Humanities

Applicants should carefully note that this fellowship does not focus on Digital Humanities.

Projects that simply apply digital tools or technologies to humanities research are not eligible.

Instead, the fellowship seeks research that investigates broader societal questions surrounding digitalization, including:

• Digital governance
• Artificial intelligence and society
• Digital democracy
• Platform regulation
• Data governance
• Digital ethics
• Technology policy
• Privacy
• Human rights in the digital age
• Economic transformation
• Geopolitical implications of technology
• Social consequences of digitalization

Applications should clearly demonstrate how the proposed research contributes to the field of Digital Humanism.

Fellowship Duration

Successful candidates will spend:

Three consecutive months

at the Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) in Vienna.

The fellowship will take place between:

February and June 2027

The exact fellowship period will be synchronized with the residency of the Senior Digital Humanism Visiting Fellow to encourage collaboration and intellectual exchange.

Fellowships always begin on the first day of the first month and conclude on the last day of the third month.

Fellowship Benefits

The fellowship provides generous financial and institutional support.

Monthly Stipend

Successful applicants will receive:

Postdoctoral Fellows

• EUR 3,300 per month

Applicants must have successfully defended their PhD before the application deadline.

Doctoral Candidates

• EUR 2,750 per month

Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral programme at the application deadline.

What the Stipend Covers

The monthly stipend is intended to help fellows cover:

• Accommodation
• Living expenses
• Food
• Local transportation
• International travel to and from Vienna
• Utilities
• Internet and telecommunications
• Health insurance
• Research expenses
• Literature purchases
• Conference fees
• Other personal expenses

Applicants should note that these costs are expected to be covered from the fellowship stipend.

Additional Benefits

Beyond the financial award, fellows receive access to numerous academic resources.

The Institute for Human Sciences provides:

• Office space
• High-speed internet access
• In-house research facilities
• Administrative support
• Access to the IWM scholarly community
• Invitations to seminars and academic events
• Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration

These resources enable fellows to focus fully on advancing their research during the fellowship period.

Who Can Apply?

The fellowship welcomes applications from scholars across all academic disciplines, provided their proposed research aligns with the goals of Digital Humanism.

Eligible applicants include:

Doctoral Candidates

Applicants must:

• Be enrolled in a doctoral programme at the application deadline.

Early-Career Postdoctoral Researchers

Applicants must:

• Have obtained their PhD no more than four years before the application deadline.
• PhD must have been awarded on or after 21 September 2022.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

Applicants should also note the following rules:

• Only one fellowship application may be submitted during the same academic year.
• Candidates who previously received an IWM fellowship must wait three academic years before applying again.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in disqualification.

Required Application Documents

Applicants must prepare the following documents.

1. Letter of Motivation

The letter should explain:

• Why the fellowship is important for the research project.
• How the project connects with IWM’s research mission.
• Research and writing objectives during the fellowship.

2. Short Project Description

Applicants must submit:

• Maximum 550 characters (including spaces)

3. Full Project Proposal

Maximum:

7,500 characters (including spaces)

The proposal should include:

• Project objectives
• Current state of research
• Research methodology
• Work plan

4. Curriculum Vitae

The CV should include:

• Educational background
• Professional experience
• Publications

5. Two Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must arrange:

• Two recommendation letters from scholars familiar with their academic work.

Important:

These letters must be submitted directly by the referees before the application deadline.

After an application is submitted, referees automatically receive instructions via email.

APPLY HERE

Language Requirements

All application materials must be submitted in:

English

Applications submitted in other languages will not be considered.

Important Submission Instructions

Applicants should carefully follow the technical requirements.

Before submission:

• Combine all application documents into one PDF file.
• The online application system accepts only one attachment.
• File names must contain Latin characters only.
• Applications must be submitted through the official online application system.
• Applications sent by email will not be accepted.

Selection Process

Applications first undergo a review to determine whether they satisfy all formal and thematic eligibility requirements.

Eligible applications are then evaluated by an expert jury.

Selection is based on:

• Academic quality
• Relevance to Digital Humanism
• Research proposal
• Overall strength of the application

Notification of Results

Applicants will receive notification of the jury’s decision by:

30 November 2026

Results will be communicated via email.

The jury:

• Is not required to explain its decisions.
• Will not provide individualized feedback.

Application Deadline

The deadline for submitting applications is:

21 September 2026 (23:59 CEST)

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications well before the deadline to allow sufficient time for referees to upload recommendation letters.

Visit HERE to learn more about the Digital Humanism Fellowship 2026–2027 in Austria

Conclusion

The Digital Humanism Fellowship 2026–2027 offers an exceptional opportunity for doctoral candidates and early-career researchers seeking to explore one of the most important issues of our time the relationship between technology and society. Hosted by the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, the fellowship provides financial support, access to outstanding research facilities, and an intellectually stimulating environment where scholars from diverse disciplines collaborate on addressing the societal, political, ethical, and economic implications of digitalization.

With generous monthly stipends, access to a global research community, and the opportunity to spend three months conducting independent research in Austria, this fellowship is ideal for researchers committed to advancing human-centered approaches to digital transformation. Interested applicants should begin preparing their materials early, ensure all required documents are combined into a single PDF, and submit their applications before 21 September 2026.

For more international fellowship opportunities, visit OFY HERE