2026 ADW Future Design Fellowship
External research support for independent, design-led interdisciplinary inquiry under the 2026 annual theme.
An inaugural Fellowship for independent research.
The Fellowship is the core annual funding initiative of the ADW Future Design Scholars Program. It supports scholars and research-led practitioners whose work places design at the centre of inquiry and connects it with other forms of knowledge.
Selected recipients are designated ADW Future Design Scholars and join the founding scholarly community of the Program.
Design Beyond Boundaries: Convergence, Creativity, and Sustainable Innovation
The theme invites projects that cross boundaries among disciplines, technologies, cultures, places, and forms of practice. It understands convergence as a condition for new questions, creativity as a capacity for imagination and action, and sustainable innovation as a commitment to lasting, inclusive, and responsible change.
Explore the theme and six research areasWho the Fellowship is for.
The Fellowship welcomes applicants worldwide, including scholars, postdoctoral researchers, visiting researchers, and research-oriented designers, artists, educators, and creative technologists.
Applicants should normally hold a doctorate, a recognized terminal professional degree, or demonstrate an equivalent record of advanced research and professional practice. Postdoctoral applicants must hold a doctorate and separately meet the appointment requirements of the proposed host institution.
Applications are made by individuals. Projects may involve collaborators, but the Fellowship is awarded to the selected applicant under the terms set out in the individual Award Letter.
A credible setting in which the work can be carried out.
Applicants should identify a proposed university, research institution, laboratory, academic platform, or other appropriate research environment and explain why it is relevant to the project.
Applicants who are already affiliated with the proposed environment should provide evidence of their current appointment or research affiliation. Applicants proposing a new host should provide an offer, invitation, or acceptance document where available. If arrangements are still in development, the application should include available evidence of substantive communication and a clear account of its current status.
The final host arrangement and any related conditions are addressed during award coordination and confirmed in the individual Fellowship Award Letter.
Up to 12 months and up to USD 100,000.
The 2026 ADW Future Design Fellowship may support an approved research period of up to 12 months. The specific duration and start date are determined in relation to the approved research plan, the proposed research environment, and relevant institutional arrangements.
- Monthly stipend
- USD 7,500 during the approved Fellowship period
- Full 12-month stipend
- Up to USD 90,000
- Additional approved support
- Up to USD 10,000 for research activity, academic travel, relocation, and related needs
- Maximum total
- Up to USD 100,000 for a full 12-month Fellowship
The exact period, total amount, payment arrangements, and approved support components vary by project and are confirmed in the recipient's individual Fellowship Award Letter.
Read the full support overviewOne searchable PDF, plus two references.
- Curriculum vitae
- Research proposal · approximately 1,500-2,000 words
- Personal statement · no more than 750 words
- Three representative works · relevant to the proposed research
- Host information and supporting documentation
- Two reference letters · sent separately by the referees
From Open Call to award coordination.
- Applications opened
- Applications closed at 23:59 (UTC+8)
- Academic review and interviews where needed
- Individual selection notifications and award coordination
- Research period, subject to the approved plan and host arrangements
Individual terms follow the approved project.
The Fellowship amount, duration, start date, payment arrangements, research environment, approved support, and any project-specific conditions are communicated directly to selected applicants and formalized in the individual Fellowship Award Letter.
The public website describes the standard 2026 framework. Where an individual Award Letter differs because of the approved project or support period, the Award Letter governs that Fellowship.
Read frequently asked questionsApplications are closed.
For official updates, follow the Program News page or contact the Program Committee.