Echidna Global Scholars Program 2027: $26,500 Fellowship for Education and Gender Equality Leaders

Overview

The Brookings Institution invites applications for the Echidna Global Scholars Program Visiting Fellowship, hosted by the Center for Universal Education in Washington, D.C. The programme supports experienced professionals dedicated to promoting gender equality in and through education. Participants engage in a structured fellowship combining a research design retreat, a remote pre-residency, a four-month on-site residency, and post-residency impact activities designed to influence education policy in their home countries.

Who can apply

Applicants must be experienced professionals with strong ties to the Global South and a clear intention to return there after the residency. Eligible candidates hold a Master's degree and have a minimum of 10 years of professional experience across fields such as educational research, gender studies, international development, public policy, or related social sciences. Candidates must demonstrate English proficiency along with strong research, analytical, and writing capabilities.

What you get

Selected fellows are awarded a total stipend of US$26,500 to assist with living expenses during the pre-residency and residency phases. Additional provisions include round-trip travel costs, single-occupancy housing for the four-month residency, visa-related expense support, coverage for the research design retreat, and a limited health insurance plan. Fellows also receive research mentorship, leadership development, and publishing opportunities through Brookings platforms.

Requirements

Participants must commit roughly 15 to 20 hours per week during the remote pre-residency from June to July 2027 to handle in-country data collection and preliminary analysis. The subsequent residency in Washington, D.C., from August to December 2027 requires full-time, on-site participation of approximately 40 hours per week to finalize research, produce a policy brief, and take part in seminars and networking events.

Key dates

The application deadline is 1 December 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The programme gets underway around 15 June 2027, beginning with a kickoff and research design retreat in April 2027, followed by the pre-residency from June to July 2027 and the residency from August to December 2027.