International Visiting Fellowships 2026 Round 2: Advance Women’s Online Safety Research

Are you a researcher or professional focused on women’s safety online? The International Visiting Fellowships 2026 Round 2 from the Centre for Protecting Women Online at The Open University offers a great chance to advance your work. This program brings experts together to tackle digital safety issues through collaboration and research.

Overview of the Fellowships

The Centre for Protecting Women Online at The Open University has opened applications for Round 2 of the International Visiting Fellowships 2026. It targets global researchers and professionals who study protecting women online and digital safety. Fellows get time to focus on their projects, create new outputs, and work with the centre’s academics and partners. Both in-person and online options make it open to people worldwide.

Purpose of the Program

This fellowship aims to build strong research on keeping women safe in digital spaces. It fosters teamwork between international experts. The goals include growing research networks in academia and beyond, creating joint projects with partners, sharing knowledge across regions, and boosting public awareness. Fellows can share their findings at centre events and connect with a wide academic community.

Fellowship Types

The program offers two main formats to fit different needs.

Residential Fellowships

These involve travel to the UK for hands-on work. The centre covers travel and housing costs if your home institution does not. Fellowships last 4 to 12 weeks and start from October 2026. This setup allows deep collaboration with centre staff.

Virtual Fellowships

These take place online from anywhere. They suit those who cannot travel. Fellows still team up with researchers and partners in a flexible way. This option keeps the focus on research without location barriers.

Key Benefits

Fellows gain many advantages to support their careers:

• Work directly with top researchers at the centre.
• Access global networks and partners.
• Co-create projects and publishable outputs.
• Present at centre events.
• Get mentorship, especially for early-career researchers.
• Have a dedicated academic guide during the fellowship.
• Join diverse research settings.
• Help real-world efforts on digital safety for women.

These perks help build skills and visibility in the field.

Responsibilities of Fellows

Fellows play an active role in the centre’s activities. They must join academic and public events, attend seminars, take part in research talks, complete planned outputs, and support the centre’s goals. This ensures everyone contributes to a lively research community.

Important Dates

Keep these deadlines in mind:

• Application closes on 31 May 2026.
• Results announced by end of June 2026.
• Fellowships begin from October 2026.

Start preparing early to meet the timeline.

How to Apply

Submit your application by email to [email protected]. Use the official form and include these details:

• Your research focus and how it links to the centre.
• Proposed project or how you will contribute to current work.
• How the fellowship aids your growth.
• Planned activities and outputs.
• Choice of residential or virtual format.
• Suggested start date and time commitment.

Contact the centre first to talk about your ideas. More details are at the centre’s page on international visiting fellows.

Frequently Asked Questions