Application Deadline: 24 February, 2026

Applications are now open for the 2026 UNIDIR Women in AI Fellowship. The program is designed as a capacity-building intervention that endows women diplomats with up-to-the-minute knowledge of the policy, legal and technical aspects of AI. Women in AI Fellows acquire the knowhow, skills, resources and networks required to engage effectively in multilateral AI discussion in the field of international peace and security.

Structure

The Women in AI Fellowship comprises a week-long, in-person training in Geneva. The fellowship is structured around three key pillars for a holistic and effective programme of learning:

1. Education: UNIDIR provides the fellows with a substantive introduction to AI technology, including its strengths and limitations; an overview of the possible and observed use cases of AI in security applications; related international security concerns surrounding AI; background to and current multilateral discussions around AI policy and governance; and insights into the links between military AI and considerations of law, ethics and gender. Learning activities are led by UNIDIR researchers in collaboration with relevant experts and stakeholder organizations.
2. Exploration: Apart from lectures, UNIDIR facilitates the fellows’ interactions with stakeholders engaging in practical applications of AI in technical and academic settings. This will allow fellows to receive targeted briefings and to gain a better sense of the ecosystems involved in AI design, development, deployment and governance.
3. Networking: UNIDIR also streamlines fellows’ engagements with relevant stakeholders to enable the forging of strong connections with the diplomatic community, the private sector and civil society. This includes a) the organization of a reception with the diplomatic community in Geneva, and b) a series of virtual meetings with a group of multi-sectoral experts working at the intersections of gender, security and technology. The fellows also benefit from and become part of the UNIDIR Alumni Network and the UNIDIR Expert Network on the Governance of Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain.

Selection criteria

• The fellowship is open to women diplomats and government representatives who:
  • are junior to mid-career level
  • are representatives of UN Member States
  • have a strong command of both written and spoken English
  • have an interest in security, technology and/or gender
•  Applications will be carefully screened by UNIDIR on the basis of the criteria specified above, and applicants will be informed of the result of their application regardless of their selection status.
• The fellowship is delivered free of charge. Financial support for travel to and accommodation in Geneva for the week-long training programme will be available for a select number of participants. Fellows from developing countries will be prioritized for this support.

Application requirements

UN Member States and Delegations of international or regional organizations are invited to nominate women diplomats and government representatives for the fellowship through their respective diplomatic representation. While multiple nominations from Member States and Delegations are possible, UNIDIR will select only one fellow per entity to ensure regional diversity.

Please submit the following supporting documents by email to sectec-unidir@un.org with the subject line “2026 UNIDIR Women in AI Fellowship Application”:

• Copy of passport;
• Curriculum vitae of no more than two pages;
• Two recommendation letters, one of which should be from the applicant’s national government or diplomatic representation to the UN;
• A one-page letter of interest detailing the applicant’s experience and interest in the areas covered by the fellowship, as well as an outline of how they envisage using knowledge gained during the programme.

Please ensure that the applicant’s email address is included in the CC field of the email to UNIDIR.

Key dates

• Tuesday, 24 February – Deadline for submission of applications (midnight, CET)
• Mid-March – Announcement of selected fellows
• Monday, 8 June – Friday, 12 June – In-person training in Geneva