Call for Applications: International Fellows Programme

This year, the Programme invites two distinct international cohorts, including a dedicated track for staff and volunteers from youth service organizations operating at global, regional, or national levels.

The Fellows Programme provides specialized training in dialogue facilitation, interreligious dialogue, intercultural communication, and social cohesion promotion, empowering participants to advance these vital skills within their communities or organizations.

The Programme includes theory and history of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, engagement with local religious and interreligious leaders and policy makers in different regions, skills training in dialogue planning and facilitation, and project management, sustainability, and evaluation.

The Programme is designed as a hybrid of three intensive, in-person trainings in different locations, a selection of online classes, and live virtual discussion sessions, over the calendar year. Fellows are provided with small seed grants to implement dialogue projects tailored to the needs of their institutions and communities during the training year.

Benefits

• First Training:
  • Orientation and Capacity Building
• 8 Weeks:
  • Online Courses and Monthly Online Sessions
• Second Training:
  • Developing Interreligious Dialogue Initiatives
• 6 Months:
  • Implementing Interreligious Dialogue Initiative and Continuing Online Sessions
• Third Training:
  • Evaluation and Sustainability Training
• KFAN:
  • Joining KAICIID Fellows Alumni Network

Eligibility Criteria

• Each year, the KAICIID Fellows Programme selects extraordinary leaders and educators, with a proven ability of or potential for advancing interreligious dialogue in their institutions and communities.
• While the minimum age is 21, most fellows are mid-career, with several years of experience and graduate education in their field. 80% of Fellows have been in higher education or religious leadership, while the rest have worked in international development, peace and reconciliation, dialogue organizations, as policy-makers, and in other fields.
• Fellows are organized into cohorts of about 16-20. Each year they offer at least one international, globally diverse cohort open to all applicants. Additional cohorts may be organized for specific regions or specific needs and interest areas.
• In 2026, they are excited to call two international cohorts:
  • The “International Cohort” is open to all applicants globally, with a preference for those in higher education, community or religious leadership, or policy development that impacts religions and religious communities.
  • The “Youth-Focused Cohort” specifically invites staff and volunteers of international, regional, or national youth-focused agencies, organizations, and networks. It is not limited to youth applicants.

Application Requirements

• Requirements:
  • Ability to Engage in Dialogue: Capacity to engage in dialogue on complex topics in English.
  • Institutional Support: Representation or endorsement by an organization or institution.
  • Relevant Background: Experience or education in a field related to religion, interreligious or intercultural dialogue, international development or peacebuilding, or working with religious leaders.
  • Openness to Diversity: Willingness to collaborate with individuals from diverse religious, cultural, and ideological backgrounds.
  • Commitment to Full Participation: Availability and commitment to attend all components of the Programme, including training sessions and online activities.
  • Additional Requirement for the Youth-Focused Cohort: Be international, regional, or national-level staff or volunteer with a youth-focused organization, agency, or network.
• You will be asked to create an account using your full name, a valid email address, and a secure password.
• Please remember your login credentials, as you will need them to access and complete your application.
• The application form must be completed in English.
• Please select the cohort you are applying for, based on the descriptions provided above.
• You may save your progress and return to the form at any time before submitting it.
• Once you click “Submit,” no further edits can be made to your application.
• If you do not have a first or last name, kindly enter N/A in the respective field.
• If you do not have the necessary information for any required field, please enter N/A.
• Each candidate must upload:
  • A Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume, and
  • A Reference or Support Letter from your affiliated institution.

For more information, visit The International Dialogue Centre – KAICIID.