The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is inviting applications for the 2026 Innovation Fellowship, an annual learning programme designed to strengthen innovation capacity across its workforce and selected partner organizations. This initiative supports humanitarian professionals in developing practical tools, creative confidence, and collaborative approaches to address complex displacement challenges.

The Fellowship focuses on equipping participants with structured innovation methods that can be embedded into everyday work. Rather than centering solely on technology, the programme emphasizes mindset, experimentation, and inclusive problem-solving. Fellows apply what they learn to real operational challenges drawn from their own contexts, progressing through stages of defining problems, generating ideas, testing assumptions, and refining solutions.

Previous Fellows have explored initiatives ranging from reshaping narratives about displaced communities, to strengthening refugee inclusion in planning processes, to identifying more sustainable and community-driven shelter approaches. The programme encourages experimentation and learning by doing, recognizing that meaningful innovation often emerges through reflection and iteration.

Programme Highlights

• Comprehensive curriculum including workshops, assignments, peer-learning sessions, and alumni engagement
• Focus on real-life operational challenges
• Practical tools for experimentation, collaboration, and adaptive leadership
• Fully online learning journey

Application Process

Candidates are invited to submit written and video responses reflecting on their motivation, experiences, and interest in exploring innovation. Applications are reviewed by multiple members of the UNHCR Innovation team to ensure a balanced and fair selection process.

The 2026 Innovation Fellowship offers a structured pathway for humanitarian professionals seeking to rethink how challenges are approached and to foster lasting positive change within their teams and communities. Interested individuals are encouraged to review full eligibility details and submit their applications through the official UNHCR Innovation platform.

Don't miss out on the application deadline which is March 2 2026.