Applications are now open for the CATS Fellowship Programme 2026–2027, an international research opportunity hosted by the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) through the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) in Berlin, Germany.

The fellowship supports advanced research focusing on Turkey’s political, economic, technological, and geopolitical developments within a European and global context. Selected fellows will undertake independent research while collaborating with leading scholars and policy experts.

Programme Overview

• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Programme Type: Research Fellowship
• Earliest Start Date: September 2026
• Funding: Fully Funded

The programme aims to strengthen evidence-based policy research and promote deeper understanding of Turkey’s evolving regional and international role.

Fellowship Research Themes

1. Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence

Research may explore:

• Turkey’s national digital transformation and AI strategy
• Governance of data, platforms, and emerging technologies
• AI impacts on defence, cyber resilience, and governance structures
• Economic and labour implications of technological change

2. Critical Raw Materials (CRMs)

Key areas include:

• Governance of rare earth elements and mineral resources
• Geoeconomic competition over strategic resources
• Links between mineral policy, foreign relations, and industrial transformation
• EU–Turkey cooperation on supply chains and sustainability

3. Energy Transition and Climate Change

Topics may address:

• Energy transition policies and structural challenges
• Climate impacts on governance, development, and society
• Water security and environmental governance
• Interaction between energy security and climate commitments

4. Turkish Foreign and Security Policy

Potential research areas:

• Strategic autonomy and alliance relations
• Regional security dynamics across Eurasia, the Middle East, and the Black Sea
• Maritime security and defence modernisation
• Energy corridors, connectivity, and geopolitical competition

Don't miss out on the application deadline which is 30 April 2026.