Join

Who can Apply

To be eligible for the Next Gen programme, the applicant needs to be affiliated to a COST full, cooperating or partner member state. For more information, check out the list of participating member states on the COST website.

We welcome applications from: 

• PhD students and early career researchers working on topics relevant to peace research. 

• Applicants affiliated with COST Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs) are especially encouraged to apply. 

• The programme is open to anyone interested to participate. There is no need to be a member of the PEACE Action but it is expected of selected participants to actively engage with the working groups and other activities of the Action.

Programme

Participants to the Next Gen programme will benefit from (March – October 2026):

• Two in-person workshops (Kick-off and Closing), providing training on peace research theories and methodologies as well as networking opportunities. Participants will be reimbursed for their travel and accommodation to participate in the workshops.
  • Kick-off workshop in Ljubljana, Slovenia in March 2026 (exact date to be confirmed).
  • Closing workshop in Lisbon, Portugal on 31 August 2026
• Online community calls on a wide range of topics and depending on the need of participants (e.g. career development, funding, mental wellbeing, writing, research-policy impact). Participants will be surveyed about their expectations and topics they like to see covered.
• Individual mentorship from a senior researcher of the PEACE network. The mentorship will be further developed between the mentee and the mentor (e.g.: topics, frequency, …).
• A Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) of up to 2 weeks at a host institution. The selected participants will be able to apply for a grant of max. 1500 euro to fund their research stay.

Selection and Evaluation

Selection and Evaluation 

Applications will be evaluated by the Selection Committee based on: 

• Research quality and relevance to PEACE Action’s goals and Working Groups 

• Motivation and potential for societal impact 

• Contribution to COST Excellence and Inclusiveness policy 

The Selection Committee consists of the PEACE Action Vice-Chair, Grant Awarding Coordinator, and YRI Outreach Coordinator. They will be supported by the relevant WG leadership when evaluating applications. 

Eight participants will be selected for the 2026 cohort. Successful applicants will be matched with mentors and supported in preparing their STSM proposals. 

Application Requirements

Application Requirements 

Please submit the following documents by 4 January 2026 to merel.selleslach@vlaamsparlement.be: 

1. CV (max. 2 pages) highlighting a research background 

2. Motivation statement (max. 1 page) explicitly stating which WG your research focus aligns with most (Peace & Climate; Feminist Peace; Local Peace; Peace & Emerging Technologies; Europe, Peace & Security) 

3. Research proposal (max. 300 words) outlining a question or topic you wish to develop during the programme 

Applicants are encouraged to address the following aspects in their application: 

• CV of the applicant 

• Priority is given to PhD students and early career scholars. 

• Motivation 

• How does your research fit to the PEACE Action’s work and its different working groups? 

• How does the work contribute to societal impact? 

• Expected Outcomes 

• Which Working Group (Peace & Climate; Feminist Peace; Local Peace; Peace & Emerging Technologies; Europe, Peace & Security) of the PEACE Action might benefit from the results of your research? 

• What are your expected outputs of the Next Gen programme (e.g. publications, datasets, new knowledge)? 

• Relevance to the Action Theme  

• How do you want to contribute to the scientific objectives of the PEACE Action? 

• Is there a clear connection to the broader goals of the PEACE Action?