The Global Water and Climate Adaptation Centre—Aachen, Bangkok, Chennai, Dresden (ABCD Centre)—is calling for applications for the 2026 Future Environmental Leaders Scholarships.
This opportunity is open to doctoral students from developing countries who are addressing real-world challenges in water security and climate adaptation. The programme supports research stays at leading German institutions, helping scholars turn academic findings into practical, scalable solutions.
Aim
The scholarship aims to nurture future environmental leaders who can bridge the gap between scientific research and real-world application.
Research topics may include:
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Digital modelling of water infrastructure.
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Nature-based adaptation for ecosystem resilience.
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Climate-driven urban water extremes.
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Sustainable business models for unconventional water resources.
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Eco-friendly construction materials for climate adaptation.
Funding details
Selected scholars will spend nine months (March–November 2026) at partner institutions such as RWTH Aachen University, Technische Universität Dresden, or UNU-FLORES in Germany.
Each awardee will receive:
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€1,200/month for living and accommodation expenses
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Up to €105 for insurance
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€1,000 one-time travel stipend
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Up to €1,000 for research materials (via host institution)
Who can apply
Eligible applicants must:
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Be doctoral students enrolled full-time at a university in a developing country.
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Have begun their PhD within the last three years.
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Propose research aligned with the ABCD Centre’s thematic clusters.
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Obtain consent from their home institution and supervisor.
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Be available for the full nine-month research stay in Germany.
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Demonstrate English proficiency and the ability to work online when required.
Application details
Applications are due by November 15, 2025. Interested candidates should forward the following documents as a single PDF to abcd-centre@rwth-aachen.de.
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Personal motivation letter (2–3 pages)
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Sample scientific paper
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Curriculum vitae (CV)
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Two recommendation letters
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Enrollment certificate and transcript (issued within 6 months)
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Passport copy
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Statement on ability to work online
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Confirmation from home supervisor and university regarding project topic, timeline and outreach plan
Interested applicants seeking further information can visit the official website.
Explore our Opportunities page for more academic research scholarships.
Summary not available at this time.
