ICEGOV 2026 Opens Scholarship Applications for Authors Presenting Research in Digital Governance ·Unknown

The International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2026) has opened applications for its scholarship programme, providing financial support to selected authors whose research has been accepted for presentation at the conference. Coordinated by the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), the initiative aims to increase participation from students and researchers, particularly those from emerging economies.

The scholarship programme reflects UNU-EGOV’s commitment to strengthening global collaboration in digital governance by helping researchers showcase their work, build international academic networks, and engage with policymakers, practitioners, and fellow scholars from around the world.

Applications for the scholarship must be submitted by 24 July 2026.

Supporting Emerging Researchers in Digital Governance

The ICEGOV Scholarship Programme is primarily designed to assist students and researchers from low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income economies, as classified by the World Bank. While priority is given to students from these countries, any author of an accepted conference paper is eligible to apply.

Since its introduction in 2014, the programme has awarded approximately 300 scholarships to authors representing 56 countries. According to UNU-EGOV, around 85% of all scholarships have been granted to researchers from emerging economies, highlighting the programme’s focus on expanding global participation in digital governance research.

Scholarship Benefits

Successful applicants will receive financial assistance that includes:

• Free registration for the ICEGOV 2026 conference.
• A US$300 lump-sum grant.

The financial award is intended to help offset participation expenses. However, applicants should note that the scholarship does not cover:

• International or domestic travel costs.
• Accommodation expenses.
• Visa application costs.
• Other personal travel-related expenses.

Participants are therefore encouraged to arrange travel and apply for any required visas as early as possible.

Payment Conditions

The US$300 grant will be transferred directly to each recipient’s bank account after the conference.

To qualify for payment, recipients must:

• Attend the conference in person.
• Participate throughout all four conference days.
• Attend the Doctoral Colloquium in full if their accepted paper is part of that programme.

UNU-EGOV advises that scholarship payments may take up to two months following the conclusion of the conference.

Eligibility Criteria

Because scholarship funding is limited, preference will be given to applicants who satisfy both of the following conditions:

• They are enrolled as students during the 2025/26 academic year.
• They originate from a low-income, lower-middle-income, or upper-middle-income economy.

For scholarship purposes, eligible students include individuals currently enrolled in:

• Bachelor’s degree programmes.
• Master’s degree programmes.
• Doctoral (PhD) programmes.

Applicants undertaking postdoctoral research are not considered students under the scholarship guidelines.

Country classifications will follow the latest World Bank income categories.

Required Supporting Documents

Applicants who indicate they are students must provide proof of enrolment for the 2025/26 academic year.

The document must:

• Be written in English.
• Be submitted as a PDF file.
• Be emailed to the conference organisers.

Failure to provide proof of enrolment may affect eligibility for the scholarship.

Scholarship Application Requirements

Applicants will be required to provide the following information through the online application form:

• Full legal name (matching passport or national ID).
• Email address.
• Gender (for statistical purposes only).
• Country of residence.
• Nationality.
• Institutional affiliation and country.
• Title and identification number of accepted conference paper(s).
• Student status.
• A written statement explaining why the scholarship is being requested.

Applicants are reminded to submit only one application.

Where a paper has multiple co-authors, only one author may apply for a scholarship. If multiple authors from the same accepted paper submit applications, the organisers warn that all related applications may be disqualified.

About ICEGOV

The International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) was established in 2007 to create a global platform for sharing research, innovations, and practical experiences in electronic governance, now more widely known as digital governance.

Since its inaugural conference in Macau, ICEGOV has been hosted in 16 cities across 15 countries on six continents, bringing together representatives from academia, governments, international organisations, civil society, and industry.

The conference is coordinated by the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), headquartered in Guimarães, Portugal.

UNU-EGOV serves as a policy-oriented think tank within the United Nations system, conducting multidisciplinary research on digital governance, sustainable development, social inclusion, public sector innovation, and active citizenship. Through initiatives such as ICEGOV, the institution seeks to promote evidence-based policymaking and international collaboration to address emerging governance challenges.

Opportunity for Global Researchers

The ICEGOV 2026 Scholarship Programme provides an important opportunity for researchers—particularly students from developing and emerging economies—to present their work on an international stage while expanding professional networks within the global digital governance community.

With conference registration fully covered and additional financial assistance available, the programme continues to reduce barriers to participation and strengthen international research collaboration in one of the world’s fastest-evolving policy fields.

Researchers with accepted papers are encouraged to complete their scholarship applications before the 24 July 2026 deadline and ensure all required documentation is submitted in accordance with the conference guidelines.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the  organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official  organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.