Fellowship 2026

Funded by the European Union and the Hertie Foundation, the Schwarzkopf-Foundation awards two fellowships to young European educators for 2026 as part of the Educational Network Understanding Europe.

What is the aim of the fellowship 2026?

The aim of the fellowship is to support young European educators in developing new workshops on topics related to shared security, transnational solidarity and digital resilience amidst multiple crises. These workshops should be designed for students aged 13 and older, ensuring they are accessible, diversity-oriented, and responsive to the interests and lived experiences of young people. By introducing these new formats into both formal and non-formal educational settings, the programme aims to strengthen the democratic competences of students and young adults. It creates spaces for reflection and exchange around urgent questions: How can security be rethought to protect democracy and serve societies in an age of war, digital disruption, and AI-driven threats? How can transnational solidarity and digital resilience be strengthened in the face of disinformation, manipulation, and multiple overlapping crises? For fellows, the programme offers a unique opportunity to professionalise their social commitment, activism, and passion for educational work.

Fellowship: Security and Competing Narratives

Security today is a multifaceted challenge. It goes beyond traditional defence to include societal resilience, civil preparedness, cyber threats, and the protection of democratic systems. As a Fellow, you will design a peer-to-peer workshop that allows young people to explore a specific aspect of security in depth, understand its impact on communities, and reflect on how collective action can strengthen democratic resilience.

Your workshop might, for example, focus on digital security, crisis preparedness, hybrid threats, or the effects on the discourse around defence on public debate, social cohesion or identity. Through discussion, hands-on activities, and collaborative learning, participants will develop a deeper understanding of these challenges and be empowered to contribute to solutions in their communities.

Fellowship: Beyond the Algorithm Digital Resilience in the Age of AI

In today’s interconnected world, crises cross borders and take many forms: From climate emergencies and political upheavals to digital disruption and AI-driven threats. Disinformation, online manipulation, and rapid technological change make it essential for young people and educators to strengthen digital resilience and reinforce transnational solidarity.

This fellowship supports innovators who want to create learning experiences that tackle these challenges head-on. Fellows design workshops with interactive formats and educational resources that help communities critically engage with AI, digital technologies, and online information, while strengthening connections across Europe and beyond.