UNESCO, with the Government of Japan

UNESCO administers the Keizo Obuchi Young Researchers' Fellowships Programme with funding from the Government of Japan through the Japanese Funds-in-Trust. The programme supports researchers aged 40 or under from invited member states, including 47 African countries, to carry out research in Japan for between three and nine months. Awards are up to 10,000 US dollars, covering travel, accommodation, insurance, subsistence and justified research costs, but not tuition, equipment or publication. The 2026 cycle prioritises heritage conservation and artificial intelligence applied to natural resources and climate, ethics and inclusion, cities and infrastructure, and education. Candidates must be nominated by their National Commission for UNESCO.