TWAS–SISSA–Lincei 2026: Funded Research Visit in Italy

TWAS–SISSA–Lincei 2026 at a Glance

UNESCO-TWAS, together with the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and SISSA, supports young scientists from Least Developed Countries who want to undertake collaborative research or specialized training at selected Centres of Excellence in Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

Visits last three months and are intended to strengthen scientific capacity while building longer-term collaboration between researchers in Least Developed Countries and laboratories in Trieste and Udine.

Research proposals must fall within the programme’s approved scientific fields and should contribute to areas relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Who Can Apply?

The programme is specifically designed for young researchers from Least Developed Countries who are already professionally connected to a research institution in an LDC.

Core eligibility requirements

• Be no more than 40 years old on 31 December 2026.
• Hold at least an MSc or higher degree.
• Be a national of a country currently classified by the United Nations as a Least Developed Country.
• Hold a research position at an institution located in a Least Developed Country.
• Propose research or training in one of the programme’s approved scientific fields.
• Ensure the proposed work is relevant to sustainability science and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Not already be present in Italy at the time relevant to the application or visit.

One TWAS/OWSD programme per year

TWAS states that applicants may apply for only one programme per calendar year within the TWAS and OWSD portfolio and may not undertake another TWAS-supported institutional visit during that same year.

What Does the Programme Fund?

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation provide support through UNESCO-TWAS.

The current official programme description states that support includes:

• travel expenses associated with the visit; and
• subsistence costs during the research stay in Italy.

The programme is best described as a funded research visit rather than quoting an unsupported cash value.

Eligible Host Institutions in Italy

Applicants must identify an eligible host laboratory and obtain agreement from a suitable supervisor before submitting the complete application.

Eligible Research Areas

The programme does not accept unrestricted proposals across every discipline. Applicants must work within the specific areas associated with eligible host institutions.

Current areas include, among others:

• astroparticle physics, astrophysics and cosmology;
• condensed matter and theoretical physics;
• statistical physics and particle physics;
• neuroscience and genomics;
• mathematics and scientific computing;
• life sciences and computational biology;
• oceanography and sustainable blue economy;
• geophysics and seismology;
• chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences;
• artificial intelligence, big data and computer science;
• biomedicine and biotechnology;
• environmental biology;
• agriculture and animal sciences;
• materials and quantum science;
• electron microscopy and nanoscience;
• high-performance computing;
• synchrotron and X-ray science;
• selected psychology, social science and humanities areas; and
• science outreach.

Applicants should not rely on this summary alone. The exact host-specific field must be checked on the official programme page and current application form.

Documents Required

The programme-specific TWAS instructions require applications to be prepared in English.

What the invitation letter should establish

The invitation should confirm the proposed three-month visit, the planned scientific cooperation and that the candidate and host have already discussed the work, timing and facilities required.

How to Apply for TWAS–SISSA–Lincei 2026

1. Confirm your eligibility. Check nationality, age, degree, research-employment status and scientific field.
2. Select an eligible Italian host institution. Match your research needs to one of the listed laboratories or universities.
3. Identify a potential host supervisor. Review the host’s research groups before making contact.
4. Contact the prospective host. Introduce your research background and propose a realistic three-month project or training plan.
5. Secure an invitation letter. The host must confirm the research cooperation, proposed timing and availability of relevant facilities.
6. Download the current application form. Use the form linked from the official TWAS programme page.
7. Prepare all supporting documents. Ensure signatures and document requirements are complete.
8. Arrange two recommendation letters. Referees must submit recent signed letters separately to TWAS.
9. Submit according to the programme-specific TWAS instructions. The current programme page instructs applicants to send the complete signed application package by email to exchanges@twas.org.
10. Submit before 31 October 2026. TWAS does not currently specify a deadline time on its current call listing, so candidates should avoid waiting until the final day.

Selection and Programme Conditions

TWAS states that awards are decided by a Selection Committee on the basis of scientific merit.

Applicants should also note that:

• incomplete or unsigned applications are not accepted;
• part-time visits are ineligible;
• successful applicants may not take up other assignments during the programme;
• awardees must provide evidence that they will return to their home country after completion; and
• the visit is intended to strengthen research capacity and longer-term scientific cooperation.

CareerAidHub Applicant Guidance

Secure the host before spending time on the final application

The invitation letter is a core application requirement. Start with the host-institution and supervisor search rather than drafting a generic proposal first.

Design a project that can realistically be completed in three months

The strongest project is not necessarily the largest. Focus on a defined method, experiment, dataset, technical skill or collaborative work package that can produce a clear output during the available visit.

Make the home-country benefit explicit

Your sustainability statement should explain how the training, method or collaboration will continue after you return to your home institution rather than presenting the Italian visit as an isolated research trip.

Connect the proposal to a specific SDG outcome

Avoid simply listing several SDGs. Explain the scientific mechanism by which the proposed work contributes to one or two relevant development challenges.

Researchers can also explore CareerAidHub’s Italy research and fellowship opportunities, ICGEB Arturo Falaschi Short-Term Fellowship, and research opportunities hub.