Call for BrIAS 2026-2027 by VUB

The Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies (BrIAS), co-founded by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB-EUTOPIA) and the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB-CIVIS), attracts top international experts, artists, and designers to explore themes with a great societal impact. The fellowship call at the BrIAS offers high-level researchers and experts from foreign universities, institutes or organisations an unparalleled opportunity to join the institute as fellows for the Academic year 2026/27.

BrIAS hosts these “Senior Fellows” for up to five months, offering a residential, interdisciplinary, collaborative, free-spirited environment, fostering mutual cross-fertilization of ideas.

BrIAS selected “Democratic governance: Challenges and innovations” as the new topic for 2025-06 to 2027-09. This theme will be directed by Professors Emilie van Haute (ULB) and Silvia Erzeel (VUB). They will tackle the following themes:

1. Polarization, Division and Violence
2. Democratic short-termism and sustainability
3. Technology, misinformation and AI
4. Diversity. inequality and inclusion

Fellowships involve coming to Brussels between 15 January 2026 and 15 September 2027, for a stay between three and five months, ideally including months from January to May when the traditional weekly BrIAS seminars are being organised. During the rest of the academic year, a few topical activities may be organised. The Senior Fellows are expected to provide at least one BrIAS Talk related to the theme and commit to attending and participating in all BrIAS events and social activities.  

In addition to the reimbursement of travel expenses to and from Brussels, Senior Fellows will be provided with accommodation and an additional contribution towards extra living expenses.   

One Senior Fellowship will be prioritised for a high-level candidate coming from a EUTOPIA partner university or strategic partner.
 

About The Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies

BrIAS was founded in 2018 by the two universities of Brussels, the VUB and the ULB. The first pilot programme started up in 2022 and continued until 2023 on the theme of “The past, present and future of food and sustainability”. The second programme on “Sustainable Robotics” was launched in 2024. To date, BrIAS hosted 61 Senior Fellows, 20 Junior Fellows, 3 Resident Artists, and more than 250 Guest Speakers coming from 70 universities, research institutes or policy centres and 30 countries.  

In the spring of 2024, BrIAS moved into its permanent premises within walking distance from the two universities of Brussels. The BrIAS premises feature 18 available apartments, a co-working space, a meeting room, a seminar hall with an 80-person capacity, and a convivial space with a communal kitchen for fellows and their families to meet and relax. 

BrIAS will cover travel and living expenses during their stay in Brussels. In the case that fellows receive no other external funding, lodging expenses will also be covered by BrIAS. Fellows will also be supported and integrated into the local research groups via the academic teams from both universities.
 

Application procedure:

Interested candidates should send an application to contact@brias.be, indicating why they would like to participate and which expertise they can offer during their stay.

Interested candidates should send an application to contact@brias.be, indicating why they would like to participate and which expertise they can offer during their stay.  Deadline for applications is 1 October 2025. The selection will be based exclusively on scientific excellence.  

Application deadline: 

1 October 2025
 

Contact details:

For more information on BrIAS in general or on the “Democratic governance: Challenges and innovations” theme, please check our website brias.be.
More information on the Fellowships will be provided upon request by Anja Garone, BrIAS Administrative Manager, at contact@brias.be.