Fellowship focus 2025-26: Climate Action and Sustainability
The John Smith Trust’s fellowship programmes are for exceptional young professionals committed to working towards the shared goal of creating a fairer, more sustainable, and inclusive future for their country and region.
Citizens from the following countries are eligible to apply for this year’s Wider Europe and Central Asia programme: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan.
Applicants can work in any sector, such as:
- public sector (public administration at local, regional or national levels, politics)
- non-profit sector (civil society, NGOs, think tanks, research/education institutions, media)
- private sector (legal professions, business/social business, finance).
But your work must be connected with climate action and environmental sustainability.
Why apply for the programme?
The programme is a chance for participants to gain insights into the values, ways of working and challenges faced by people and institutions in the UK, and to connect with counterparts and learn from each other’s work.
The four-month programme comprises a series of online workshops followed by a two-week long residential programme in the UK. Each Fellow will participate in a core programme of group trainings, workshops and visits and have an individually tailored programme of meetings related to their action plan. The action plan is an existing project that will be advanced and informed during the fellowship programme and the progress on its implementation will be shared 12 months later.
After completing the programme, participants join the collaborative community of John Smith Fellows and have the opportunity to participate in network activities.
All our programmes are rooted in the belief that the way to find sustainable solutions is to work together, listening and learning from each other.
Programme details
- The programme will run from 1 October 2025 until 5 February 2026.
- From October 2025 to January 2026, Fellows will participate in the online programme.
- Fellows will come to the UK at the end of January 2026 for two weeks for their residential programme.
- The residential includes: leadership and debate training, group sessions and workshops as well as visits to public institutions, policy institutes, and NGOs and meetings with experts across our thematic field.
- Fellows will also have a tailored set of meetings with UK counterparts to enhance their action plan.
Please note that the dates may be subject to change. Attendance of all sessions (online and in-person) is compulsory.
Eligibility
The Trust will select one exceptional and influential future leader from each eligible country to become John Smith Fellows. To apply you must:
- be aged 25-35
- be in permanent employment
- be a citizen and a resident of one of the following 10 countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, or Uzbekistan
- speak and write fluent English (preferably having already studied or worked in English)
- demonstrate a clear professional focus on climate and sustainable development
- demonstrate a commitment to the John Smith Trust’s shared values of tolerance, respect and openness towards one another
- demonstrate your potential as a leader in your chosen professional field, committed to building a fairer, more sustainable, and inclusive society in your home country
- propose an ‘action plan’ addressing a challenge in policy or practice in your field of expertise, which you intend to implement after the programme, and which will be informed by your experience in the UK
- be prepared to make a substantial commitment dedicating time and effort into making the most of the programme and participating actively in the Fellow’s online and in-person community in the long term.
Please see our Fellows’ Charter for more detail on what we expect from Fellows.
The Trust strongly condemns Russia’s unlawful act of aggression on Ukraine and supports the people of Ukraine who are defending their freedom. Fellows who take part in the programme need to accept this position. Please see our statement on the war on Ukraine for more detail.
The Trust will select candidates looking to make the most significant long-term positive impact on their society’s development and not the development of their own careers.
What last year’s Fellows say
Application process
The application process consists of an online application form, an online interview for those who are shortlisted, and a final stage face-to-face interview.
Online interviews are expected to take place in August and in-person interviews in your country in September.
You can find further information, including on ‘action plans’, on our FAQs page.
