ITS Global Policy Fellowship

About the role

The ITS Global Policy Fellowship Program 2026 is a competitive international fellowship initiative hosted by the Institute for Technology & Society of Rio de Janeiro (ITS Rio). As outlined in the official call for applications published on 28 November 2025, the program marks its 10th edition and is explicitly designed for foreign researchers, students, and professionals with a demonstrated interest in the intersection of technology and public policy. The fellowship provides a structured, four-week residency aimed at deepening participants' understanding of the Brazilian technological landscape through direct engagement with local institutions, policymakers, and civil society actors. The program is part of ITS's broader institutional mission to study the societal impact of technology, with a particular focus on governance, regulation, and digital public infrastructure in Brazil.

According to the official ITS website and associated communications, the fellowship is categorized under Research and Education and operates as a field-based residency in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, and São Paulo. The program emphasizes comparative analysis, policy-oriented research, and structured dialogue between international fellows and Brazilian stakeholders. It is not an academic degree program but rather a professional and research-oriented fellowship that facilitates immersive engagement with Brazil's evolving technology policy ecosystem.

What you'll do

Selected fellows will participate in a structured program that combines field visits, dialogue facilitation, and analytical research. The core responsibilities include:

• Conducting field visits and meetings with ITS partner institutions across Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, and São Paulo to map institutional perspectives on technology policy.
• Organizing and moderating dialogue sessions that bring together researchers, practitioners, civil society representatives, and policymakers to discuss emerging technology challenges.
• Producing analytical outputs, including structured reports and policy-oriented contributions, that examine technology policy issues within the Brazilian context.
• Exploring regulatory dimensions related to content moderation, personal data protection, artificial intelligence, privacy, and digital identity.
• Investigating the socioeconomic implications of Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs) and emerging development models based on distributed technologies.
• Examining the relationship between technology, democratic participation, and civic engagement, including issues such as disinformation, online participation, and the future of work.
• Engaging with themes of technodiversity, climate technology, innovation ecosystems, and digital inclusion.
• Developing comparative insights that link Brazilian experiences with global trends in technology governance.
• Documenting findings and contributing to the ITS knowledge ecosystem through reports and other structured outputs.
• Contributing to public dialogue via articles, events, and collaborative outputs with partner institutions.

These activities are designed to foster a deep, experiential understanding of how technology policy is shaped, implemented, and contested in Brazil, while enabling fellows to reflect on broader global trends.

Requirements

The official call for applications specifies the following eligibility and participation requirements:

• Applicants must identify as researchers, students, or professionals with a clear interest in technology and public policy.
• Successful candidates must be available to commit to the full four-week program schedule in Brazil, with participation in activities across Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, and São Paulo.
• Applicants must select and focus their research or engagement within one of the three main program areas:

1. Rights and Technology, covering topics such as content moderation, personal data protection, artificial intelligence, privacy, intellectual property, digital identity, and connectivity.

2. GovTech, including new development models, distributed technologies, economic and social processes, and Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs).

3. Democracy and Technology, addressing themes such as disinformation, civic engagement, AI and climate, online participation, future of work, and technodiversity.

• Applicants must demonstrate engagement with relevant topics, such as those listed above, in their academic or professional background.
• Proficiency in English is a mandatory requirement to ensure full participation in program activities and the production of analytical outputs.

Nice to have

• Have prior experience collaborating with technology institutions or policy-focused civil society organizations.
• Have a background in research or policy output production related to technology and regulation.
• Are familiar with Brazilian technological policy debates and digital infrastructure initiatives.

Practical notes

• The list of approved applications will be published on the ITS website on 28 February.
• The program includes travel, accommodation, and coordination with partner institutions in the three cities.
• Further information and application submission procedures are available through official ITS contact channels and the institute's official website.
• The program is supported by institutional partners, including previous collaborations such as the UK-Brazil Data Protection Fellowship, and is part of broader ITS research initiatives funded by entities such as Google's Policy Fellowship Program in Latin America.

This fellowship represents a unique opportunity for international professionals to engage directly with Brazil's technology policy landscape, contributing to and learning from one of the most dynamic digital governance environments in the Global South.