CGIAR Climate, Peace and Security Spring School 2026: Fully Funded Opportunity for Early Career Researchers in South Africa

The CGIAR Climate, Peace and Security Spring School 2026 is inviting early career researchers in South Africa to apply for a fully funded three-day research training programme. Selected participants will receive travel, accommodation and meals. Applications close on 14 August 2026.

Early career researchers based in South Africa are invited to apply for the Climate, Peace and Security Spring School 2026, an interdisciplinary research training programme organised by the University of Fort Hare and the CGIAR Climate Security team.

The three-day programme will take place from 2 to 4 September 2026 at the University of Fort Hare’s East London Campus in South Africa. It will bring together early career researchers interested in the connections between climate change, peace, security, conflict, migration and development.

Selected participants will receive support covering travel, accommodation and meals, making this a valuable fully funded research training opportunity for eligible applicants.

The application deadline is 14 August 2026.

Background & Programme Description

Climate change is creating increasing pressure on livelihoods, natural resources and communities across Southern Africa. These pressures can interact with social, political and economic challenges and may contribute to tensions, insecurity, conflict and displacement.

The Climate, Peace and Security Spring School has been designed to strengthen the capacity of researchers and professionals working on these interconnected issues.

The programme is organised by the University of Fort Hare and the CGIAR Climate Security team at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of the Free State.

The Spring School will focus on interdisciplinary learning, practical training, fieldwork and regional networking.

Its broader objective is to help early career researchers develop the knowledge and practical skills required to generate evidence that can contribute to climate-resilient and peace-positive policies and practices.

Who Can Apply?

The programme is open to early career researchers currently living in South Africa.

Eligible applicants may include:

Master’s students;
PhD students;
Postdoctoral research fellows; and
Young professionals.

Applicants may come from a range of academic and professional backgrounds connected to climate, peace, security and development.

Relevant fields mentioned in the call include:

Environmental science;
Peace and conflict studies;
Political science;
Migration;
Sociology;
Development studies; and
Related disciplines.

The organisers also strongly encourage women and applicants from underrepresented groups to apply.

An important eligibility requirement is that applicants must currently live in South Africa.

Research and Professional Areas

The Spring School is particularly relevant to applicants whose research or professional work examines the relationships between environmental change and social, political or security challenges.

The interdisciplinary structure allows participants from different academic backgrounds to learn from one another and examine climate, peace and security challenges from multiple perspectives.

Applicants do not necessarily need to work within a single discipline. The programme welcomes researchers working across several related fields, reflecting the interconnected nature of climate and security challenges in Southern Africa.

What Participants Will Learn

The Climate, Peace and Security Spring School combines academic learning with practical activities.

Participants will learn from academics and practitioners through interactive lectures and hands-on training covering climate, peace and security.

The programme is intended to provide participants with practical skills that can strengthen their research and professional work.

Participants will also take part in group projects, allowing them to apply concepts and approaches introduced during the training.

A field visit will provide an opportunity to connect the learning from the Spring School with practical contexts.

Together, these activities are designed to strengthen participants’ ability to generate evidence and contribute to climate-resilient and peace-positive policy and practice.

Regional Networking Opportunities

Networking is another important component of the programme.

Researchers working on climate, peace and security issues can often benefit from collaboration across academic disciplines and national contexts.

The Spring School will create opportunities for participants to build regional research and professional networks.

For Master’s and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and young professionals, these connections may provide opportunities to exchange ideas, identify areas for collaboration and develop stronger regional perspectives on climate and security challenges.

Fully Funded Participation

One of the major advantages of this Spring School is that selected participants will have key participation-related costs covered.

According to the call information, travel, accommodation and meals will be covered for every selected participant.

This makes the programme particularly relevant to early career researchers who may otherwise face financial barriers to attending international or regional research training programmes.

Applicants should nevertheless review the full call for applications for any additional financial or logistical conditions associated with participation.

Programme Dates and Location

The Spring School will take place over three days.

Programme dates: 2–4 September 2026

Venue: University of Fort Hare, East London Campus, South Africa

Applicants should ensure that they can participate throughout the programme dates before submitting an application.

Application Requirements

Interested applicants are required to complete the online application form.

The application should include:

A current CV; and
A cover letter explaining the applicant’s interest in the Spring School and how the programme relates to their research or professional work.

Applicants should use the cover letter to clearly explain why the Climate, Peace and Security Spring School is relevant to their current academic or professional activities.

A strong application should establish a clear connection between the applicant’s research or professional interests and the themes addressed by the Spring School.

Application Deadline

The deadline to apply is:

14 August 2026

Because the programme begins on 2 September 2026, applicants should submit their materials before the deadline and ensure that all required information is complete.

Interested candidates are also encouraged to consult the full call for applications for complete eligibility and application information before submitting their application.

How to Apply

Applicants should complete the online application form and submit the required CV and cover letter.

The application should explain the applicant’s interest in climate, peace and security and demonstrate how participation would connect with their existing research or professional work.

Applicants should also confirm that they currently live in South Africa and fall within the early career researcher or young professional categories described by the organisers.

The programme is being offered by the University of Fort Hare and the CGIAR Climate Security team in collaboration with partner universities and is supported through the CGIAR Food Frontiers and Security Program.

Why This Opportunity Matters

The relationship between climate change and peace and security is becoming increasingly important in Southern Africa, where environmental pressures can intersect with livelihoods, migration, resource pressures and social tensions.

For researchers at the early stages of their careers, developing the ability to examine these issues across disciplines can strengthen both research quality and policy relevance.

The Spring School offers a combination of research training, practical learning, fieldwork and networking rather than focusing exclusively on classroom-based instruction.

The opportunity may therefore be particularly valuable for Master’s and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and young professionals seeking to broaden their understanding of climate-security connections and develop regional professional networks.

Key Details at a Glance

Programme: Climate, Peace and Security Spring School 2026
Organisers: University of Fort Hare and CGIAR Climate Security team
Collaborating institutions: University of KwaZulu-Natal and University of the Free State
Target applicants: Early career researchers and young professionals
Eligible location: Applicants currently living in South Africa
Fields: Environmental science, peace and conflict studies, political science, migration, sociology, development studies and related fields
Funding: Travel, accommodation and meals covered for selected participants
Duration: Three days
Dates: 2–4 September 2026
Venue: University of Fort Hare, East London Campus, South Africa
Application deadline: 14 August 2026
Required documents: Current CV and cover letter
Activities: Lectures, hands-on training, group projects, field visit and networking

Final Advice for Applicants

Researchers interested in this opportunity should begin preparing their applications immediately because the deadline is 14 August 2026.

The cover letter is particularly important because applicants are asked to explain both their interest in the Spring School and how it relates to their research or professional work.

Applicants should clearly demonstrate their connection to climate, peace and security themes while showing how the training could contribute to their academic or professional development.

Women and applicants from underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply.

Before submitting, candidates should review the full call for applications and confirm that they meet all eligibility requirements.

Important: This article is an independent publication based on the CGIAR information provided. It is not affiliated with CGIAR, the University of Fort Hare or the programme organisers. Applicants should consult the official application materials for the most current requirements and instructions.

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