Applications are open for the UnborderED Knowledge Research Fellowship 2026, a one-year postdoctoral opportunity hosted by the University of Ottawa in Canada.
The fellowship offers a $33,000 annual salary at 0.6 FTE and focuses on participatory governance involving displaced researchers and students. The successful candidate will work within the UnborderED Knowledge Research Project, which is funded by Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
The position is particularly designed for an early-career researcher who has recent personal experience of forced migration and meets the residency and work authorization requirements in Canada.
Applications close on September 17, 2026.
About the UnborderED Knowledge Research Fellowship
The fellowship forms part of the UnborderED Knowledge Research Project, a bilingual, interdisciplinary and pan-Canadian initiative working to expand access to higher education, research and training opportunities.
The project seeks to bridge the gap between the talents and experiences of displaced students and researchers and opportunities available within Canadian research communities and labour markets.
Participatory action research is central to the initiative. Displaced scholars and students are involved in governance, research and training activities rather than being treated solely as research participants.
The postdoctoral fellow will primarily focus on establishing and chairing project-wide Assemblies of displaced researchers and students and developing good practices for participatory governance.
Fellowship at a Glance
Host: University of Ottawa
Project: UnborderED Knowledge Research Project
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Work arrangement: In-person or hybrid preferred; remote work within Ontario may be considered
Duration: One year
Workload: Part-time, 0.6 FTE
Starting date: October 1, 2026
Salary: $33,000 per annum
Application deadline: September 17, 2026
Funding: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Supervisors: Dr Christina Clark-Kazak of the University of Ottawa and Dr David Matsinhe of Amnesty International
Who Can Apply?
The fellowship has specific eligibility requirements that prospective applicants should review carefully.
Candidates must have been awarded a PhD or equivalent qualification within the last five years.
However, certain circumstances and career interruptions may be considered when determining the five years. These can include leave connected to health, childcare and displacement.
Candidates must also have recent personal experience of forced migration.
The fellowship identifies several experiences that may meet this requirement, including being a:
- Resettled refugee
- Convention refugee
- Refugee claimant
- Protected person
- Humanitarian visa holder
- Temporary resident permit holder
- Person from a country subject to a moratorium on deportation
- Person from a country covered by a temporary immigration measure introduced by the Government of Canada
Applicants should carefully assess the complete eligibility requirements before submitting an application.
Canadian Residency and Work Requirements
This is not an international relocation fellowship open to applicants living anywhere in the world.
Candidates must already be resident in Canada when they apply and remain resident in Canada throughout the employment contract.
They must also be legally entitled to work in Canada at the time of application.
These requirements are particularly important for international researchers considering the opportunity.
Academic and Professional Qualifications
Successful applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline.
Beyond academic qualifications, candidates should have professional or voluntary experience related to participatory governance.
Relevant experience may include committee or board membership within nonprofit or academic environments.
Candidates should also demonstrate:
- Strong project management and organizational abilities
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills
- Experience facilitating discussions and workshops
- Ability to think creatively
- Ability to synthesize research findings
- Experience translating research into accessible materials for non-academic audiences
- Ability to develop practical tools, guidelines or similar resources
The position therefore combines academic research with practical governance, facilitation and knowledge-mobilization responsibilities.
Language Requirements
Applicants must have complete fluency in English.
Knowledge of French is considered an asset rather than an absolute requirement.
Candidates who are not fully fluent in French will be expected to participate in free French-language training courses offered through the University of Ottawa to improve their proficiency.
What Will the Postdoctoral Fellow Do?
The successful candidate will take a leading role in designing and implementing participatory governance activities across the UnborderED Knowledge project.
One of the primary responsibilities will be developing Assemblies of displaced researchers and students.
Working with the co-supervisors, the fellow will oversee activities such as developing Terms of Reference, organizing meetings, chairing meetings, preparing mentorship materials, and identifying challenges and possible solutions.
The fellow will also support the project’s Secretariat in delivering monthly online training and mentoring sessions for displaced researchers and students.
Research and Knowledge-Sharing Responsibilities
The fellowship goes beyond conducting conventional academic research.
The successful researcher will be expected to transform research findings into materials that can be useful to different stakeholders.
This includes collaborating with the UnborderED Knowledge Secretariat to prepare:
- Presentations
- Reports
- Knowledge-sharing materials
- Strategic recommendations
The fellow will provide regular updates to their supervisors and the broader UnborderED Knowledge Research Project Team.
They will also contribute to the project’s wider scholarly and collaborative environment.
Collaboration With Amnesty International
A distinctive feature of the fellowship is its collaboration with Amnesty International.
The fellowship is co-supervised by a PhD-holding Amnesty International staff member with expertise in areas including human rights, social justice, participatory governance and movement-based advocacy.
The fellow will explore how participatory governance approaches used within a membership-based human rights movement can help inform the development, facilitation and evaluation of Assemblies involving displaced researchers and students.
This creates an opportunity to combine university-based research with insights from international human rights advocacy.
Expected Fellowship Deliverables
Over the course of the appointment, the successful fellow will be expected to produce several research and practical outputs.
These include an inception report detailing the work plan, methodology for developing Terms of Reference, and proposed mentoring strategies.
The fellow will also prepare an annotated bibliography examining best practices in participatory governance.
Additional expected outputs include:
- Draft report covering lessons learned and promising practices
- Validation and interpretation workshop involving key stakeholders
- Final report incorporating feedback from supervisors
- Dissemination plan
- Presentation to the UnborderED Knowledge consortium and other stakeholders
- Summary of key findings
Another important deliverable will be a practical learning brief or toolkit addressing participatory governance for displaced researcher and student engagement.
The toolkit will draw upon lessons from both the UnborderED Knowledge initiative and Amnesty International’s experience with movement-based governance.
Why the University of Ottawa?
The successful applicant will become an employee of the University of Ottawa.
The university provides access to academic libraries, professional skills development, language training and research facilities.
The fellowship’s location in Ottawa also places the researcher within Canada’s national capital and a major environment for academic research, public policy and nonprofit organizations.
The project describes the University of Ottawa as the world’s largest bilingual French-English university.
How to Apply for the UnborderED Knowledge Research Fellowship 2026
Applications must be submitted through the programme’s online application form.
Candidates are required to provide a cover letter summarizing their research experience and experience relevant to the fellowship’s research topic.
Applicants must also submit a CV that includes a list of publications.
Importantly, the fellowship announcement explicitly states that AI-generated application materials will not be accepted. Applicants should therefore personally prepare their application documents in accordance with the programme’s requirements.
Candidates requiring accommodations during the recruitment process can request appropriate support from the organisers.
Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for the UnborderED Knowledge Research Fellowship 2026 is September 17, 2026.
With the fellowship scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026, eligible candidates should prepare and submit their applications promptly.
Key Points to Remember
The UnborderED Knowledge Research Fellowship offers a specialized opportunity for early-career researchers interested in participatory governance, displacement, higher education, and knowledge mobilization.
The position offers $33,000 per year at 0.6 FTE for a one-year appointment hosted by the University of Ottawa.
Applicants must have a PhD or equivalent, recent personal experience of forced migration, legal authorization to work in Canada, and Canadian residency at the time of application and throughout the contract.
Candidates also need strong communication, facilitation, research, and project-management abilities.
Applications close on September 17, 2026, with the appointment expected to begin on October 1, 2026.
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