Call for Applications for the Next-Geo Program 2027 - research and training program in geoeconomics

What we offer

Next-Geo participants become part of a highly competitive, carefully selected cohort in geoeconomics and receive rigorous research training and mentoring from Kiel Institute researchers as well as external senior fellows who are leading international experts in the field of geoeconomics. We will combine online and in-person modules and provide funding for research support (RA access, data purchases and/or AI subscriptions), as well as for travel and accommodation.

What the program offers:

Coursework at the research frontier: 
Participants will attend lectures and receive training on the research frontier in geoeconomics - from internationally renowned external scholars and from researchers at the Kiel Institute who are experts in the field. 

Feedback and senior mentoring – improve your research projects:
Participants will work on their own research or policy project - supported and mentored by leading seniors in the field. In 2026 external senior mentors for the Next-Geo fellows included Chenzi Xu (UC Berkeley), Adrien Matray (Atlanta Fed), Jaya Y. Wen (Harvard Business School), Mathieu Parenti (Paris School of Economics) and Isabelle Mejean (Sciences Po), among others.

Participate in the 2027 Oxford Summer School on Geoeconomics:
The Next-Geo program will cover participation and travel costs.

Research support (RA access) for your project:
Next-Geo participants with promising research projects will be able to get support from a pool of four Next-Geo student research assistants. These RAs are explicitly hired at the Kiel Institute to support Next-Geo junior researchers in their projects, be it in person (Berlin office) and/or remotely. 

Data access and AI subscriptions for your project:
Promising research projects of the participants can also receive funding to purchase data needed for their projects and/or subscriptions for frontier LLMs, e.g. Claude or OpenAI.

Generous travel support:
Travel and accommodation expenses for in-person modules are covered by the program (on-site attendance is expected).

Immerse yourself in the Kiel Institute:
Participants will get to know the Kiel Institute, one of the leading institutions on the topic worldwide. Our activities and initiatives include the annual flagship Kiel-CEPR Conference on Geoeconomics, the LSE-Kiel-CEPR Conference on Defence Economics, the Kiel Institute-led CEPR Research Policy Network (RPN) on Geoeconomics and Security, the Ukraine Support Tracker, and a new Kiel Research Center on Geoeconomics.

Tangible output:
By the end of the program, participants should have completed a high-quality research or policy project in the field of geoeconomics. The best projects may be published as working papers or policy briefs by the Kiel Institute or CEPR and presented at conferences and workshops. Participants will receive a certificate of program participation.

Engage with policymakers, think tanks, and practitioners through events and workshops at the Kiel-CEPR Research Hub in Berlin and partner institutions.

The program is led by the Kiel Institute, in cooperation with partner institutions including CEPR and the Institute for European Policymaking @ Bocconi University, the Oxford University Department of Economics, and funded by Stiftung Mercator.

Who should apply?

Advanced PhD candidates and early Postdocs in economics from/in Europe:

• excellent CV and track record

• in economics, exceptionally also in closely related quantitative research fields

• working on geoeconomic research 

• enrolled or employed at a European university or research institution as a PhD student or early Postdoc (program start up to 2.5 years post-PhD). European nationals at overseas institutions may also be eligible in selected cases.

• excellent English skills.

The program is an add-on program for those conducting their PhD or Postdoc at a European institution. As such, it does not provide an employment contract, stipend, living expense allowance, or formal degree. We only fund travel and accommodation for on-site modules, and research support. Participants remain fully enrolled or employed at their home institution and will have no claim of employment or enrollment at the Kiel Institute.

We particularly encourage applications from female researchers. All nationalities are eligible if employed or enrolled in Europe.

The Kiel Institute for the World Economy values diversity. We welcome applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion/belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. The Kiel Institute is an equal opportunity employer with a certified family-friendly policy. We promote the professional opportunities of women and strongly encourage them to apply. Women with equivalent qualifications, competence and expertise will be given preference. We are committed to selecting persons with recognized disabilities and will therefore give them preference over persons without disabilities if they are equally qualified.

How to apply?

Applications submitted by October 31, 2026 via the application form are guaranteed full consideration and should include:

• CV

• Cover letter

• 1-page research project sketch 

• Writing sample, e.g. third-year paper, job market paper

• Names of two potential references (contact information in your CV suffices).

Successful candidates will have to provide a proof of enrollment or employment and, if employed, a written permission by the employer to participate in the program. 

We aim to finalize the selection of the 2027 cohort by the end of November 2026.