Fully Funded Digital Democracy Leadership Course

Organization: Linkoping University and the University of Tartu

Type: Workshop

Location: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

Deadline: October 31, 2026

Age: 25 to 40

Funding: Fully Funded

Linköping University in Sweden and the University of Tartu in Estonia run STRIDE, a leadership course funded by the Swedish Institute for early to mid-career professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Participants study digital governance, AI ethics, surveillance, institutional trust and digital inclusion, online from January to May 2027 and then for about nine days on site in Sweden and Estonia in June. The course is completely funded, including travel, accommodation and all meals, and 25 people will take part in 2027. **What you get:** - Travel, accommodation and all meals covered: the organisers say the course is completely funded, with no expenses for participants - About nine days of lectures, workshops and study visits in Estonia and Sweden, 5 to 13 June 2027, including field visits to government institutions, NGOs and community initiatives in Linköping and Tartu - An online preparatory phase on Teams from 14 January to 27 May 2027, with recorded lectures, readings, webinars and peer-group meetings - A professional network of peers from six countries, and membership of the Sweden Alumni Network - Alumni networks, collaborative project opportunities and policy impact initiatives after the course **What you'll do:** - Join weekly two-hour online meetings and self-paced work from January to May 2027; active participation is required before you can attend the on-site part - Take part in workshops, case studies, simulations and role-playing games on civic education, digital youth participation and regional governance challenges - Co-develop policy proposals and community engagement strategies in YouthLab and policy labs - Develop an action plan for your own organisation or institution **Key dates:** - Applications close 31 October 2026 at 23:59 CET - Online preparatory phase: 14 January to 27 May 2027 - On-site programme in Estonia and Sweden: 5 to 13 June 2027 **More information:** - Applying takes two steps, both linked from the programme page: an online application form, then an upload of four documents - The four documents are a letter of motivation and a letter of reference (templates on the programme page), an English language certificate and a CV in Europass format, each named STRIDE_Firstname_Lastname - An application missing any of the four documents is incomplete and will not be considered - English is also assessed in an interview during selection - Questions go to stride@iei.liu.se

Linkoping University and the University of TartuWorkshop

Fully Funded Digital Democracy Leadership Course

Oct 31, 2026 23:59:00 Europe/Stockholm

Opportunity type

Workshop

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Oct 31, 2026 23:59:00 Europe/Stockholm

About this opportunity

What you get:

Travel, accommodation and all meals covered: the organisers say the course is completely funded, with no expenses for participants
About nine days of lectures, workshops and study visits in Estonia and Sweden, 5 to 13 June 2027, including field visits to government institutions, NGOs and community initiatives in Linköping and Tartu
An online preparatory phase on Teams from 14 January to 27 May 2027, with recorded lectures, readings, webinars and peer-group meetings
A professional network of peers from six countries, and membership of the Sweden Alumni Network
Alumni networks, collaborative project opportunities and policy impact initiatives after the course

What you'll do:

Join weekly two-hour online meetings and self-paced work from January to May 2027; active participation is required before you can attend the on-site part
Take part in workshops, case studies, simulations and role-playing games on civic education, digital youth participation and regional governance challenges
Co-develop policy proposals and community engagement strategies in YouthLab and policy labs
Develop an action plan for your own organisation or institution

Key dates:

Applications close 31 October 2026 at 23:59 CET
Online preparatory phase: 14 January to 27 May 2027
On-site programme in Estonia and Sweden: 5 to 13 June 2027

More information:

Applying takes two steps, both linked from the programme page: an online application form, then an upload of four documents
The four documents are a letter of motivation and a letter of reference (templates on the programme page), an English language certificate and a CV in Europass format, each named STRIDE_Firstname_Lastname
An application missing any of the four documents is incomplete and will not be considered
English is also assessed in an interview during selection
Questions go to stride@iei.liu.se

Who can apply

From Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine
From Azerbaijan, Belarus and Georgia, only candidates from civil society are eligible
Aged 25 to 40 during 2027, which means born between 1987 and 2002
Working in public administration, politics, business or civil society
A subject matter expert or otherwise professionally connected to democracy, governance or digital transformation
A university degree
Good English, at least B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference; a degree studied in English counts as proof
Motivated to act as a changemaker in your home country
Able to take part in the whole programme: the online phase is required before the on-site part, and single modules are not possible
Former SAYP participants and Swedish Institute scholarship holders may apply but are considered for reserve places only

AI Verification

✓ AI Verified

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Cross-checked 15 of 15 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+Completely funded in the organisers' own words: travel, accommodation and all meals
+Run by Linkoping University and the University of Tartu, funded by the Swedish Institute; 2027 is the tenth edition
+Online from January to May, so you can keep working, then nine days of visits to government bodies, NGOs and community projects in Estonia and Sweden
+A network across six countries and membership of the Sweden Alumni Network
+Free to apply

Worth checking yourself

!Closes 31 October 2026 at 23:59 CET, and the form plus four documents, including a reference letter, must all be in by then
!For citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine aged 25 to 40 during 2027; from Azerbaijan, Belarus and Georgia only civil society candidates can apply
!You need a university degree and at least B2 English, which is also tested at interview
!You must join the weekly two-hour online sessions from January to May to go on the June trip
!No cash or university credits; what you get is the funded course, travel and stay
!The pages do not say how visas are handled
!The page lists business among eligible sectors but the form's menu does not; business applicants should email stride@iei.liu.se first

Sources checked

LIliu.seApplyLIliu.seApplyLIliu.seApplySIsi.seFound viaFOforms.cloud.microsoftOfficialFOforms.office.comOfficialLIliuonline.sharepoint.comOfficialSKskytte.ut.eeOfficialLIliu.seApplyLIliu.seApplySTstatic.liu.seOfficial

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