Deadline: 26-Oct-2025
The Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS) Scholars Collaborative Grants Program – Cycle 2 (2026) invites applications for research projects under the central theme “Academic Freedom and Knowledge Production in the Arab Region.”
The focus areas of the call include exploring conditions and constraints on academic freedom in the Arab region including freedom of research, publication, dissemination and dialogue; studying current practices in some Arab institutions that constrain academic freedoms as experienced through the lives and career trajectories of scholars in the region; and developing research and writing that will provide compelling frameworks for debates and discussions on academic freedom both in the region and globally.
The program aims to strengthen collaborative and interdisciplinary research efforts among scholars working in the Arab region. It supports innovative research that examines how academic freedom shapes the production of knowledge and influences the intellectual and institutional environment in Arab societies. The initiative encourages the creation of scholarly networks and partnerships that can address shared challenges, build institutional capacity, and contribute to a broader understanding of academic autonomy and intellectual exchange. The budget should not exceed USD10,000 and cannot include: travel expenses for conference or workshop participation or registration fees.
Eligible applicants include researchers and scholars based in institutions located in the Arab region, with demonstrated expertise in social sciences or humanities research. Applications must be submitted by teams or consortia composed of multiple scholars, and proposals should clearly align with one or more of the outlined focus areas. Evaluation criteria include research quality, methodological rigor, and potential contribution to ongoing discussions on academic freedom and regional knowledge production.
Through this grant program, ACSS seeks to foster a community of scholars dedicated to exploring and advancing the principles of academic freedom, encouraging regionally grounded research that informs both local practices and global discourse. The opportunity enables participants to generate meaningful scholarship and build lasting research collaborations across the Arab world.
For more information, visit Arab Council for the Social Sciences.