The Kuwait Programme at ICTP

The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and ICTP have extended their longtime partnership for science advancement by creating a joint programme of support for scientists from Kuwait and other Arab countries to be engaged in ICTP activities. The Kuwait Programme at ICTP offers the following opportunities:

• Supporting Scientists from Arab Countries to attend ICTP Scientific Calendar activities: ICTP organizes numerous conferences, schools and workshops every year through its Scientific Calendar of activities. The Kuwait Programme at ICTP offers support to Arab scientists who would like to attend an ICTP activity for a period not exceeding one month of their stay for the activity. Those who wish to apply for the fellowships should indicate so when using ICTP's online application system for Scientific Calendar activities. Choose an activity by viewing ICTP's Scientific Calendar.
• Diploma Students Programme: ICTP's Postgraduate Diploma Programme is a 12-month pre-doctoral education programme for talented young science students from the developing world who have limited possibilities to pursue advanced studies in their home countries. The Kuwait Programme offers support for three Arab students to attend this intensive educational course selected on a competitive basis. Visit ICTP's Postgraduate Diploma Programme website for more details. The application deadline for the 2026 - 2027 Programme is 28 February; more details here. Applicants from Arab countries who are accepted into the Diploma Programme are considered for a KFAS grant.
• Kuwaiti Post-doctoral Fellowship: Awarded to young Kuwaiti scientists who have completed their PhD and are working in Kuwait or abroad. The fellowship allows the scientists to continue their research in the areas of ICTP expertise, under the supervision of a resident scientist at the Centre. The fellow(s) will be selected by ICTP in consultation with KFAS. Selected fellows will be awarded a research fellowship agreement for a period of one year with the possibility to extend for an additional year.  Scientists will be invited to apply to the calls for applications for postdoctoral positions open at ICTP in the different sections and fields of research at the Centre. Eligible candidates need to be in possession of a PhD and have a track record of publications in their field of research. Evaluation shall be based on scientific merit, and will be assessed through CV, references, publications and interviews. To learn more about ICTP's research areas, please visit its research web page. For queries, contact ictp.kfas@ictp.it. 

• Kuwait Visiting Scientists Scheme and Training and Research in Italian Laboratories (TRIL) Fellowships:  The visiting scientists scheme offers PhD students and scientists from Kuwait the opportunity to visit and collaborate with ICTP scientists for a period not exceeding 3 months per year. The visiting scientists will be selected by ICTP in consultation with KFAS. For queries, contact ictp.kfas@ictp.it. 
   
  For longer stays, ICTP will make available its TRIL Programme. The TRIL fellowship aims at allowing PhD students and scientists from Kuwait to undertake training and research in an Italian laboratory in different branches of the physical sciences. The fellows will be selected by ICTP in consultation with KFAS.  The fellowship will be awarded once a year for a period not exceeding 12 months.

Here's what KFAS-supported visitors to ICTP have to say about their stays here:

My visit to ICTP under the KFAS–ICTP Kuwait Programme was extremely valuable and had a direct impact on my research. I am very grateful to KFAS and ICTP for their generous support and for providing such a stimulating and collaborative scientific environment. I will certainly encourage colleagues and collaborators to consider applying through the Kuwait Programme. (Majed Alotaibi, Kuwait)

As a molecular biology student, I once imagined that my research opportunities would be limited to the specialization I chose during my undergraduate studies. My visit to ICTP, supported by KFAS, completely changed that perspective. Through the interdisciplinary groups I joined, I experienced collaboration as a powerful learning process in itself. I learned from physicists about mathematical modeling while sharing with them the complexity of a single cell. This exchange opened my eyes to the immense potential of interdisciplinary research and reshaped how I envision my future in science. (Husn Turki, Yemen)

Support programs like this are critically important, especially for us PhD students and researchers from Arab and developing countries, where access to funding and international research environments is often limited. Many young researchers have strong ideas and motivation, and what they need most is opportunity and support. (Khaoula Chaoui, Morocco)

My visit to ICTP was a truly transformative experience that had a lasting impact on my academic and professional development. The programme provided an exceptional scientific environment, combining high-level lectures, hands-on activities, and meaningful interaction with leading international experts and researchers. This exposure significantly strengthened my research capabilities, broadened my scientific perspective, and enhanced my confidence in applying advanced concepts and methodologies in my field. (Shaimaa El-Prince, Egypt)