Deadline: August 15, 2026
Applications are open for the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) ASEAN Scholar Fellowship 2026. The Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI), Cambodia’s leading independent development policy research institute, invites applications from outstanding mid- to senior-level researchers across ASEAN for the ASEAN Scholar Fellowship under CDRI’s ASEAN Scholar Exchange and Regional Institutional Linkages Initiative. The fellowship aims to strengthen regional research collaboration and foster regional expertise in advanced quantitative research methods through embedded mentorship, collaborative research, and institutional knowledge exchange.
The fellowship seeks to:
- Elevate technical research capabilities of CDRI’s junior researchers through advanced technical mentorship in quantitative research, econometric modelling, and AI-informed analytical methods.
- Promote collaborative policy research addressing shared development challenges across ASEAN.
- Foster long-term partnerships between CDRI and leading research institutes and universities in the region.
- Build an active regional network of scholars committed to evidence-based policymaking and knowledge exchange.
Benefits
- CDRI will provide a fellowship stipend, office space and full access to CDRI’s research facilities, library, computing resources, and data infrastructure. The fellowship offers the selected scholar an opportunity to deepen regional policy research collaboration, contribute to applied research on Cambodia and ASEAN development priorities, and expand professional networks with CDRI researchers and regional partners.
Eligibility
Applicants should:
- Hold citizenship in an ASEAN Member State (excluding Cambodia) to support regional knowledge exchange, cross-border research collaboration, and stronger Southeast Asian linkages.
- Hold a PhD (or be an established postdoctoral researcher) in economics, public policy, development studies, data science, statistics, or a closely related discipline. Exceptional candidates with a Master’s degree and substantial relevant research experience (minimum 5 years) will also be considered.
- Be currently affiliated with a university, think tank, or research institute within an ASEAN Member State.
- Demonstrate an established record of policy-relevant publications and applied research.
- Possess strong expertise in advanced quantitative methods, econometric modelling, statistical programming (e.g., Stata, R, Python), or AI-assisted research techniques (e.g., machine learning).
- Have experience supervising or mentoring early-career researchers or graduate students in a research setting.
- Demonstrated commitment to integrating GEDSI principles in research design, data collection, and policy recommendations.
- Experience working on policy research in Cambodia or the broader Mekong sub-region.
- A demonstrated interest in fostering long-term institutional partnerships and knowledge exchange across ASEAN.
- Demonstrate excellent written and spoken English, sufficient to produce high-quality research outputs and deliver seminars/workshops.
Application
Applications should be submitted in English and include 4 separate documents (preferably in PDF format), attached to a single email:
- A research and collaboration statement (maximum two pages) describing:
- Your core research expertise and methodological strengths;
- Your proposed contributions to mentoring and capacity strengthening at CDRI;
- Specific collaborative research ideas relevant to Cambodia and/or ASEAN development priorities; and o
- Expected knowledge products you aim to deliver during the fellowship (e.g., working paper, policy brief, methodological guide).
- A curriculum vitae, including publications, relevant research outputs, and relevant professional experience.
- A letter of motivation (maximum 1 page), explaining your interest in the fellowship, what you hope to gain, and how your expertise aligns with CDRI’s research agenda.
- One letter of recommendation from the applicant’s current institution.
Applications should be submitted no later than 15 August 2026. Submit applications to [email protected]. For further information or question, please contact Ms Sao Kanika or Dr Ang Raksmey at [email protected]. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further discussion.
For more information, visit ASEAN Scholar Fellowship.
