Deadline: November 5, 2026
Applications are open for the IWA & Grundfos “Youth Action for SDG 6” Fellowship 2027-2028. Established in 2022, the Fellowship supports Young Water Professionals (YWPs) to strengthen their leadership, professional capabilities and contribution to global water challenges.
Building on the experience of the first two cohorts, the 2027–2028 Fellowship will place a stronger focus on innovation and on increasing the uptake of technology and innovative solutions in the water sector. The programme will support YWPs who are already exploring or developing an idea, solution or innovative approach to a clearly identified water challenge and who would benefit from a structured journey to refine, test, strengthen and position that work for wider uptake.
For IWA, YWPs are individuals aged 18 to 35 years old. The Fellowship will remain a global programme and will seek a cohort that reflects gender, geographical and professional diversity.
Fellowship Details
The third cohort will combine online and in-person activities over approximately two years. Selected Fellows will participate in structured capacity development, peer learning, project-sharing and review, engagement with IWA and Grundfos experts and networks, and selected international water-sector events.
The programme is expected to include:
- Online onboarding and regular monthly meetings (February 2027 to December 2028);
- An initial in-person gathering involving activities with IWA and Grundfos during the first semester of 2027 (London/United Kingdom, and Bjerringbro/Denmark);
- Tailored capacity-development sessions related to innovation, entrepreneurship, adoption and implementation;
- Thematic peer-learning groups and project progress reviews;
- Engagement with practitioners, utilities, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs and other relevant experts and partners;
- Participation in selected IWA activities and international water-sector events (second semester 2027);
- Opportunities to communicate, showcase and strengthen the visibility of Fellows’ work;
- Continued engagement with alumni from previous Fellowship cohorts;
- Participation at the 2028 IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Malaysia.
Eligibility
They welcome applications from students, researchers, entrepreneurs and professionals working in utilities, companies, public institutions, non-governmental organisations and other water-related organisations. Applicants should bring an existing innovation, solution or approach that they intend to develop through the Fellowship.
The proposed work should:
- Respond to a clearly identified water-related problem or opportunity;
- Have a defined concept or proposed approach;
- Identify intended users, beneficiaries or customers;
- Demonstrate that the applicant has already taken tangible steps to explore, develop or validate the solution;
- Be sufficiently developed to benefit from testing, technical input, capacity development, peer exchange and professional networks; and
- Remain at a stage where participation in the Fellowship can meaningfully influence its development and pathway towards implementation or wider uptake.
Application
All candidates must provide:
- Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages);
- Motivation letter (maximum 2 pages);
- Letter of reference, ideally from an IWA member (maximum 1 letter, 1 page); and
- Innovation proposal (maximum 2 pages).
For more information, visit “Youth Action for SDG 6” Fellowship.
