Overview
The International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), a UNESCO-Category I Institute, and the Climate Compatible Growth (CCG) Programme plan to invite applications for the ICTP-CCG Academic Writing Residency in Trieste, Italy. This unique opportunity will offer scholars from developing countries dedicated time and mentorship to advance an academic paper toward publication in an international journal. The residency will provide a supportive environment to focus on writing, exchange ideas with peers, and strengthen research visibility within the global academic community.
What the Residency Offers
Successful applicants will spend two to three weeks at the ICTP campus, in Trieste. The residency will include:
- Round-trip flights to and from Trieste, Italy.
- Private accommodation in ICTP guesthouses.
- A daily subsistence allowance to cover meals and personal expenses (with access to ICTP’s canteens).
- Participants will receive in-person mentorship from experienced academics within the CCG Consortium and partner institutions.
- Optional support for open-access or journal submission fees, subject to prior approval.
By the end of the stay, residents are expected to produce a pre-print of their paper and ideally submit it to a peer-reviewed journal.
Eligible Research Topics
Research proposals should align with CCG’s Programmed Research Framework, which brings together interdisciplinary Research Communities and Cross-Cutting Themes to advance climate-compatible, inclusive, and evidence-based growth. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
Research Communities
- Energy Systems: Pathways for resilient, low-carbon, and inclusive energy transitions; expanding access; integration of renewables and storage; and policy frameworks for sustainable energy investment.
- Transport Systems: Sustainable, affordable, and inclusive transport planning; low-carbon mobility transitions; climate resilience in transport networks; and open data for transport and energy system modelling.
- Infrastructure Resilience: Understanding material supply chains, resource security, and the role of circularity in infrastructure planning; identifying risks and resilience interventions in response to climate and socio-economic shocks.
- Resource Efficiency: Material efficiency, circular economy strategies, and resource governance to support low-carbon transitions; sustainable management of critical minerals and natural resources.
- Economics, Enterprise and Finance: Inclusive and green growth strategies; innovation and entrepreneurship for low-carbon economies; investment mechanisms to mobilize climate finance; and financing gaps for clean energy transitions.
- Governance and Equity: Political economy of energy and transport transitions; equitable access, justice, and participation in planning processes; decentralized energy planning; and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI).
Cross-Cutting Themes
- System Planning and Policy: Integrated, data-driven planning for energy and transport systems, including national and sub-national policy design.
- Data-to-Deal Research: Strengthening analytical and institutional frameworks to turn data into investable, climate-compatible projects.
- Critical Minerals: Mapping, governance, and value addition of critical minerals for clean energy technologies.
- Green Hydrogen and Alternative Fuels: Assessing economic and policy opportunities for emerging fuels in low- and middle-income countries.
- Circular Economy: Resource efficiency, material reuse and recycling, and inclusive business models that create local value and reduce environmental impact.
Eligibility and Selection
Applicants must:
- Be nationals of ODA-eligible countries (see the OECD DAC list of ODA recipients), with priority given to those from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and be affiliated with a university or research institution in one of these countries.
- Have a completed or nearly completed research paper related to one or more of the above themes. All research work and data collection should already be finalised, with results obtained, as the focus of the residency will be exclusively on manuscript writing and publication.
Selection will consider:
- The quality and originality of the proposed paper.
- The applicant’s publication record and current academic role.
- The relevance of the topic to CCG’s research themes.
- Collaborative work with at least one co-author from another institution – preferably in a developing country – to promote South-South exchange and cooperation.
- Desirable: Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact CCG academics prior to submitting a proposal to discuss potential collaboration and agree on a joint paper or co-authored publication. A list of CCG Research Communities and researchers is available [here].
- Desirable: Prior participation in CCG’s and partners’ capacity-building initiatives, showing engagement with CCG’s open-knowledge ecosystem.
Implementation and Support
The programme is implemented jointly by ICTP and CCG under the Catalyst Facility Funding Framework, advancing CCG’s mission to foster inclusive knowledge creation and bridge the gap between Northern and Southern research institutions.
How to Apply
Full details on eligibility, application templates, and deadlines will be available on the ICTP and CCG websites. Applicants are encouraged to:
- Prepare a short abstract and writing plan outlining their paper’s objectives;
- Identify potential co-authors and target journals;
- Highlight any links between their research and CCG capacity-building activities.