Digital Futures invites proposals from potential organizers for the Digital Futures Focus Period 2026, scheduled for May/June 2026. NEW DEADLINE to submit proposal is 9 June, 2025!
Purpose
The Digital Futures Focus Period is a 5-week guest researcher event held annually, featuring a new research topic each year. Its goal is to attract top-level researchers and their junior colleagues to Stockholm, providing accommodation support and fostering idea exchange, networking, collaboration, and engagement with relevant research challenges.
Each visiting scholar spends 3-5 weeks hosted by a Digital Futures faculty member. Midway through the period, a 3-day workshop is held, featuring invited speakers and participants from Digital Futures, Swedish industry, and society. Outside the workshop, visitors engage with their hosts and fellow scholars.
Past Focus Period topics include:
- 2023: Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence in Agricultural Management
- 2024: Scientific Machine Learning for Simulation and Inverse Modelling & Learning in Networks: Structure, Dynamics, and Control
- 2025: Fem Tech and Feminist Tech
For additional inspiration, explore focus periods organized by the ELLIIT center in Linköping/Lund.
Who can apply?
- KTH Digital Futures faculty members can apply as main organizers.
- Stockholm University and RISE Digital Futures faculty members can apply as co-organizers.
- Funds will be transferred to the main organizer.
Application
Digital Futures encourages cross-disciplinary proposals. Suggested topics should align with intersections in the Digital Futures Strategic Research Programme matrix, such as:
Trust / Cooperate / Learn / Smart Society / Digitalized Industry / Rich and Healthy Life / Educational Transformation.
A complete proposal should include:
(a) A description of the proposed research topic.
(b) Names of the main organizer (KTH Digital Futures faculty member) and co-organizers.
(c) Suggested names for the international scientific program committee (a wish list).
(d) Justification for the topic, including scientific relevance, timeliness, and its potential long-term impact on Digital Futures research.
The application should be concise (2-3 pages), saved as a single PDF, and submitted via email to Martina Scolamiero at event@digitalfutures.kth.sewith the subject: “Application: Digital Futures Focus Period 2026”.
Budget and Resources
- Each Focus Period receives up to 1,000 kSEK to cover travel, accommodation, catering, etc.
- Funds are transferred to the main organizer, who manages bookings with local administrative support.
- The Digital Futures hub is available for the three-day workshop and other activities.
- The organizers are responsible for arranging office space for visitors.
- The Site & Event Officer and Associate Director for Seminars & Workshops provide guidance on event planning.
Evaluation process
- The Associate Director for Seminars & Workshops pre-screens applications and forwards relevant ones to the Digital Futures working groups (WG).
- Each WG evaluates applications before the interview stage, which takes place on 16 June, 2025 (14:15-16:00).
- Selected applicants will be invited by 10 June, 2025.
- After interviews, WGs submit rankings, and the Executive Committeemakes the final funding decision.
Evaluation criteria
Proposals are assessed based on:
- Scientific relevance
- Timeliness
- Potential long-term impact on Digital Futures research
Organization process
Once a proposal is accepted, organizers follow these key steps:
- Invite the international scientific program committee.
- Finalize the budget and workshop dates.
- Invite workshop speakers.
- Make a public announcement.
- Invite visiting scholars.
- Open a call for workshop attendees.
- Execute the Focus Period.
More details on these steps can be found on the “How to Organize a Digital Futures Focus Period“ webpage.
Contact & Questions
For questions, contact Martina Scolamiero, Associate Director for Seminars & Workshops: scola@kth.se