Future Design Studies
Design theory, history, criticism, methods, education, and emerging research frameworks.
Publication Date: March 1, 2026
2026 ADW Future Design Scholars Open Call
2026 Application Now Open
On March 1, 2026, Asia Design Week officially announces the inaugural ADW Future Design Scholars Program and opens the 2026 global application cycle. The program is an international scholar-support initiative dedicated to future-oriented design research, design intelligence, cultural creativity, human-AI co-creation, sustainable innovation, and public-facing design impact.
The 2026 application period runs from March 1, 2026 to May 31, 2026. Program review will take place from June 1 to June 14, 2026. The admission notice of selected scholars is scheduled for late June 2026 on the Asia Design Week website. Official fellowship award letters will be issued in late June 2026 after completion of relevant administrative review.
Official Program Notice
2026 Open Call
A web-native program notice for applicants, host institutions, academic platforms, and public reference.
Application OpensMarch 1, 2026
Application DeadlineMay 31, 2026
Review PeriodJune 1 - June 14, 2026
Admission NoticeLate June 2026
Organizer and Supporting Organizations
Selected scholars will be recognized as ADW Future Design Scholars and may receive research support through the 2026 ADW Future Design Fellowship to advance independent research at a recognized university, research institution, laboratory, or academic host organization, subject to host institution policies, applicable laws, administrative review, and final award terms.
Host Organizer and Fellowship Sponsor
Asia Design Week
Program Administrator
ADW Future Design Scholars Program Committee
ADW Partner Network
Regional and international partners connected to Asia Design Week's design exchange, academic outreach, professional visibility, and cultural collaboration network.
University of the Arts Sharjah
Macao Product Design Association
Golden Pin Design Award
Korea Ensemble of Contemporary Design
Hebei International Industrial Design Week
Industrial Designers Society of Thailand
Association of Designers of India
Indonesian Industrial Product Designers Alliance
Industrial Designers Association of Taipei
International Association of Designers
Korea Society of Illustration Research
CEIDA
Art Design Association of Hainan Province
Zhejiang Industrial Design Association
Beijing Design Society
Hong Kong Designers Association
Mongolian National Designers Association
Macao International Design Alliance
Goldreed Industrial Design Award
European Product Design Award
Shenzhen Industrial Design Profession Association
ixDC
Malaysia Design Council
Malaysian Graphic Design Association
Korea Society of Color Studies
Partner visibility supports academic outreach, community visibility, and professional exchange. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, partners are not funders, contracting parties, employers, research supervisors, final review authorities, or recipients of research deliverables under the fellowship.
Application Status
The 2026 application period is now open. Application materials must be submitted to official@asia-design-week.com by May 31, 2026. Late submissions, incomplete materials, or applications that do not meet the basic program requirements may not proceed to review.
Program Overview
Design is entering a new historical phase. In the context of cultural transformation, technological acceleration, sustainability challenges, and changing forms of human experience, design is no longer limited to visual form, product development, or service innovation. It is increasingly becoming a way to connect human creativity, cultural knowledge, social imagination, emerging technologies, and future ways of living.
The ADW Future Design Scholars Program is established by Asia Design Week to identify and support scholars with international vision, interdisciplinary capability, and long-term research potential. The program encourages future-oriented research that connects design knowledge, creative practice, cultural exchange, sustainable development, design education, and public innovation.
The program values not only academic publications, but also research prototypes, design methods, creative experiments, public knowledge production, educational contributions, and innovative practices that can be examined, communicated, and further developed in real-world contexts.
2026 Theme
Future Design Innovation and Sustainable Research Impact
The 2026 cycle welcomes research that explores how design can contribute to future knowledge systems, technological imagination, human-AI collaboration, cultural creativity, sustainable social transformation, and new forms of public value.
Who Should Apply
The 2026 ADW Future Design Scholars Open Call is open to emerging and early-career scholars, postdoctoral researchers, visiting scholars, and interdisciplinary practitioners whose work advances future-oriented design research and its wider cultural, educational, technological, or social impact.
Applicants should demonstrate a strong research basis in academic research, creative practice, design innovation, cultural work, educational contribution, or interdisciplinary inquiry. The program welcomes applicants globally, subject to applicable laws, visa requirements, host institution policies, and final administrative review. Proposals connected to recognized host institutions, research laboratories, academic programs, or comparable scholarly platforms are especially encouraged.
Fellowship Support
Selected scholars may receive a one-year fellowship benefits package through the 2026 ADW Future Design Fellowship. The final support package may be structured within an indicative total range of USD 80,000 to USD 120,000, depending on host-location cost of living, host institution requirements, the proposed research plan, and the Fellowship Committee's funding assessment.
The range refers to the total fellowship benefits package and does not constitute a guaranteed salary, employment compensation, consulting payment, service fee, or prize payment.
Base Living Stipend
Research Allowance
Travel and Relocation Support
Health Insurance or Health-Related Support
Academic Exchange Support
Research Areas
Display of the supported areas for the 2026 cycle.
Design Intelligence and Human-AI Co-Creation
Human-AI collaboration, design reasoning, creative computing, and intelligent design tools.
Creative Technology and Experience Systems
Interaction, spatial computing, media art, digital culture, and experience design.
Sustainable Design and Social Impact
Sustainable systems, public design, community innovation, and social transformation.
Cross-Cultural Design and Cultural Creativity
Cultural knowledge, creative industries, communication, and international exchange.
Research Prototypes and Public Knowledge
Research-driven prototypes, exhibitions, public scholarship, and knowledge visualization.
Eligibility
Applicants and award arrangements must satisfy the following basic requirements.
Degree
Applicants should have received a doctoral degree or equivalent terminal degree before the start of the fellowship research period.
Research Basis
Applicants should demonstrate a strong research basis in academic research, creative practice, design innovation, cultural work, education, or interdisciplinary inquiry.
Research Fit
The proposed independent research project should align with the annual theme or supported research areas of the program.
Host Arrangement
Applicants should have obtained, or be in the process of applying for, a host affiliation, visiting appointment, postdoctoral appointment, research affiliation, or comparable academic arrangement with a recognized institution, laboratory, or scholarly platform.
Fellowship Period
Applicants should be able to conduct and advance the proposed research during the one-year fellowship period.
Compliance and Host Policies
Applicants and any award arrangement must satisfy applicable laws, visa requirements, host institution policies, research security review, export control review where applicable, and other administrative requirements.
Non-Employment
Selected scholars will not become employees, consultants, contractors, or service providers of Asia Design Week or any Academic Supporting Organization by receiving fellowship support.
Application Materials
Applicants should submit the following materials in English as a single PDF file.
- Curriculum Vitae
- Research Proposal, 1,500-2,000 words
- Personal Statement, up to 1,000 words
- Two Representative Works
- Host Affiliation Evidence
- Names and contact information of two referees
Selection Criteria
The selection criteria combine scholarly quality, originality, design contribution, public impact, and feasibility.
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Scholarly and Creative Excellence | 25% |
| Originality and Future Relevance of the Research Proposal | 25% |
| Contribution to Design Knowledge, Practice, or Education | 20% |
| Public, Cultural, or Sustainable Impact | 15% |
| Feasibility and Fit with the Host Environment | 15% |
Selection Process
Expert review is organized by the ADW Future Design Fellowship Committee. The Committee may invite relevant experts from ADW's international academic and design network to participate in the review process.
Eligibility and Completeness Review
Expert Review
Shortlist Online Interview, if needed
Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure
Final Deliberation
Admission Notice
Administrative and Funding Review
Award Letter
2026 Timeline
Dates for announcement, review, admission notice, award letters, and fellowship start.
March 1, 2026Program Announcement; Applications Open
May 31, 2026Application Deadline
June 1-3, 2026Eligibility and Completeness Review
June 4-9, 2026Expert Review
June 10-12, 2026Shortlist Online Interviews, if needed
June 13-14, 2026Conflict-of-Interest Confirmation, Materials Review, and Final Deliberation
Late June 2026Admission Notice of Selected Scholars
Late June 2026Administrative/Funding Review
Late June 2026Fellowship Award Letters Issued
From September 1, 2026Fellowship Start Date, subject to the scholar's host appointment arrangement
Scholar Recognition and Network
Recognition and exchange opportunities are arranged in relation to the scholar's research schedule and host institution policies.
Scholar Title
Recognition as an ADW Future Design Scholar.
Fellowship Support
One-year fellowship support through the 2026 ADW Future Design Fellowship, subject to final funding assessment, host institution requirements, and award terms.
Academic Exchange
Opportunities, subject to mutual agreement, host institution policies, and the scholar's research schedule, to participate in ADW-related academic forums, seminars, exhibitions, or research exchange activities.
Scholar Network
Long-term participation in the ADW Future Design Scholars Network.
Participation in ADW-related academic exchange activities does not constitute employment, consulting, promotional service, or any other service obligation. Any such participation will be arranged separately by mutual agreement and in accordance with the scholar's research schedule and host institution policies.
Fellowship Terms
The ADW Future Design Scholars Program is designed to support independent scholarly research. Selected scholars retain academic responsibility for their research and are expected to conduct their work in accordance with the policies of their host institution.
Fellowship support does not create an employment, consulting, service, procurement, or research-deliverable relationship with Asia Design Week or any Academic Supporting Organization. ADW does not require specific research results, does not claim ownership of research outputs generated at the host institution, and does not restrict academic publication or dissemination.
Where fellowship support is administered through or connected with a host institution, the final award terms, payment route, budget allocation, and compliance documentation may be subject to the host institution's review and acceptance.
About Asia Design Week
Asia Design Week (ADW) is an international design organization and cultural exchange platform established and continuously administered by the Asia Design Week Committee. ADW maintains program and liaison presence in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, and Seoul and connects design, academic, educational, and industry communities across Asia and beyond.
Asia Design Week is the sponsoring organization and funding provider of the ADW Future Design Fellowship. Acting under the authority of the Asia Design Week Committee, the ADW Future Design Scholars Program Committee administers the application, review, award issuance, funding administration, and verification processes.
Contact
ADW Future Design Scholars Program Committee
Email: official@asia-design-week.com
Website: www.asia-design-week.com