Topchubashov Center is proud to announce the launch of the Khoyski Fellowship Program, named in honor of the diplomatic legacy and visionary statecraft of Fatali Khan Khoyski (1875–1920)—one of the founding fathers of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and its Foreign Minister.

Inspired by Khoyski's commitment to principled diplomacy and strategic thinking, the fellowship seeks to cultivate a new generation of scholars and policy professionals capable of producing rigorous, forward-looking analysis on the rapidly evolving geopolitics of Eurasia and beyond.

As one of the leading independent think tank in the post-Soviet space specializing in foreign policy and security affairs, Topchubashov Center has established this fellowship to advance four strategic objectives:

• Cultivating Talent: Identifying, mentoring, and empowering exceptional early- and mid-career researchers with strong expertise in international affairs and regional studies.

• Expanding Research Capacity: Strengthening the Center's analytical output and broadening its international intellectual network.

• Promoting Independent Analysis: Providing an impartial platform for cutting-edge, evidence-based research on pressing regional and global developments.

• Integrating Expertise into Policy Practice: Bringing fellows' thematic and regional knowledge directly into the Center's research projects, policy briefs, and international partnerships.

Fellowship Structure

Duration: 3–12 months, tailored to the Center's strategic priorities and the fellow's research agenda, with the final timeline determined on an individual basis.

Milestones: Fellows are expected to work toward deliverables and receive feedback from the Center's management and senior researchers.

Format: Flexible and hybrid.

• On-site Fellowship (Baku): Fellows become part of the Center's daily intellectual life, participating in policy briefings, research projects, meetings and events.

• Remote Fellowship: Depending on the situation, some fellows may collaborate online/remotely with the Center's core team.

Who can apply?

The Khoyski Fellowship is designed for early- and mid-career researchers, policy analysts, and security journalists seeking to deepen their expertise and contribute to policy-relevant scholarship.

While there is no formal age limit, the program primarily aims to support emerging and established professionals between the ages of 19 and 45.

Applicants should possess:

• A minimum of a Bachelor's degree (Master's or Ph.D. strongly preferred) in International Relations, Political Science, Public Policy, Regional Security, International Political Economy, or a related field;

• Demonstrated research and analytical abilities;

• Excellent written English.

Fellowship Benefits

Financial Support

Fellowship stipend is to be discussed individually with shortlisted candidates. Financial arrangements may reflect the fellow's experience, career stage, and residency status (on-site or remote).

Institutional Visibility and Professional Development

Fellows receive the opportunity to:

• Publish research under the Center's banner;

• Disseminate their work through the Center's international network of partner institutions;

• Participate in regional fora, webinars, and expert dialogues;

• Build lasting connections with leading scholars and practitioners across Eurasia and beyond.

Strategic Research Themes

Fellows are invited to develop research projects and contribute institutionally across the Topchubashov Center's principal areas of expertise:

South Caucasus Geopolitics: Regional security, post-conflict order-building, peace processes, normalization efforts, state-building, and evolving geopolitical dynamics in the South Caucasus.

Energy, Connectivity, and Infrastructure: The geopolitics of energy security and transition, hydrocarbon and renewable energy markets, transport and logistics corridors, digital connectivity, and the strategic development of transregional infrastructure, including the Middle Corridor and broader Eurasian connectivity initiatives.

Multivector Diplomacy and Foreign Policy: Azerbaijan's relations with global and regional powers, strategic partnerships, regional organizations, and emerging multilateral formats, as well as broader questions of middle-power diplomacy and foreign policy diversification.

Cross-Regional and Comparative Studies: Political, economic, and security developments across Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia, and North America, with particular attention to their interactions with the South Caucasus.

International Security and Geoeconomics: Great-power competition, regional security architectures, economic statecraft, sanctions, strategic resources, trade corridors, and the interplay between geopolitics and global economic change.

Expectations and Deliverables

Throughout the fellowship, fellows are expected to:

• Produce analytical reports, opinion editorials (op-eds), policy briefs, and/or other research outputs for the Center, with the number and scope of deliverables to be determined individually in consultation with the Center;

• Contribute research support—including data analysis, literature reviews, thematic expertise, and regional insights—to the Center's ongoing projects and initiatives;

• Participate actively in the Center's public activities, including conferences, roundtables, webinars, and expert dialogues, as speakers, discussants, moderators, or coordinators;

• Undertake additional research, analytical, or institutional tasks as mutually agreed upon with the Center's management during the fellowship period.

Application Process

Applicants are invited to submit to info@top-center.org:

• A current resume/CV;

• One writing sample;

• A brief Research Outline (maximum 1,000 words) aligned with one of the program's strategic themes.

Regular calls with specific application deadlines and other details are to be shared on the Center`s webpage and social media accounts.

Applications are evaluated based on analytical rigor, originality, policy relevance, and intellectual independence.

Shortlisted candidates are invited for an interview to discuss their proposed research agenda, fellowship timeline, and individual terms of engagement.