Solid navy coloured background with text IFLA WLIC 2026 Grants

IFLA Emerging Leaders’ Grants

Application deadline

28 February 2026

IFLA is pleased to offer grants for emerging leaders in order to attend IFLA WLIC 2026 in Busan, South Korea. The grants are intended to support individuals with strong leadership skills and growth potential to expand their personal and professional horizons, build their profile, and make a unique contribution to the achievement of IFLA’s wider goals.

Through this, we want both to advance the work of the wider global field, as well as bring benefits to the communities in which grantees work.

The 2026 Emerging Leaders Grants Programme is particularly significant in that it will be closely associated with the launch of IFLA’s centenary celebrations – IFLA100. This will be a major occasion for IFLA, providing an opportunity both for reflection about our past and future, and mobilisation of the field and partners.

What does the grant cover?

The grant will cover the full registration fee, as well as a variable additional fixed sum of money to cover travel and accommodation costs as below. You can find definitions of high, middle and low-income countries on the World Bank website:

  • Applicants from high-income countries: Registration + 1000 EUR
  • Applicants from upper- and lower-middle income countries: Registration + 1500 EUR
  • Applicants from lower-income countries: Registration + 2000 EUR

 

Where required, IFLA can help with purchasing travel, hotel and visas in advance, with any remaining funds paid out once grantees participate in the first briefing session for grantees at the Congress.

Applicants must be able to attend the Congress (including securing visas as relevant) and will be responsible for all other costs associated with their attendance.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the IFLA WLIC 2026 Emerging Leaders Grant, applicants must:

  • Be able to demonstrate that they have already displayed leadership potential in their own contexts, and that they have plans for further growth in future.
  • Be able to demonstrate that they have strong networks (for example through active association involvement, readership of blogs and social media, or other means), allowing them both to spread what they learn from the Congress, as well as draw on a wide range of insights in preparation for this.
  • Be able to demonstrate that they are able to produce strong written content such as blogs or short articles.
  • Priority is given to applicants who are a first-time attendee to a major IFLA event.
  • Have a reasonable level of English language knowledge due to their expected participation in a grantee programme during WLIC.

 

Priority will be given to applicants who are first-time attendees of the IFLA World Library and Information Congress.

What we expect from you 

The Emerging Leaders grant is more generous than our general grants, but in turn, we do expect more from you! In particular, we will be asking successful applicants:

  • In advance of WLIC, we want grantees to carry out a task involving a reflection on the development of librarianship in their countries. This will lead to a presentation at WLIC.
  • At WLIC, grantees will participate actively in a session or sessions focused on their work to date. We also encourage grantees to engage in other activities, such as a meet up with other grantees, supporting communications around the Congress and more.
  • Following WLIC, grantees will be expected to submit a short report (up to 1 page) on how they have applied the lessons learned from the Congress, as well as a short report (up to 2 pages) identifying and exploring a ‘weak signal’ that they have identified from their attendance in WLIC sessions. We will be inviting you to a follow-up meeting to talk about progress.

 

How to apply?

To apply, please complete the application form and upload a single PDF file that includes the following: 

  1. Curriculum vitae (up to 2 pages, with max 1 further page of references to articles or other work done): Provide a brief overview of your educational background, professional experience, and any relevant achievements or contributions to the library field.
  2. Statement or letter from your employer supporting your attendance at WLIC.
  3. Motivation letter (max 300 words): this should include information about your motivation to attend, and how you meet the eligibility criteria set out above.

 

All documents should be in English.

Please be clear about any use of AI in the preparation of your letter or application. We recognise the value of AI in helping with language (especially for non-native speakers of English), but want it to be your voice and ideas that we read!

Important dates

  • Application deadline: 23:59 Amsterdam time, 28 February 2026. 
  • Successful candidates will be notified by: 1 April 2026.
Apply now!

Questions?

Please contact grants@ifla.org.