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The LEGO Foundation Fellowship: Advancing the understanding of how children thrive

By supporting up to 10 early- and mid-career researchers, the LEGO Foundation Fellowship builds on our strong research heritage while generating evidence that matters for children’s lives.

Building the evidence needed to improve the future of childhood

At a time when children’s lives are being shaped by conflict, crisis, rapid technological change, and systems not always designed around their needs, the LEGO Foundation Fellowship aims to support research that can help turn evidence into action for children. Announced in 2026 as part of celebrating the Foundation’s anniversary, the LEGO Foundation Fellowship is a global research initiative spanning disciplines from education and psychology to public health, data science, and humanitarian studies.  

Focusing on the urgent areas shaping children’s lives 

The programme invites researchers working across crisis and conflict settings, neurodivergent inclusion and wellbeing, and children’s learning and development in an AI-enabled world.  Up to 10 fellows will receive three years of flexible support to pursue rigorous, practically relevant research as part of a cohort of peers working across the fellowship’s themes. The first fellows are expected to be appointed before the end of 2026 and will conduct their research projects between 2027-2029 within three urgent areas: 

  • the youngest children in crisis and conflict settings, 

  • inclusion and wellbeing of neurodivergent children, 

  • and children’s learning and development in an AI-enabled world. 

300k
The Fellowship will provide flexible research funding of USD 300,000 over three years.
10
Number of early- and mid-career researchers funded by The LEGO Foundation Fellowship.
3
The LEGO Foundation Fellowship focuses on select, urgent areas impacting children’s lives.

Focusing on the urgent areas shaping children’s lives 

The programme invites researchers working across crisis and conflict settings, neurodivergent inclusion and wellbeing, and children’s learning and development in an AI-enabled world.  Up to 10 fellows will receive three years of flexible support to pursue rigorous, practically relevant research as part of a cohort of peers working across the fellowship’s themes. The first fellows are expected to be appointed before the end of 2026 and will conduct their research projects between 2027-2029 within three urgent areas: 

  • the youngest children in crisis and conflict settings, 

  • inclusion and wellbeing of neurodivergent children, 

  • and children’s learning and development in an AI-enabled world. 

The LEGO Foundation has a long history of supporting research across the globe. As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, it’s an important time to renew that commitment to researchers who are exploring how we can support children around the world to thrive.
Joe SavageVP, Head of Evidence & Impact at the LEGO Foundation

About the LEGO Foundation Fellowship - Social Science Research Council (SSRC)The LEGO Foundation Fellowship is developed in partnership with and administered by SSRC - the Social Science Research Council - as part of its commitment to supporting scholars whose work bridges research and real-world impact.