About this opportunity
The World Trade Organization's Youth Talent Incubator Programme is open for its second edition, and it sits at a very specific intersection: trade policy and gender. The programme is built around three pillars, which are mentoring, capacity building and networking, and participants engage with global experts, WTO Members and other international and regional stakeholders.
It grows out of the Youth Trade Summit on Gender, which brought fifty young professionals from academia, research and government together in November 2023. Launched in July 2024, the first edition ran for more than eleven months, strengthening participants' knowledge and professional skills through mentorship, applied policy research, training and networking. Those results were presented at the WTO Informal Working Group in December 2025.
The second edition will run entirely online from 12 October 2026 to 30 June 2027 and is free of charge. It is aimed at young researchers in academia and research institutions, including think tanks, research foundations, research centres and policy research organisations, as well as young professionals in government.
One important detail before you start: this is a nomination programme. The WTO Gender Research Hub is asking academic and research institutions to nominate candidates, and nominations may be made by their legal representatives. Up to 35 nominees will be selected by the Chair of the WTO Gender Research Hub, and successful applicants are notified by email on 1 October 2026. Applications close on 24 September 2026 at 23:59 CET, and the organisers state that this
Application timeline
will not be extended.
What you receive
- Mentorship from global experts, WTO Members and international and regional stakeholders
- Applied policy research experience at the intersection of trade and gender
- Training and capacity building across an eleven month programme
- Networking with researchers and policymakers and exposure to global and regional stakeholders
- Free of charge, delivered entirely online
- Results of the cohort's work presented through WTO platforms, as the first edition's were at the WTO Informal Working Group
Who can apply
- Be aged 20 to 35
- Be a young researcher in academia or a research institution such as a think tank, research foundation, research centre or policy research organisation, or a young professional in government
- Demonstrate current work on trade and gender, or an interest in incorporating trade and gender issues into your existing work
- Submit a motivation letter and complete the online application form
- Receive formal endorsement from your academic or research institution, since this is a nomination programme
Who should not apply
- Applicants outside the 20 to 35 age range are not eligible
- Candidates without formal endorsement from their academic or research institution cannot be nominated
- Applications submitted after the deadline are not considered, and the deadline will not be extended
Documents to prepare
- A motivation letter
- The completed online application form
- Formal endorsement or nomination from your academic or research institution
How to apply
- Confirm your nomination route with the legal representative of your academic or research institution, since institutions are asked to nominate candidates
- Write a motivation letter that shows your current work on trade and gender, or how you plan to bring it into your work
- Complete the online application form at https://wto.formstack.com/forms/wto_youth_talent_incubator_programme_2nd_edition_application_form
- Submit before 24 September 2026 at 23:59 CET, a deadline that will not be extended
- Read the full programme details at https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/womenandtrade_e/youth_talent_incubator_programme_e.htm, or contact the WTO Trade and Gender Office with enquiries
Selection process
- Applications are reviewed against the eligibility and nomination criteria
- Up to 35 nominees are selected by the Chair of the WTO Gender Research Hub
- Successful applicants are notified by email on 1 October 2026
- The programme runs from 12 October 2026 to 30 June 2027
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Does this cost anything?
No. The programme is delivered entirely online and is free of charge.
Can I apply on my own without an institution?
This is a nomination programme. The WTO Gender Research Hub is requesting academic and research institutions to nominate candidates, and you need formal endorsement from your institution.
How many participants are selected?
Up to 35 nominees are selected by the Chair of the WTO Gender Research Hub.
When will I hear back?
Successful applicants are notified by email on 1 October 2026, before the programme starts on 12 October 2026.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
