Future Digileaders is an event held in Stockholm, Sweden, for selected early-career researchers interested in the broad area of digitalization. The event includes a career workshop featuring talks, panels, and discussions. It focuses on career development, offers opportunities to meet inspiring role models, and encourages networking among participants.
This year’s Future Digileaders program includes:
- A mingling event on 10 November 2025
- Poster presentations at the Digitalize in Stockholm conference on 11 November 2025
- An onsite workshop at the Digital Futures hub on 12 November 2025
During the event, participants will gain insights from experienced academics, engage in in-depth discussions, and receive mentorship from established research leaders. A detailed program will be announced soon.
Selected applicants will be invited to attend the event in person, with travel and accommodation costs covered. Digital Futures will book and pay for economy-class travel and budget hotel accommodation. We especially welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and encourage women to apply.
Future Digileaders is part of Digitalize in Stockholm 2025, an annual conference and networking event held on 11 November 2025. It brings together global research leaders and rising stars working to drive digital transformation across academia, industry, government, and civil society.
Through this experience, we expect Future Digileaders will:
- Gain insights into the joys and challenges of becoming and being faculty, with an understanding of various academic career paths and strategies
- Develop a strong awareness of inclusive values and how to apply them to foster a supportive research environment
- Establish new connections with leaders in research and industry, as well as a network of international peers
- Understand the broader societal relevance of digitalization research, and explore cutting-edge challenges and advancements
- Learn about academic life in Sweden and the opportunities it offers
Application
Eligibility:
We welcome applications from early-career researchers who earned their PhD no earlier than 2020 or expect to graduate no later than 2026. The eligibility period can be extended in the case of career breaks, such as parental/adoption leave, long-term illness, or national service during or after PhD studies.
Applicants should be interested in pursuing an academic career in areas related to digitalization in connection to the following societal contexts:
- Smart Society
- Digitalized Industry
- Rich and Healthy Life
- Educational Transformation
The Digital Futures Strategic Research Programme is structured as a matrix, to know more see here.
Deadline:
Applications must be submitted by 4 September 2025, AoE (Anywhere on Earth time zone).
Application materials (single PDF) must include:
- CV (maximum 2 pages)
- Link to a Google Scholar profile or a list of publications
- A brief answer (maximum 300 words) to the question:
“What is, in your opinion, the next step in digitalization research, and why?”
Apply here: to be announced
During the application process, you will be asked to provide personal information, the title of your research, and relevant keywords. If appropriate, please use the (tentative) title of your PhD thesis as the research title, and choose keywords that best describe your research area.
Selection:
We aim to select a diverse and dynamic group of Future Digileaders based on the strength and quality of their application materials.
Organizing Committee:
- Sandra Pauletto, Associate Professor in the Media Technology and Interaction Design division at KTH EECS, Associate Director Mobility, Digital Futures Faculty, pauletto@kth.se
- Jelena Zdravkovic, Professor and Head of Department of Computer and Systems Sciences at Stockholm University, Associate Director for Diversity & Inclusion, Digital Futures Faculty, jelenaz@dsv.su.se
- Johanna Gavefalk, Chief Communications Officer, Digital Futures, jgav@kth.se
- Ulrika Larsson, Site & Event Officer, Digital Futures, ullis@kth.se
Contact info@digitalfutures.kth.se for further questions. Please include “Future Digileaders” in the subject of your mail.