Peering Fellowship

About the Fellowship

This engaging six-month program is designed to equip 20 peering and interconnection professionals with skills, knowledge, and tools to address interconnection and peering challenges while maximizing opportunities that grow the Internet and develop the community at peering events. This fellowship is one of the ways that the Internet Society is supporting affordable and reliable access efforts. 

What to Expect:

• Virtual content coverage: Participate in online sessions and collaborative forums.
• Attend an in-person peering event: Engage firsthand with the global peering community.
• Technical and peering advocacy based training: Grow expertise in routing, IXPs, and related Internet policy.
• Engagement with industry professionals: Forge connections that broaden your regional and global impact.
• Drive local impact: Deliver work that supports peering and interconnection advancements in your country or region.

Why Apply?

This program brings you the opportunity to:

• Join a network of knowledgeable Internet leaders who continue to develop their skills and competencies, actively support Internet Society’s mission, and advocate for an open, globally connected, secure, and trustworthy Internet.
• Deepen your subject expertise through training from experienced peering professionals.
• Benefit from sharing networks, learning from each other’s approaches, working together, and forging relationships that will significantly enhance peering and interconnection efforts in your community, country, and region during relevant peering events.
• Contribute to making Internet access affordable, reliable, and resilient by improving local Internet interconnection infrastructure and advocating for an enabling policy environment that supports a thriving Internet ecosystem.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

Applications are now closed.

Please read the guidelines for the use of generative AI tools when preparing an application.

Applicants who fit the following criteria are welcome to apply. Applicants must:

• Be based or living in Africa, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), or the Middle East regions.
  • Participants from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States are encouraged to apply.
• Be able to attend the peering event taking place in their region of residence.
  • Selected fellows residing in Africa – AfPIF, 18-21 August, Kigali, Rwanda
  • Selected fellows residing in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) – LACNIC/LACNOG, 19-22 October, Mendoza, Argentina
  • Selected fellows residing in Asia-Pacific (APAC) – Peering Asia, 2-6 November, Osaka, Japan
  • Selected fellows residing in Middle East – TBC
    • Note: Please consult the destination consulate pages (where applicable) to ensure you have the relevant requirements to travel.
• Have at least 3 years of experience in Internet infrastructure and development, with knowledge or active involvement in (but not limited to) network building, operators, Internet routing, Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), peering/interconnection operations, or national or regional Internet policy.
• Have basic comprehension and communication in English. 
• Be able to fully participate in this six-month program.
• Be able to dedicate approximately 4-6 hours per week throughout the program and deliver on assigned deliverables.
• Be available for virtual content sessions scheduled between 12:00 and 16:00 UTC.
• Have reliable Internet connection and relevant device(s) for participation in virtual content sessions.
• Not have previously been selected as a Peering/AfPIF fellow.
• Not have been selected as an Internet Society fellow from 2024 to date.

Selection Process

Only applicants who submit their applications will be considered for selection.

• Once the application period closes, all submissions will undergo two review stages, each conducted by separate review committees. 
• Please note that the review committees will not have access to any applicant demographic information. This means they will not see names, gender, contact details, or any other personal identifiers.
• After the review process is complete, all applicants will receive communication on whether or not they have been selected for the 2026 Peering Fellowship.

Peering Events

These are in-person events where regional peering stakeholders come together to address challenges, celebrate wins, and connect with each other. Each fellow attends one assigned, regionally relevant event during the fellowship. This will be an identified event taking place in the fellows’ region of residence.

Travel support includes:

• A round-trip air ticket to one peering event.
• Hotel accommodation for the duration of the event.
• A fixed stipend for additional needs for the duration of the event.
• Please note that the Internet Society does not offer financial support for visa-related costs, and travel arrangements are fixed for the calendarized workshop dates.

Key Dates

Timeline for 2026:

Program Partners