Call for Applications:
Bridging Policy and Practice: Building Strong Institutions for Inclusive Justice and Sustainable Peace
Hosted by Robert Gordon University, Scotland
Monday, May 31st – Friday, June 4th, 2027
The Workshop will be organized by:
- Workshop Co-Director: Dr. Uche Iloka, Robert Gordon University, Scotland, and ACUNS Board
- Workshop Co-Director: Dr. Sandra Tombe, Executive Director, Academic Council on the United Nations System
ACUNS invites applications from early-career scholars (faculty, doctoral, and postdoctoral researchers) and mid-level professional category staff of the United Nations System and other international or regional organizations for its 2027 Annual Workshop, hosted by the School of Law and Social Sciences and CLaRION at Robert Gordon University.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, 26 October, 2026 at 11:59PM EDT
Robert Gordon University (RGU) is a leading public university in Aberdeen, Scotland, with a heritage rooted in practical and vocational education. Its origins date to 1750, when Aberdeen merchant and philanthropist Robert Gordon established the educational institution from which the University developed. Awarded university status in 1992, RGU has built a strong reputation for career focused education, applied research, innovation, and close engagement with industry and society.
The University offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across a broad range of disciplines, including Business and Management, Architecture, Computing and Cybersecurity, Data Science, Engineering, Health Sciences, Law, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work, and the Creative Arts. Through full time, part time, and flexible learning options, RGU serves a diverse community of students and professionals from the United Kingdom and around the world.
Research, innovation, and industry collaboration are central to RGU’s mission, with interdisciplinary research spanning areas such as energy and sustainability, health and wellbeing, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive and creative societies. Through its diverse research centres and initiatives, including CLARION, one of the co-hosts of this event, RGU brings together academic expertise, industry, government, and communities to address complex societal and economic challenges. With a strong emphasis on applied research and practical impact, the University translates knowledge and innovation into solutions that support economic development, environmental sustainability, and societal progress locally and internationally.
The theme of the 2027 ACUNS Annual Workshop is “Bridging Policy and Practice:Building Strong Institutions for Inclusive Justice and Sustainable Peace. This workshop seeks to create a shared space for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to explore how legal and social science research can meaningfully strengthen institutions and advance justice in diverse contexts. The central objective of the workshop is to close the gap between policy formulation and implementation by co-developing actionable frameworks that enhance accountability, transparency, and participation, key pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 16). Strong and just institutions play a critical role in shaping not only development outcomes, but informing the actions of United Nations Member States, civil society organizations, and communities. As the 2027 SDG Summit will soon be followed by the 2028 review of the United Nations Pact for the Future, this workshop invites participants to broadly examine how and when legal and social institutions like the International Court of Justice and the Gambian Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission shape justice and peace outcomes. Participants will investigate how institutional design, governance reform, and evidence-based policymaking can promote resilience in post-conflict societies, transitional societies, and democracies under threat.
THEMATIC FOCUS
ACUNS invites submissions that engage with one or more of the following dimensions:
- Analyze the theoretical and conceptual foundations of the relationship between institutions, justice, and peace, reflecting on the role and relevance of strong institutions, the consequences of weak institutions, the legitimacy of justice institutions, and their effectiveness in administering justice and brokering peace.
- Discuss how justice institutions, whether global or regional, are challenged by changing political forces in addressing issues such as human rights, conflict and cooperation, war crimes, climate change and environmental governance, nuclear arms control, and data and artificial intelligence governance.
- Map the institutional landscape across different world regions, identifying diffusion patterns of institutions, convergence, divergence, and links to the UN multilateral system.
- Examine the effects, contributions, and limitations of SDG 16 in specific country contexts, at a regional level, and globally.
- Compare how institutions in different regions respond to similar global challenges, and what lessons can be drawn for the future design of multilateral institutions.
- Interrogate the politics of representation and inclusion within legal and social transitional justice institutions, including questions of voice, equity, and the participation of the Global South in shaping global governance institutions and agendas.
Robert Gordon University will provide single-room accommodations on campus, lunch and coffee breaks, and transportation from/to the airport. ACUNS will offer limited travel grants to individuals from conflict-affected countries and developing regions. All other selected participants will be responsible for their own international travel and visa arrangements.
Applicants are encouraged to verify their visa requirements for the United Kingdom prior to completing the application. Applicants may consult United Kingdom Visa and Immigration to obtain up-to-date information on entry requirements based on nationality. Applicants requiring a visa should indicate this information in their application form. Requiring a visa is not a factor in the Workshop Review Committee’s evaluation of applicants.
The workshop is intended for both academics and professionals. Eligible applicants include senior doctoral students, postdocs, faculty members, and other academic or research affiliates, as well as mid-level professional category staff of the United Nations system, international and regional organizations, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations whose work applies to the workshop theme. Selection will be conducted by a committee that will consider balanced geographic representation, disciplinary background, thematic focus, regional expertise, and methodological approach. Relevant aspects of personal background (e.g. region, nationality, and gender) may also be considered as part of ACUNS’ commitment to diversity.
Participation is limited to twenty selected individuals, ideally comprising an even split of ten academics and ten professionals. Selected participants must submit the complete draft of their written work by 23 April, 2027. Participants will engage in an intensive week-long workshop, during which they will be guided to produce individual or collaborative outputs such as policy briefs or full-length research articles, all addressing the workshop’s core themes. Ultimately, this intensive workshop will lay the groundwork for a special forum, a dedicated issue, or an edited volume that will capture the workshop’s distinctive blend of academic and policy perspectives.
The working language of the workshop is English.
Eligible candidates should complete the application form by clicking the blue button on this page. You will be asked to provide personal information, as well as details about employment, research, and proposal.
Applicants must provide:
- A summary of their specialized area of knowledge or expertise (250 words).
- A description of how participation will help advance their career goals (250 words).
- A concise proposal for the written work, which they plan to present (500 words).
- CV or resume (max. 2 pages).
- The name and email of an individual who can be contacted as a professional reference.
Applicants will be notified by November 13, 2026 if they have been selected to participate. Due to the high number of applications, the review committee will not be able to provide individual feedback on applications or explanations of its decisions.
Workshop Timeline
- Monday, 26 October– Deadline for submission of applications (23:59 EDT).
- Friday, 20 November– Selected applicants notified and sent guidelines for the written work.
- Friday, 4 December– Deadline for selected applicants to confirm participation.
- Friday, 18 December– Formal invitations to confirmed participants and visa letters issued.
- Friday, 23 April – Full draft policy briefs or research articles due.
- Monday, 31 May – Workshop commences.
- Friday, 4 June, Workshop ends
- Saturday, 5 June, Tour of Aberdeen.
Last Updated: Friday, 4 September 2026