2026

Naseej Academy Grant to Attend the Mortenson Center Associates Program

Was developed to support the region’s knowledge community by sponsoring a professional working in the field of libraries, information centers and archival institutions in the Arab World, to attend the Mortenson Center Associates Program.

To Apply

The Grant Process:​​

Because the grant is designated for one individual out of many applicants, Naseej Academy and the Mortenson Center have developed a thorough process for reviewing and considering all applications and making a final selection:

  1. The application deadline will be December 1
  2. Each application will be reviewed by a grant committee, which will shortlist up to five candidates’ applications to be sent to the Mortenson Center for review and consideration.
  3. The Mortenson Center will interview the candidates in English, and assess their overall qualifications and the strengths of their candidacy.
  4. The Mortenson Center sends their assessment report to the Naseej Academy, which announces the result within three weeks of receiving the report and the winner’s acceptance of the grant.
  5. Naseej Academy will contact the winner to arrange for their attendance at the program.

Important Details:

The grant provided by Naseej Academy is designated for one winner only. It covers the following:

  • Program fees
  • Airfare (round trip, up to USD 1,500)
  • Personal expenses of USD 1,000.
  • If the grant recipient is unable to attend the program, he/she will forfeit the grant, and a second winner will be nominated by the Mortenson Center.
To Apply

Poised for Impact: Data, User, Strategy-Driven Libraries: A Professional Development and Leadership Program for Library and Information Science (LIS) Professionals”

June 1-24, 2026, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The 2026 Mortenson Center Associates Program will offer individuals working in a library and/or information services setting outside the United States an opportunity to explore critical issues and trends in the library field and engage with librarians implementing cutting-edge programs and services.

The program will engage participants in learning about novel and inventive practices and services in areas such as:

  • User-centered Services
  • AI and Emerging Technologies
  • Environmental Scanning
  • Leadership, Communication and Strategic change
  • Library Assessment and Communicating Impact
  • Multiple Literacies
  • Digital and Print Collections and Repositories
  • International Professional Networking
  • Seminars and Workshops introduce and explore current trends in the field. Library experts will be invited to share their perspectives, offer expertise, and foster conversations on the themes of leadership and impact to build data, user, strategy-driven libraries.
  • Tours of a variety of libraries, including academic, public, and special libraries. We may also visit the American Library Association headquarters in Chicago, Illinois and other sites of interest.
  • Networking with a dynamic group of international colleagues during and post-program.
  • Participants will develop individual action plans, appropriate to their professional and institutional needs, and will receive post-program implementation review.
  • Each participant will receive a Certificate of Program Participation upon completion.
  • Scheduling to allow participants to attend the Annual Meeting of the American Library Association (ALA), if they wish.
  • The 2026 ALA Annual Conference will be in Chicago, IL, June 25-29, 2026. Arrangements and registration for the conference must be made separately and are not included in the program costs.
  • Currently employed in a library, information center, or archive, with minimum three years’ experience.
  • Commitment to furthering the Mortenson Center’s mission within the participant’s own country.
  • Willingness and ability to share what is learned while at the Mortenson Center with others in the participant’s home country.
  • Participants should be fluent in conversational English and possess a reading knowledge of English. This program is delivered in English only.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Demonstrated commitment of the participant’s home institution to supporting sharing activity (training seminars, workshops, etc.).
  • The final deadline for application submissions is December 1, 2025.
  • The grant applicants will be contacted with the result by the end of January 2026.
  • Program activities will begin on June 1, 2026. The last day of program activities will be June 24, 2026.
  • Scans and electronic documents sent by online application are preferred.
  • Applications must be complete, received within stated deadline, and include all required attachments.
  • Applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
  • The Mortenson Center reserves the right to verify all information given in the application.
  • Application must be submitted in English along with supporting documentation in order to be considered.
  • Participants must be prepared to work as team members with other Mortenson Center program participants and to participate as required by the program.
  • Associates will not be permitted to join the program late or depart early.

Please fill the below application form

Application form is closed!

Thank you, everyone, applicants’ forms are currently under review, and we will inform the grant’s winner by the end of January 2026.

For more information: Email us at: [email protected]

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