The University of Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies aims to be a leading center for the study of the causes of violent conflict and strategies for sustainable peace. Through interdisciplinary research on peace and justice, conducted by its faculty and fellows, the Institute seeks to understand and propose solutions to conflicts around the globe.
The Visiting Research Fellows Program at the Kroc Institute brings scholars to the University of Notre Dame to engage in peace research linked to the Institute's ongoing initiatives. The program targets academic and alumni scholars with robust research backgrounds, offering fellowships for a semester or a full academic year. Research proposals are encouraged within several thematic areas: Intersection of Gender, Race, Class, and Peacebuilding; International Mediation; Media, Technology, and Peacebuilding; Afghanistan Peace and Development Program; and Peace Accords Matrix (PAM). These proposals should detail clear, significant research projects that align with the Institute's work and demonstrate how the Institute can support the researcher's ambitions. The program particularly values interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies that include qualitative, participatory, and/or feminist perspectives.
In addition, the program invites Kroc Institute alumni who have graduated prior to 2016 to apply for a one-semester visiting research fellowship aimed at alumni who have worked as peacebuilding practitioners. This aspect of the program is designed for alumni to reflect on and write about their experiences, contributing to the academic and intellectual community of the Institute. Funding includes stipends of varying amounts based on tenure status and free housing in furnished Institute apartments, alongside access to essential academic resources.