17/07/2026
Michelle Villavert, our University Research Associate for the Cultural Mapping Project has successfully secured a highly competitive grant from the 2026 SHAPE-SEA Research Grants Scheme hosted by Mahidol University.
Her research proposal on indigenous knowledge and island-based climate change policy was selected from among 472 submissions region-wide. Joining our project for years we know what she is capable of and we can attest to her sincerity and dedication to scholarship. You deserve this grant, Go
🌿 SHAPE-SEA launches Research Grants Scheme 2026 with Inception Workshop for 15 homegrown scholars
Fifteen Southeast Asian scholars, one shared mission. Chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants, the RGS 2026 grantees represent the next generation of Southeast Asian researchers tackling the region’s most pressing human rights and peace challenges.
“These fifteen grantees are exactly who should be telling Southeast Asia’s stories,” said Dr. Bidyalaxmi Salam, SHAPE-SEA Project Lead for Knowledge Production. “They know the histories, the languages, and the lived realities of the communities they study, because these are their own communities. Our role is to make sure they have the funding, mentorship, and peer support to turn that closeness into rigorous, credible research. When they succeed, the region gains scholarship that is relevant, trusted, and lasting.”
“The idea for my Chana project existed before I applied, but the grant made it possible to turn that idea into reality,” said Dr. Ngamkaiwan.
This year, Dr. Ngamkaiwan returns to the programme in a new role: as a mentor to the incoming RGS 2026 cohort at the Inception Workshop, completing the cycle from grantee to guide. Moreover, Dr. Vachararutai (Jan) Boontinand, Executive Director of SHAPE-SEA, further emphasized that the Inception Workshop is designed to ensure grantees begin their projects on the strongest possible footing.
“A region cannot claim ownership of its human rights agenda if it does not own the knowledge that informs it,” said Dr. Boontinand. “Through this workshop, we make sure that all fifteen (15) grantees start their projects with strong research foundations, clear ethical grounding, and a community behind them".
The workshop combines thematic discussions on human rights and peace research with practical sessions on research design, ethics, academic writing, and project management.
🌿 Read more: https://philippinesgraphic.com.ph/2026/07/15/shape-sea-launches-research-grants-scheme-2026-with-inception-workshop-for-15-homegrown-scholars/
