IIE Announces 2025 Quad Fellows
Washington DC, August 4, 2025
The Institute of International Education (IIE) announced today the selection of 37 exceptional students as recipients of the prestigious 2025 Quad Fellowship. These Fellows will pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at leading institutions in the United States and, for the first time, in Japan.
This third cohort marks a significant milestone in the Fellowship’s evolution. In collaboration with the Government of Japan, the Quad Fellowship welcomes its inaugural Japan-based cohort — 12 Fellows who will undertake graduate studies at renowned universities in Japan, joining 25 Fellows studying at top-tier institutions across the United States. IIE extends its sincere appreciation to the Government of Japan for its leadership and support in making this expansion possible — an important step toward fostering international cooperation in STEM through the program’s implementation. This expansion reflects the Quad countries’ deepening commitment to academic engagement and knowledge exchange in STEM across all Quad countries.
The 2025 Quad Fellows represent 11 countries and are pursuing graduate degrees in 29 distinct areas of specialization across 13 fields of study at 25 higher education institutions in the United States and Japan. Nearly one-quarter of the U.S.-based cohort are first-generation college students, and for at least as many, their graduate studies mark their first experience studying in their host country—whether in the United States or Japan.
Launched in 2021, the Quad Fellowship is an initiative supported by the governments of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, and a first-of-its-kind fellowship designed to foster cross-national collaboration in STEM. In 2024, the program expanded to include students from ten Southeast Asian countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. This year the Fellowship has further broadened its reach by hosting Fellows at universities in Japan for the first time.
“Now in its third year, the Quad Fellowship supports some of the world's most talented scientists and technologists to pursue research at America's leading institutions of higher education. This year marks a significant development for the Quad Fellowship with Japan joining the U.S. as a host country,” said Jonah Kokodyniak, Executive Vice President at IIE. “We’re grateful for the collaboration and commitment of the Government of Japan. The program’s expansion into Japan underscores the Quad Fellowship’s commitment to host Quad Fellows across each Quad country and further supports collaboration across the Indo-Pacific region.”
The Quad Fellowship is an initiative of the governments of the Quad countries and is administered by IIE. The Fellowship is generously supported by leading corporate and philanthropic partners, including Google, the Pratt Foundation, and Western Digital, who share a commitment to promoting scientific excellence and fostering interdisciplinary exchange.
Each 2025 Quad Fellow will receive a stipend to assist with their academic expenses. Throughout the Fellowship year, Fellows will participate in curated programming and networking opportunities with leaders in STEM, public policy, and civil society. Upon completing the Fellowship, they will join the growing community of Quad Senior Fellows — a global network dedicated to advancing scientific collaboration and innovation and driving positive global impact.
About the Quad Fellowship
The Quad Fellowship was established as a pioneering initiative of the Quad governments to deepen people-to-people ties through academic exchange in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It builds on the renewed commitment to regional cooperation that emerged from the revitalization of the Quad dialogue in November 2017. This revival marked a strategic shift toward strengthening security, economic, and technological collaboration among the four nations, laying the foundation for initiatives like the Quad Fellowship. The Fellowship is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), in consultation with a non-governmental task force comprising leaders from academia, foreign policy, and the private sector from each Quad country.
About the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in designing and implementing international education strategies and program services. We work with governments, policymakers, educators, and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that assist students, scholars, and artists whose lives and work are threatened; expand teaching and learning across cultures; and provide life-changing opportunities. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,600 higher education partners. Visit iie.org.
