Asia Foundation Development Fellows program offers highly qualified young professionals from Asia a unique chance to improve their leadership skills and thoroughly understand Asia’s pressing development concerns. The program also helps the fellows to enhance their professional networks and international exposure. This Development Fellows program also reflects the Foundation’s nearly seven-decade tradition of investing in the region’s most promising future leaders.

Program Description and Components

The Asia Foundation Development Fellows program has two components as follows:

Leadership Training Program and Study Tour (Spring 2024):

The Leadership Dialogue and Study Tour program will take place in Cambodia in 18 February to 01 March 2024 and offers a series of highly interactive leadership training modules. Also, the program provides the following components:

• Executive coaches, site visits with leading development thinkers and practitioners, local innovators, and recognized policy leaders
• Short assignments
• Sessions focused on self-care and wellness for leaders

Considering the larger objective of enhancing leadership potential and skills, the training modules also focus on decision-making and strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, managing change, working with participants on developing critical perspectives, and introducing innovative approaches in leadership and management.

Site visits or study tour helps fellows to explore approaches that advance development knowledge and deliver a positive impact. The program has previously occurred in Nepal, Mongolia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Korea, where local needs and challenges served as a contextual backdrop for exploring theories of change and practice in international development.

Leadership Dialogue and Exchange Program (Fall 2024):

The Leadership Dialogue and Exchange Program in the United States will occur from 13 to 26 October 2024.

The program continues from the spring session, allowing Fellows to extend personal promises to their cohort. Also, they will have an opportunity to build new international perspectives and networks of support. During this two-week program, the Fellows will attend a comprehensive series of programs, policy discussions, and unique learning and leadership development opportunities. All these programs will take place in San Francisco, Washington, DC, and other cities in the United States.

Key Details

Organized by: Asia Foundation

Leadership Training Program and Study Tour: Cambodia

The Training and Tour Dates: 18 February to 01 March 2024

Leadership Dialogue and Exchange Program: United States

Dialogue and Exchange Dates: 13 to 26 October 2024

Application Portal Open: 10 July 2023

Application Deadline: 28 August 2023

Internal Asia Foundation Review: September – October 2023

Selection of Finalists: November 2023

Final Selection Announced: December 2023

Fellowship Year Commences: January 2024

Eligible Countries: Afghanistan and the Countries listed below

Benefits and Award of the Program

Asia Foundation Development Fellowship provides the following benefits:

• Each selected Fellow will receive up to USD 5,000 as a cash award. This amount will provide the opportunity to design personalized plans to improve their leadership skills and professional experience related to their career growth. Each Fellow should develop a personalized, year-long work plan that includes enrollment study, specialized training programs or short courses, travel for participating in key regional forums, workshops, or engagement in a series of other enrichmenvarious
• Building on the Foundation’s regional network and local capacity, the development fellowship program offers mentorship-matching support personalized to the background and professional interests of each of the Fellows.
• The program also offers a fixed number of one-on-one executive coaching sessions during their fellowship year.

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Eligibility Criteria

Fellowship recipients of the Asia Foundation Development Fellowship program must meet the following criteria:

• Have a demonstrable experience record and accomplishment relevant to The Asia Foundation’s fields of expertise: economic development, governance, and law, women’s empowerment, gender equality, regional cooperation, and environment and climate action
• Applicants should be committed, thoughtful, respected, and inspirational leaders in their professional fields and within their larger community
• Their age should be under 40 years by 01 January 2024
• Be familiar with English (TOEFL exam report is not necessary)
• Commit to being evaluable to participate in all program components on the specified dates
• Hold nationality or citizenship of the following countries where The Asia Foundation has programs:

1. Afghanistan
2. Bangladesh
3. Bhutan
4. Cambodia
5. China
6. India
7. Indonesia
8. Japan
9. Korea
10. Laos
11. Malaysia
12. Mongolia
13. Myanmar
14. Nepal
15. Pacific Islands
16. Pakistan
17. Philippines
18. Singapore
19. Sri Lanka
20. Thailand
21. Timor-Leste
22. Vietnam

Selection Process

The Asia Foundation Development Fellowship program, is highly competitive. The selection process of the program is as follows:

• The Foundation staff member will evaluate each application thoroughly and narrow the pool of candidates.
• A distinguished committee with expertise on needs and development conditions in Asia and the Pacific will make the final selections.
• The committee will select the Fellows regardless of gender, ethnic background, marital status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or financial need.
• All submitted application information will be confidential unless stated otherwise in the application. This confidentiality remains the same with the nominee’s identity throughout the final selection process.

Required Documents

All candidates should review the Application Guidelines before applying to the program and complete each component of the application with the following supporting documents:

• Personal information
• Written submission
• Updated CV
• Short video submission
• Letters of recommendation (handled online)

How to Apply for the Asia Foundation Development Fellowship?

The application portal will start on Monday, 10 July 2023, at 12:01 am Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4). Before applying, please download and read the application instructions and then enter the link below.

 

Apply Now

 

Please visit Asia Foundation’s website to learn more about Asia Foundation Fellowship Program 2024.

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