The East West Center offers  Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) to those who are intersted about Asia Pacific region and value diversity and working for peaceful futures. Asia Pacific Leadershsip Program is a community of individuals who embrace diversity and are committed to shaping peaceful, prosperous, fair, and just futures. APLP participants are actively involved in hands-on, location-based learning, where they delve into leadership principles and techniques that enhance individual, team, and community effectiveness. They confront the leadership challenges of our time and develop strategies to address these issues at local, regional, and global levels. For over two decades, the APLP has been nurturing leaders who are passionate and capable of making positive contributions in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. New participants join a network of over 700 APLP alumni from 45 nations, actively engaging in their learning process and contributing to a global movement for positive change.

East West Center offers fellowship for APLP applicants from any country to participate and join the diverse and active communities with different backgrounds and professions. It is a 5 month program containing leadership activities and workshop in the Hawaii, USA, helping the fellows to step out of specific individual areas of expertise and develop new analytic and leadership approaches to change the perspective of participants and give them new insights on regional processes are coupled with opportunities to examine and develop their leadership capacity via practical work with various co-participants. The fellows will find the ability not only to cope with, or understand change, but to lead it.

Important Details of program:

• Deadline: November 1, 2024
• Program start: April 27, 2023
• End of program: September 15, 2023
• Location: USA
• Institution: East West Center

2025 Program Schedule

Pre-residency Virtual Engagement: May 15 – July 1

Fellows connect online to build relationships and explore leadership concepts. Full-time employment is allowed, but all tasks must be completed to qualify for Residency.

Residency in Hawai‘i: July 2 – August 8

Fellows meet in Honolulu for an immersive experience, collaborating on leadership topics with peers and community partners, including a one-week field study. Full-time commitment is required, with no outside work allowed.

Post-residency Virtual Engagement: August 9 – December 5
Monthly virtual meetings help fellows reflect on integrating their leadership insights. Full-time work is allowed, but all assignments must be completed for certification.

Southeast Asia Symposium: February 1 – 7, 2026 (by invitation)
Selected fellows gather in Southeast Asia to deepen collaboration on leadership and regional change, through discussions, peer learning, and field visits. Attendance is by invitation only.

The APLP Approach:

• Place-based: Emphasizes contextual leadership and promotes the diversity and abundance of local communities
• Experiential: Assists Fellows in developing their leadership skills together, reflecting on their performance, and adjusting their tactics for greater impact.
• Transformational: Fosters growth on an individual and group level for both new and experienced leaders.

Costs of program: 9840 USD

• Program fee: 7000 USD
• Housing in East west center: $940
• Living cost; USD 1900

Note: Airfare and visa fees are not included in program cost. Scholarships are available to decrease the cost of the program. Support for scholarships can be requested in the application’s scholarship section.

Who can apply?

• Demonstrate commitment for peace and prosperity promotion in the Indo-Asia Pacific region via professional work, living or study experience.
• Have at least 5 years of work experience
• Possess at least a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent (3 years bachelor’s degree is acceptable) from an accredited institution in US or abroad.
• Applicants with any citizenship, age or ethnicity can apply.
• Candidates must speak English fluently to be considered. If one is available, applicants are encouraged to submit their English language test result (such as IELTS).

Desirable Qualifications

• Leadership track record in professional, public, and/or personal realms
• Willingness to engage fully in experiential leadership development training
• Deep involvement in a specific organization, business or community impact initiative (applicants must explain how, with their home-setting teams, they will experiment with the leadership strategies learned in APLP)
• International experience and aptitude, including overseas residence, language skills, intercultural and diversity exposure
• Experience of cohort learning, working collaboratively in small teams or in large groups.

How to apply for Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) Fellowship?

Applicants must be submitted online through the link below. Instructions and a link to the Letter of Reference form will be emailed to your referee. Please direct your referee to email their team at aplp@eastwestcenter.org if they require assistance. An applicant’s direct Letter of Reference WILL NOT be accepted by the program. To complete your application, you must submit one letter of recommendation.

Up until November 8, 2024, references will be accepted.

Apply NOW

For more details about Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) Fellowship at East West Center – USA, please visit the East West Center website.

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