Asia Foundation Development Fellows Program 2019

The Asia Foundation Development Fellows Program 2019 is now open for applications. The Asia Foundation Development Fellows: Emerging Leadership for Asia’s Future program provides highly qualified, young professionals from Asia with an unparalleled opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills and gain in-depth knowledge of Asia’s critical development challenges.

The year-long professional advancement program draws on The Asia Foundation’s extensive 18-country network and deep expertise working with innovative leaders and communities across the region. The program is designed to be a multifaceted experience, involving intensive learning modules–short courses, conferences, and study tours in Asia and the US–to enhance leadership skills, Asian development knowledge, professional networks, and international exposure.

The Asia Foundation Development Fellows program is a dynamic and multifaceted learning program designed for highly talented Asian individuals, under age 40, to enhance their leadership skills, Asian development knowledge, professional networks, and international exposure. The program reflects the Foundation’s six-decade tradition of investing in the region’s most promising future leaders. The 2019 program will consist of two intensive modules, including two weeks in Asia and another two weeks in the United States, allowing Fellows to stay in their current occupations during the Fellowship year.

The 2019 program will be conducted in South Korea, Indonesia, and USA (San Francisco, and Washington DC) and includes a flexible small grant award of US $5,000.

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Asia Foundation Development Fellows Benefits

All program expenses are covered, including costs for coursework and programming, airfares and local transportation, lodging and meals, visa fees, and health and accident insurance. Fellows also receive a Professional Development Award of up to US$5,000 for their own personalized professional development plan.

Program Components

The Asia Foundation Development Fellows program is comprised of the following five components:

Leadership Training Program – The Leadership Training Program features an intensive one-week course with the Korea Development Institute (KDI) School of Public Policy and Management in South Korea.
Workshop on Asian Development – Immediately following the Leadership Training component is a one-week study tour program involving leading development practitioners and thinkers, recognized policy leaders, and academics who will help Fellows explore various approaches that deliver positive impact and advance development knowledge
Leadership Dialogue and Exchange – Fellows will take part in a leadership dialogue and exchange program in the United States, providing important opportunities to extend personal bonds with their cohort, as well as building international perspectives and networks of support and inspiration.
Professional Development Award – An award of up to US$5,000 will be made available to each of the selected Fellows.
Mentoring – Building on the regional network and local capacity of The Asia Foundation, the program offers a mentoring component that is tailored around the background and professional interests of the Fellows.

Asia Foundation Development Fellows Eligibility

Asia Foundation Development Fellows must:

Have a demonstrable record of experience and accomplishment related to The Asia Foundation’s fields of expertise: governance and law, economic development, women’s empowerment, environment, and regional cooperation;
Be thoughtful, committed, respected and inspirational leaders within their professional fields and within their larger community;
Be under 40 years of age by January 1, 2019;
Be conversant in English (TOEFL exam results are not required);
Be available and able to participate in all program components on the program dates specified; and
Be resident nationals or citizens of the following countries where The Asia Foundation has programs: Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; India; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Laos; Malaysia; Mongolia; Myanmar; Nepal; Pakistan; Philippines; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Thailand; Timor-Leste; and, Vietnam.

The program is highly competitive. Staff from The Asia Foundation will evaluate each application thoroughly and narrow down the pool of applicants. Final selections will be conducted by a distinguished committee with expertise on Asia’s needs and development conditions. Fellows will be chosen without regard to gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnic background, marital status, or financial need. All submitted application information will be treated as confidential unless stated otherwise in the application. The identities of nominees will also remain confidential throughout the final selection process.