East-West Center Indo-Pacific Leadership Lab in U.S. and Japan

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About East-West Center Indo-Pacific Leadership Lab

Rising leaders from a variety of fields, including academics, non-profits, business, civil society, and government, are eligible to apply for this Leadership Lab program. Candidates may apply for this chance if they wish to broaden and enhance their leadership expertise while also making a bigger impact.

As an applicant, please keep in mind that you should be prepared to ask thoughtful questions, learn from practice and real-world experience, and listen intently.

Every year, a certain intricate and interrelated societal issue is the focus of the leadership lab participants. Together with fifteen other up-and-coming leaders from the Indo-Pacific region, they will be a part of an intensive one-year program. Three in-person, one-week seminars will be held in Tokyo, Honolulu, and a third regional location as part of the program.

The participants will critically study current responses to the issue and explore community tactics and their connections to regional policy. They will explore and research critical gaps and test responses in their communities with guidance from topic experts, leadership mentors, and community leaders.

 

The 2024-2025 Lab cohort will mainly focus on leadership replies to the climate crisis and challenges. The program will virtually start in October 2024, and lunch in person in late 2024 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Also, the program will resume in Suva, Fiji, and close in Tokyo, Japan.

Participants in this year-long program will examine how local communities are addressing vulnerabilities and overcoming obstacles, as well as critically analyze plans for climate adaptation. The leaders of 2024–2025 will assist communities in better articulating their adaptation objectives and vulnerability assessments, which are crucial in developing actionable climate change solutions.

The testing community adaption plans and experiences of the participants will be documented. They will also strengthen relationships and capacities for inclusive, neighborhood-led climate change adaptation.

• Sponsor Organisation: The East–West Center (EWC)

Benefits of East-West Center Indo-Pacific Leadership Lab

The following perks are available to all candidates upon selection, and they can take part in the following initiatives:

• Airfare for one way to and from the program venues
• Program cost and supplies
• Meals and lodging
• Travel Guard
• Required and relevant fees for obtaining a visa
• In addition, mentorships and leadership programs will be beneficial to participants.

East-West Center Indo-Pacific Leadership Lab Requirements

To apply for the East-West Center Indo-Pacific Leadership Lab, applicants should meet the following requirements and eligibility criteria:

• Applicants should have 5-10 years’ work or research experience in climate change mitigation, natural resources, environmental governance, adaptation planning, or related areas.
• Be a citizen and resident of one of the following countries:

1. Japan, United States of America,
2. Pacific Islands:American Samoa, Australia, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Palau, Independent State of Samoa, Kingdom of Tonga, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
3. South Asia:Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka
4. Southeast Asia:Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

• Have English verbal fluency with strong written English skills
• Demonstrate writing experience in grants writing, articles in newspapers or magazines, Op-eds, blogs, academic writing, etcetera.
• Hold a passport with validity through March 2026
• Commit to one week of travel in December 2024, April and September 2025
• Participate in monthly virtual connections in between travel may be at about 4 hours/month

Desirable Qualifications

 

Applicants require to meet these qualifications criteria, too:

• Profound and ongoing involvement in a specific business, educational institution, organization, or community impact initiative connected to climate change mitigation, natural resources, environmental governance, adaption planning, or related area
• track record of professional, public, or community leadership
• interested in fully engaging in a policy-focused, place-based, creatively- and strategically-demanding program
• Interested in community-focused policymaking and impact initiatives relevant to climate change adaptation
• Willing to work and learn alongside people from different places, backgrounds, sectors, and communities
• Demonstrate work experience in small teams or in large groups collaboratively

Required Documents

• An application package requires one necessary Reference Letter, but two are desirable and preferred.
• References from the main applicant are not acceptable. Referees will receive the instructions with a link to the Letter of Reference form via email upon submitting your application.
• Should the referee(s) need assistance, please help them contact the assigned team at [email protected].

Application Date and Process

Please follow these application instructions for ease of your work:

• Create a Submittable account first to access the full application and apply. Click on the link to the application website to get started. Please review the application guidelines and specific program requirements before completing this form.
• All applicants should complete the application in English.
• Read and review the instructions for each item carefully before entering the required information.
• Sign in and out from your Submittable account, especially when using a public computer, and remember that the system does not log in or off automatically.
• Applicants cannot edit their application; therefore, thoroughly review your application before submitting it.
• If the application is not ready, applicants can save it as a draft and submit it later. They may find the saved drafts of their application in their account under My Submissions (or Submissions).
• After submission, if you need to change something in your application, contact the EWC Leadership Program staff through Submittable or [email protected].
• Submittable email notifications may be in junk/spam. Therefore, add Submittable to your list of approved senders.

Application Deadline

31 May, 2024

Scholarship Application Portal

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