Research Innovation & Collaboration and Exchange (RICE) 2024 Fellowships Program
The East-West Center (EWC) will provide RICE Fellowships for scholars, policy experts, non-government organization / civil society organization (NGO/CSO) members, researchers, or journalists from the Indo-Pacific Region, including the United States, to undertake research or other projects on topics related to the domestic/international governance, environmental issues, political economy issues around trade, technology and integration, and geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific.
Key Program Elements
RICE Fellows will undertake research or other projects at the EWC in the Honolulu or Washington, DC offices. The length of the RICE Fellowship will be based on the project as will the associated stipend, support, and travel funding. In some cases, a recipient may be permitted to work at another location, provided sufficient project-relevant justification is presented.
During the Fellowship terms, participants will pursue their project interests while taking advantage of the resources and access of the East-West Center’s Honolulu and Washington, DC offices. Moreover, participants will have opportunities to collaborate with EWC researchers to enhance and advance their projects. Emphasis for selection will be toward proposed collaborations and exchanges which create or strengthen networks, partnerships, and shared outcomes. All project outcomes (e.g., EWC/Co-Branded publications, reports, videos, websites, databases, etc) will be co-branded between EWC and the applicants home institution, and preference will be given to outcomes which are sustainable. RICE Fellowships may include a monthly stipend and travel expenses depending upon the project proposed.
Examples of possible projects might encompass:
• Development of an EWC-Partner Organization publication or seminar series;
• Creating a new website or database (e.g., see North Korea in the World or Asia Matters for America); or
• Creating an exchange program for rising experts and leaders.
We urge innovative, collaborative exchange projects that convene impactful dialogues among peoples and products as well as develop and equip leaders.
Application Requirements
• A completed online application form
• A full CV
• Two letters of reference
• A 2-page statement outlining the proposed work. The proposal must include a summary of the project to be pursued (e.g, a research publication or other product as outlined above); a schedule and identified milestones to complete the project; an explanation of how the collaboration with EWC will further the proposed work (e.g., access to research experts, dialogs with key partners, convening for critical dialogue, etc); and the connections between the project and the mission and strategic pillars of the East-West Center. Proposals should focus on bringing individuals and organizations from the U.S., Asia, and the Pacific together to share perspectives, consider common challenges and opportunities, and create collaborative outcomes.
• Budget for the work, including requested stipend, travel, housing, other costs.
NOTE: RICE funding subject to availability of EWC funds
Eligibility Information for Applicants
• Applicants must be nationals of a country from the Indo-Pacific or the United States and eligible to receive a fellowship stipend.
• Applicants must possess a minimum of a completed Master’s degree. Research applicants should have completed a PhD, while policy experts, NGO/CSO leaders, and journalists, among others, should have demonstrated experience in their professions. Preference will be given to candidates who have not yet had the opportunity to conduct research, projects, and network in Honolulu or Washington, DC.
• Due to EWC funding regulations, non-US citizens or permanent residents who are selected as RICE Fellows will require East-West Center J-1 visa sponsorship during their residency. Acceptance of the fellowship will subject fellows to Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act or the two-year home country residency requirement before the fellow may apply for a change of status in the United States, permanent residency, or an H, L, or K visa.
RICE Fellowship participants must adhere to the East-West Center’s public health and COVID safety regulations.
Views expressed in RICE products and outcomes such as seminars, publications, website and similar will reflect those of project participants and not necessarily the EWC.
Many of the world's biggest problems today stem from systemic imbalances of wealth, access, and power. Solving them requires new approaches to leadership and capabilities to put forth transformative actions and policies that reimagine concepts of power and governance.
In answer to this need, the Equitable Futures Fellowship is a new program from the Doris Duke Foundation and the East-West Center for leaders from a broad range of cultures and backgrounds. Fellows will explore techniques to empower previously unheard voices and resolve inequity in its many forms, including gaps in income, health care, and education; impacts of the climate crisis; and challenges to societal pluralism.
Selected participants will include leaders and creative thinkers across government, communities, advocacy groups, media and technology, artists and entrepreneurs. This expanded view of who can create policies and positive change will ensure an array of unique experiences and ideas.
Through a combination of in-person sessions in Hawai‘i and Aotearoa (New Zealand), plus regular virtual meetings, fellows will hear from top experts and engage in activities designed to enhance their knowledge, leadership capacities, and networks. The enduring skills and bonds they gain are intended to serve their communities and our world in building more equitable futures.
For more information, please visit our website for more information. Questions can be directed to leadership@eastwestcenter.org.
Program Information
Program runs October 2024-May 2025
- Pre-Residency Virtual Sessions: October 14-27, 2024
- Honolulu, Hawai‘i: October 28-November 8, 2024
- Virtual Sessions: November 9, 2024-May 25, 2025
- Wellington, New Zealand: May 26-31, 2025
Eligibility Criteria
- 5 to 10 years of professional leadership experience in any aspect of policy, advocacy of influence. This includes but is not limited to: elected officials, government agency representatives, advocacy group leaders, topic experts, community leaders, artists, activists, and entrepreneurs.
- A citizen or resident of countries in the Indo-Pacific region, or citizens or residents outside this region but whose past experience or current work comes with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. There is no country restriction to apply/participate in the EFF.
- Applicants will be expected to have a fluent level of English. Applicants are encouraged to provide an English language test score (such as IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC…) if available.
- A current passport with validity through the end of 2025.
- Able to fully commit to two weeks of travel in October and November 2024 and one week in May 2025, plus regular virtual connections in between and a capstone project to implement during and after the program.
Desirable Qualifications
- A minimum of 3 years of studies in a higher education institution sanctioned by a degree representing a full-time program of study is preferred but not required.
- Committed to championing causes that serve communities most impacted by the global challenges of our time.
- Proven ability to work in a manner that respects differences in ethnicity, culture, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance.
- Willingness to learn and try new techniques and approaches, and to face unfamiliar experiences with curiosity and openness to the process, as well as to be challenged and willing to push beyond their professional comfort zone with a commitment to their personal growth.
- Willing to engage fully in a place-based, policy-focused, creatively demanding program.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills to complete writing and public speaking assignments with high quality.
Deadline
Applications must be submitted by April 15, 2024 (at 11:00 PM Hawai‘i Standard Time).
Completed applications include a Letter of Reference which will be accepted until April 21, 2024 (at 11:59 PM Hawai‘i Standard Time).
Letter(s) of Reference
One letter of reference from a professional contact is required to complete your application but two are suggested. Instructions with a link to the Letter of Reference form will be sent to your referee(s) via email upon the submission of your application. Inform your referee(s) ahead of submitting your application that a request will be coming from Submittable. Should your referee(s) require assistance, please have them contact our team at leadership@eastwestcenter.org. The program will not accept a Letter of Reference directly from applicants.
Financial Information/Provisions
The Equitable Futures Fellowship provides Fellows with round-trip airfare to/from the program locations, program fee and materials, accommodation, travel insurance, meals, and some applicable visa-related costs (if required). This program is subject to postponement/cancellation due to prevailing and unforeseen circumstances.
Submitting Your Application & Instructions
Create a Submittable account today to see the full application and apply! Please refer to application guidelines and specific requirements of the program before completing this form.
- Please complete the application in English.
- Read the instructions for each item carefully before entering your information.
- Submittable does not log you out automatically when you exit your browser. Therefore, it is important that you sign out from your Submittable account, especially when you are using a public computer.
- Since you will not be able to freely edit your application, make sure to thoroughly review your application before submitting. If your application is not ready, you can save it as a draft and submit it at a later time. The saved drafts of your application can be found in your account under My Submissions (or Submissions).
- If after submission you need to change something in your application, contact the EWC Leadership Program staff either through Submittable or at leadership@eastwestcenter.org to request open editing access. Open editing access will only be granted for editing/changing major fields such as Referee information.
- Submittable email notifications can be filtered as junk/spam. Be sure to add Submittable to your list of approved senders.
The "Indo-Pacific Journalists Study Tour and Dialogue in Taiwan: Enhancing Regional Connections" is a program run by the East-West Center in Washington in partnership with US Embassy Delhi. The program will take 18 journalists, representative of mid to senior career journalists in India, Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and New Zealand on a three-day study tour, dialogue, and briefing program of Taiwan, free of cost. Participants will visit the capital Taipei, and Hsinchu, home of Taiwan's semiconductor industry.
The application window will launch on December 1st, 2023, and program participation will be confirmed by the end of January 2024. The study tour will take place from 17-19 April 2024.
Application Guidelines:
- Please fill out the application in English only. Non-English applications will not be considered.
- If you have any questions regarding the application or any of your answers, please contact Program Manager Ms. Abbigail Hull at hulla@eastwestcenter.org or the Program Coordinator Mr. Aryan D'Rozario at drozaria@eastwestcenter.org.
The POSCO Visiting Fellowship Program, endowed by POSCO, is intended to promote research activities on Korean topics at the East-West Center. The program invites outstanding scholars and policymakers to engage in policy-relevant, contemporary research on political, security, and economic issues in Northeast Asia, as they relate to Korea.
POSCO Visiting Fellows carry out policy-relevant research on contemporary issues in Korean studies. In particular, the POSCO Fellowship Program is intended to generate constructive and informative research in four important areas: (1) The two Koreas and Northeast Asia; (2) Security issues for Korea and Northeast Asia; (3) Economic and social issues in South Korea; and (4) Political challenges in Korea.
Important Application Guidelines
- Please read the instructions for each field carefully before entering your information.
- Submittable does not log you out automatically when you exit your browser. Therefore, it is imperative that you sign out from your Submittable account, especially when you are using a public computer.
- Since you will not be able to edit it afterward, make sure to review your application before submitting it. If your application is not ready, you can save it as a draft and submit it at a later time. The saved drafts of your application can be found in your account under My Submissions (or sometimes Submissions).
- If you inevitably need to change something in your application, contact the Student Affiliate program at studentaffiliate@eastwestcenter.org.
For inquiries, please contact the EWC Registrar's Office at:
East-West Center Student Affiliate Program
Attention: Registrar's Office
John A. Burns Hall, Room 2066
1601 East-West Road Honolulu, HI
96848-1601 USA
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/studentaffiliate
Email: StudentAffiliate@EastWestCenter.org
Telephone: 808-944-7738
Helps with Submittable for submitters are available here.
All fields with an asterisk (*) are required.
The Hawai‘i Pacific Foundation (HPF) Doctoral Research Award at the East-West Center is an award of up to $20,000 to promote educational access for Native Hawaiians or support outstanding doctoral students to conduct high quality research that advance commitment or contribution to the study of issues important to the Native Hawaiian community.
Award funds may be used for tuition and/or institution fees, books, living expenses, equipment, travel supplies, software, and other expenses that are directly related to conducting their research. The award period is up to six months and residency at the East-West Center is highly encouraged. EWC will facilitate connections between the Awardee and its rich network of scholars who can provide support as they write their research findings. Students may be studying at universities other than the University of Hawai‘i, as the Award is intended to support research by doctoral students, especially those who may need to be in Hawai‘i or need residency at the EWC in Honolulu. At the conclusion of their research, the Awardee is encouraged to share their research findings with the EWC and the community for broader impact.
Important Application Guidelines:
You must submit your scholarship application by 11:59PM (Hawaii Standard Time) on May 15 and should have the following documents on hand to upload to your online application:
- Curriculum vitae or resume
- Thesis or Dissertation Research Prospectus
- A scanned copy of your official transcript for each higher education institution attended [UH students may submit an unofficial transcript generated via star.hawaii.edu]
- Two Letters of Recommendation, one of which from your graduate advisor at your home institution confirming advancement to candidacy or thesis
- Detailed budget
For more information, please visit the East-West Center website, or email scholarships@eastwestcenter.org.
Please Note:
- Read the instructions for each item carefully before entering your information.
- Submittable does not log you out automatically when you exit your browser. Therefore, it is important that you sign out from your Submittable account, especially when you are using a public computer.
- Since you will not be able to edit it afterward, make sure to review your application before submitting it. If your application is not ready, you can save it as a draft and submit it at a later time. The saved drafts of your application can be found in your account under My Submissions (or Submissions).
- If after submission you need to change something in your application, contact scholarships@EastWestCenter.org.
- Access to technical help with using Submittable is available here.
- All fields with an asterisk (*) are required.
For inquiries, please contact the EWC Award Services Office at scholarships@eastwestcenter.org.
Please include in your message your (1) full name and (2) award for which you are applying.