The East-West Center (EWC) will provide Research Innovation & Collaboration (RICE) funding 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 projects that feature research, convening, and publications on topics related to themes relevant to United States relations with the Indo-Pacific  (e.g., protection of individual rights, democracy, national resilience, national sovereignty, security, defense, and international relations including multilateral institutions and initiatives), resource and supply chain resiliency, political economy issues around trade, technology and integration, and geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific.

Note: Applications are due at 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time on February 13, 2025 

Key Program Elements

RICE recipients will undertake projects involving research, convening, and publications projects in collaboration and coordination with the EWC in the Honolulu or Washington, DC offices. The duration as well as the associated stipend, support, and travel funding for RICE recipients will be based on discussion and mutual agreement between EWC and the RICE recipient based on the project proposal. Recipients will work mostly at their home locations with possible travel to Honolulu or Washington, DC if funding permits and as relevant to proposed project activities and outcomes. 

During the program, participants will pursue their proposed project, advance their leadership skills, and take advantage of the resources and access of the East-West Center’s Honolulu and Washington, DC offices. Moreover, recipients will have opportunities to collaborate with EWC researchers and staff to enhance and advance their projects. Emphasis for selection will be toward proposed collaborations and exchanges which create or strengthen individual/institutional partnerships, expand networks, and EWC and individual/institutional partner outcomes. 

All project outcomes (e.g., EWC/Co-Branded publications, convenings, reports, videos, websites, etc.) will be co-branded between EWC and the applicants home institution, and preference will be given to outcomes which are sustainable. RICE funding may include a monthly stipend and travel expenses depending upon the project proposed.

The East-West Center requires applicants to have at least one written publication through one of the East-West Center’s platforms such as the Asia Pacific Bulletin (https://www.eastwestcenter.org/publications/series/asia-pacific-bulletin), Occasional Paper Series (https://www.eastwestcenter.org/publications/series/east-west-center-occasional-papers), or Asia Pacific Issues (https://www.eastwestcenter.org/publications/series/asia-pacific-issues) as part of the project. One-off special reports of a project will be considered.

The East-West Center will support projects that can be completed between March 15, 2025 and September 1, 2025. 

NOTE: RICE funding subject to availability of EWC funds

Application Requirements

Note: Applications are due at 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time on February 13, 2025

A completed online application form

• A full Curriculum Vitae
• Two letters of reference
• A 3-page MAXIMUM project proposal outlining the projected work. The proposal must include a summary of the project to be pursued (e.g., a research publication and other outcome(s) 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, dialogues with key partners, convening for critical dialogue, etc.). If residency at EWC in Honolulu and/or Washington is proposed, a clear justification of the necessity of such residency should be explained. Preference will be given to candidates who have not yet had the opportunity to conduct research, projects, and network in Honolulu or Washington, DC 
• Budget for the work, including requested stipend, travel, housing, other costs

Eligibility Information for Applicants

• Applicants must be nationals of a country from the Indo-Pacific or the United States and eligible to receive funding
• 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 clearly demonstrated experience and expertise in their professions.  
• Applicants at institutions that can support their projects with administrative and logistical assistance are encouraged to apply
• Due to EWC funding regulations, non-US citizens or permanent residents who are selected as RICE recipients will require East-West Center J-1 visa sponsorship during their residency.  Acceptance to the program 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

Important Notes and Disclaimers

• Views expressed in RICE products and outcomes such as seminars, publications, and similar outcomes      will reflect those of project recipients and not necessarily the East-West Center
• Recipients must be able to speak and write in English fluently
• Recipients will be responsible for travel arrangements and for all travel-related costs, including Visa      fees
• Recipients may be viewed by the East-West Center as independent contractors and not as an employee of the East-West Center. Therefore, unless US tax laws dictate otherwise, any payments to you by the East-West Center may be made without any withholdings. If the recipient is accepted as part of the RICE program as an independent contractor, the recipient is responsible for their own temporary disability insurance coverage, workers' compensation coverage, prepaid health coverage, and unemployment coverage
• By participating in this program, recipients certify that they are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participating in this transaction by any federal department or agency

RICE recipients must adhere to the East-West Center’s public health and COVID safety regulations.

The East-West Center prohibits discrimination of any kind, including sex-based discrimination and harassment, in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination is located at https://www.eastwestcenter.org/about/title-ix.

The Pacific Islands Development Program's quarterly publication Visions & Voices welcomes submissions of essays, articles, commentary, and concise pieces that pertain to the Pacific Islands region.

Relevance: Submissions should focus on Pacific Islands-related issues. The Pacific Islands means the places, peoples, and societies within what is understood today as the Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia sub-regions of Oceania. The subject matter should maintain its relevance for a minimum of six months after publication. To reference current priorities, issues, and concerns relevant to the Pacific Islands region, visit the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

Quality: Submissions should be original, balanced, thoughtful, and concise.

Tone: Constructive criticism and analysis of issues that takes into account all relevant viewpoints is welcomed. However, strong political bias, sarcasm, personal attacks, cultural insensitivity, and any form of disparagement is not acceptable.

Accessibility: Submissions should be written for a general audience to understand, not just for specialists.

Length: Submissions must be between 800 to 1,200 words, excluding citations and references.

Style: Spelling should follow the 11th edition of the Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Style should follow the 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style with two exceptions. The first exception is that languages other than English, especially Indigenous languages, do not need to be italicized. The second exception is that digital journalism and commentary submissions may instead follow the 56th edition of The Associated Press Stylebook.

Citations: Include citations where necessary. Citations should follow the 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style unless there is a rational reason to use a different format, such as The Bluebook for legal writing or The Associated Press Stylebook for digital journalism and commentary pieces. Citation formatting should be consistent throughout the document.

AI Transparency: There is a growing consensus among scholarly organizations, including the Committee on Publication Ethics, that artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT or large language models do not fulfill the necessary criteria for authorship, as they lack the capacity to assume ethical and legal responsibility for the content they produce. Thus, as a matter of policy, submissions generated by AI or machine learning tools are not accepted for publication.

Submission: Submit work online via Submittable. Contributors can expect an email notification regarding acceptance or rejection within approximately four to six weeks following the applicable submission deadline. Submissions received after a submission deadline will be considered for the next submission deadline.

• Issue 1: Submissions received by the end of December are considered for publication in February.
• Issue 2: Submissions received by the end of March are considered for publication in May.
• Issue 3: Submissions received by the end of June are considered for publication in August.
• Issue 4: Submissions received by the end of September are considered for publication in November.

Editorial Rights: The Pacific Islands Development Program decides what gets published, and we might edit for length and clarity. No submissions are compensated.

Reprints: We accept previously published pieces. Contributors are responsible for providing verification of the required permissions.

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The East-West Center prohibits discrimination of any kind, including sex-based discrimination and harassment, in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination is located at About Title IX. For a list of all EWC participant policies, please see https://ewcparticipantinfo.org/participant-policies/

In 2025, the Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP) at the East-West Center (EWC) and the Republic of China's (Taiwan) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (IDIA) will host a seven-week program that includes three-weeks in Honolulu, Hawai'i and four-weeks in Taiwan.

This program will provide individuals the opportunity to enhance their leadership capacities and build a network with other leaders from across the Pacific and Taiwan. Participants will engage in experiential learning in a cohort of 24 early to mid-career professionals from all sectors. PILP attracts participants possessing high leadership potential and a commitment to serve their national and regional development goals. The curriculum for these rising leaders will be centered around the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and thematically organized in the following areas identified in the 2050 Strategy Implementation Plan: Political Leadership & Regionalism, Peace & Security; Oceans & Environment, Climate Change & Disasters; Resources & Economic Development, Technology & Connectivity; and People-Centered Development. The program strengthens participants’ knowledge and understanding of key regional economic, social, political, health, educational and environmental issues, and cultivates culturally sustaining leadership capacities.

Program Dates:  August 1 - September 19, 2025 (Dates are tentative and subject to change)

Eligibility:

• Citizen of the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. 
• Bachelor’s degree. Exceptions may be considered on the basis of other relevant experience and qualifications.
• The program is aimed at early- to mid-career professionals.
• A minimum of 3 years demonstrated impact in your professional career and/or local community.
• All qualified persons especially indigenous Pacific Islanders are strongly encouraged to apply
   

 AI Transparency

We are looking for authentic and genuine submissions that reflect your individual experiences, perspectives, and unique writing style. We understand that AI (artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT) can be a helpful tool in crafting your application, and applicants are not forbidden from using it to help with responses. However, essays that are generated primarily or solely by such tools will be rejected. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE

• 11:59 pm, February 11, 2025 (Hawaii Standard Time)

NOTE: Reference forms will be due no later than February 17, 2025 (Hawaii Standard Time)
 

 IMPORTANT APPLICATION GUIDELINES
 

• Read the instructions for each item carefully before entering your information.
• The application software does not log you out automatically when you exit your browser.  Therefore, it is important that you sign out from your application account especially when you are using a public computer.
• Since you will not be able to edit your application after submitting, make sure to 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 PILP team at PILP@eastwestcenter.org