The Asia Pacific Leadership Program brings together diverse individuals who want to co-create a future that is peaceful, prosperous, and just. Through place-based learning that is experiential and transformational, APLP fellows practice leadership strategies that enhance personal, team, and community effectiveness. Fellows reflect on the kinds of leadership today’s world needs, and build the capacities needed for such leadership.
The APLP Approach:
- Place-Based: Focuses on leadership in context and builds on communities’ diversity and abundance
- Experiential: Supports Fellows as they practice leadership together, reflect on results, and refine their strategies for greater impact
- Transformational: Fosters individual and collective growth for emerging and established leaders
For over 20 years, we have been cultivating leaders who are motivated and capable of creating positive impacts in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. Incoming Fellows join a network of 650+ APLP alumni from 45 countries across the globe.
For more information, please visit our website and FAQ section. To contact us, please email APLP@EastWestCenter.org.
2024 Program Information
Program runs: April 24-September 13, 2024
- Pre-residency Virtual Connection: April 24-June 19
- Residency in Hawai`i: June 20-August 16*
- Post-residency Virtual Connection: August 17-September 13
*includes a field study within the Hawaiian Islands
Program Costs (USD): $11,379
- Program Fee: $7,000
- Housing in East-West Center living quarters: $1,479 (based on 51 nights)
- Estimated living expenses in Hawaii: $2,900 (approximate @ $50/day)
- Note: program cost does not include airfare to/from Hawai`i and visa fees; supplementary scholarships are available to defray the cost of the program fee and housing. Scholarship support may be requested in the scholarship section of the application.
**The program is subject to postponement/cancellation due to prevailing and unforeseen circumstances.
Eligibility Criteria
- A demonstrated commitment to promoting peace and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region through professional work, study, or living experience
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited higher education institution in the United States, or equivalent degree representing a full-time program of study of at least 3 years' duration, from an officially-recognized higher education institution outside of the United States.
- At least 5 years of work experience
- There are no citizenship, age, or ethnicity restrictions
- Applicants will be expected to have a fluent level of English. Applicants are encouraged to provide an English language test score (such as IELTS), if one is available.
Desirable Qualifications
- Leadership track record in professional, public, and/or personal realms
- Willingness to engage fully in place-based experiential, and transformational leadership development training
- Deep involvement in a specific organization, business or community impact initiative (applicants must explain how, with their home-based teams, they will experiment with the leadership strategies learned in APLP)
- International experience, including overseas residence, language skills, intercultural and diversity exposure
- Experience of cohort learning, working collaboratively in small teams or in large groups.
Deadline
Applications must be submitted by November 1, 2023 @ 11:00 PM Hawai`i Standard Time (HST).
Letters of Reference will be accepted until November 7, 2023.
Letter of Reference
Instructions with a link to the Letter of Reference form will be sent to your referee via email upon the submission of your application. Should your referee need assistance, please have them contact our team at aplp@eastwestcenter.org. The program will not accept a Letter of Reference directly from applicants. One letter of reference is needed to complete your application.
Submitting Your Application & Instructions
Create a Submittable account today to see the full application and apply for the APLP! 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 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 APLP staff either through Submittable or at APLP@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.
Applications are now OPEN for the Young Professionals Program for spring (January-May) 2024. Please apply by 11:59 pm (Hawai‘i Standard Time) on Sunday, October 22, 2023.
The East-West Center in Washington (EWCW) offers a chance each semester for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates, to gain first-hand training experience at a US-Indo-Pacific research and education organization in Washington, DC.
We strive to provide participants with a broad range of education and training opportunities during their time with EWCW. These may include acquiring and analyzing large datasets for our Asia Matter for America publications, writing articles for AsiaMattersforAmerica.org, attending webinars or seminars, and delivering briefs.
Applicants typically have a strong interest in US-Indo-Pacific relations and may be studying international relations, Asia studies, international economics, international political economy, public policy, international business, journalism or other similar areas of study. However, all students and recent graduates who are interested in learning more about US-Indo-Pacific relations are encouraged to apply.
The following proven skillsets are beneficial (though not required):
- Research experience with open-source data and working with data in Excel.
- Experience analyzing quantitative data and concisely communicating data outputs.
- Experience living in, studying, or researching the Indo-Pacific
- Experience tracking multiple media sources for news or developments about a particular topic
- Interest in researching and communicating complex international relations topics (i.e., international trade) into a local perspective (i.e., Maine exports of lobster to China).
- Developing graphs/charts/infographics for use online and in print form in support of various research, policy dialogue, publication, and outreach projects
- Basic understanding of economic data analysis (FDI and Greenfield investment)
- Asian language reading fluency
- Experience writing policy analyses, briefs, press releases, or other professional communications
- Public relations/brand management experience
We do not sponsor visas for this program, so non-US-citizen applicants should already be authorized for such a position through US citizenship/permanent residency or existing visas sponsored by a university or other valid third party.
Full-time (40 Hours/week) participation in the Young Professionals Program comes with a $2,000 per month stipend for the spring of 2024, subject to applicable taxes and withholding. Stipends are prorated for part-time participation and may count as university credits if your school permits.
Applicants located both inside and outside of the Washington DC area are welcome, though residing in the DC metro area is preferred. Participants located in the DC area for the fall term have the option to join either remotely, in person, or hybrid. COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are required per East-West Center policy for all staff and participants. Participants must be able to attend at least one weekly zoom meeting, dedicate 20-40 hours per week to the program, and be able to be online for the majority of Eastern Time working hours (9 am-5 pm).

The East-West Center is excited to announce a second cross-border journalism workshop and collaborative reporting series, January 7-13, 2024, in Kathmandu, Nepal for ten Pakistani and ten Indian journalists experienced in reporting on climate issues.
For additional program information, including participant obligations and workshop details, please visit the East-West Center website. If you encounter any difficulties with this application, please contact journalismfellowship@eastwestcenter.org.
Eligibility:
Applicants must:
- Be a working print, broadcast, or online journalist from Pakistan and India..
- Possess at least 5 years of journalism experience including substantive reporting on climate issues.
- Have the ability to communicate in English during the Kathmandu workshop.
Application Requirements:
- Complete all required fields marked with a red asterisk (*); and provide
- Letter of interest (maximum 3 pages) outlining: (1) a brief description of your news organization or freelance work, job duties and experience; (2) a cross-border story topic you would propose and why (this should be a perspective from your own country on an issue related to the workshop theme and relevant as a cross-border reporting project. ); (3) a list of media outlets that you believe will publish your cross-border stories that result from this program; (4) a clear articulation of why cross-border media collaboration between the two countries is important for viewers, readers, and listeners in your country; and (5) how this cross-border workshop will enhance your work as a journalist.
- Résumé or Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages).
- If working for a news organization, an employer's statement of support completed by your supervisor/employer indicating that you have permission to attend the workshop (does not apply to freelance journalists).
- At least three (3) representative examples of climate reporting that have been published or broadcast in media outlets within the past 12 months.
- Two (2) professional references with letters of recommendation.
Extra pages submitted over the maximum limits will not be copied for or read by the selection committee. Late, incomplete, or unsubmitted draft applications will not be considered.
This program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the East-West Center.
Important Application Guidelines
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 the USSP scholarship program at USSP@EastWestCenter.org.
USSP application information, downloadable from the East-West Center website, provide detailed application instructions for the USSP program.
For inquiries, please contact the EWC Registrar's Office at USSP@EastWestCenter.org
Please include in your message your (1) full name, (2) country of citizenship, and (3) intended degree program.
Access to technical help with using Submittable is available here.
All fields with an asterisk (*) are required.