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.
- 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 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.
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