The Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP), established in 2000, is a premier leadership development program focused on the Indo-Pacific region. APLP brings together mid-career professionals from across the region to develop strategic leadership skills for complex times. Through place-based, experiential, and peer-driven learning, fellows examine the forces shaping the region today, explore the types of leadership needed to address emerging challenges, and build personal, team, and community capacity.

At the heart of the APLP experience is a residential leadership laboratory in Hawai‘i, where fellows live and learn together, exchange perspectives, and build meaningful relationships across regions and professional fields. Hawai‘i serves as more than a program setting; its unique cultural, social, and environmental contexts are integral to the learning experience. The program also provides dedicated space for reflection, allowing fellows to step away from their daily responsibilities, reconsider their approaches to leadership, and explore how to apply new insights in their own contexts. These shared experiences foster lasting connections, a sense of belonging, and a community of leaders that extends beyond the program.

The 2027 APLP will explore global and geoeconomic trends shaping economic security at national and local levels through a systems perspective. Core weekly themes will examine how energy, food and agricultural systems, health systems, and the societal impacts of artificial intelligence are interconnected within broader economic, environmental, and technological contexts. Additional topics may include supply chains and critical infrastructure, and digital systems, with content tailored to the selected cohort.

The APLP experience extends beyond the program itself. Upon completion, fellows join the program's global network of more than 700 alumni from 45 countries, offering opportunities to sustain relationships, continue learning, and apply their insights long after the program concludes.

For more information, please visit our website and FAQ section. To contact us, please email aplp@EastWestCenter.org.

2027 Program Information 

Program runs: June 1-September 2, 2027

• Pre-residency Virtual Connection: June 1-22
• Residency in Hawai‘i: June 23-July 30*
• Post-residency Virtual Connection: July 31-September 2

*includes a field study within the Hawaiian Islands 

Program Costs (USD): $11,753

• Program Fee: $8,500
• Housing in East-West Center living quarters: $1,353 (based on 37 nights)
• Estimated living expenses in Hawaii: $1,900 (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. More information regarding scholarships are in 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 the extended deadline of  November 1, 2026 @ 11:00 PM Hawai‘i Standard Time (HST). 

Letters of Reference will be accepted until November 8, 2026. 

Letters of Reference

One letter of reference is required to complete your application. 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. The program is unable to resend reference requests on an applicant's behalf. To resend a reference request, please follow these instructions. 

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.
• Applications that use generative AI in short responses, lacking specific context and details, may be disqualified.
• 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 the spring (January- May) 2027. Please apply by 11:59 pm (Hawai‘i Standard Time) on Sunday October 4, 2026.  

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 2027, 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 spring term have the option to join either remotely, in person, or hybrid. 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 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.