Asia Leadership Fellow Program, Japan

In 1996, the International House of Japan and the Japan Foundation jointly created the ALFP. The program provides selected leaders in the region with an opportunity to reside for two months at the International House of Japan in Tokyo, and engage in collaborative and individual research/exchange activities. Since the initiation of the program, the ALFP has annually invited six to seven fellows from nearly seventeen Asian countries and regions. There are now nearly 100 fellows who come from diverse professional backgrounds, including academia, journalism, publishing, law, education, the arts, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), and non-profit activities.

Program Activities

During the fellowship, the fellows take part in activities, such as those as below, that are pre-set for but the program is flexible, leaving time and space for fellows to design additional activities. The formal activities as well as informal gatherings and staying together as a group for the period itself is the appeal and the foundation for the network of Asian intellectuals centered around the fellows.

How to participate?

We recommend applications especially from

• those who have built a career in a certain field and would like to go to the next stage by connecting with people from other fields and ideas.
• those who believe that society can change but are searching for the realistic means.
• those who are active in tackling social issues yet see limitations in seeking a solution in one’s own country and would like to learn from people with a different cultural background but a kindred spirit.

Selection criteria include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Citizens of Northeast, Southeast and South Asian countries and regions, aged 35 to 59, inclusive.
(The countries and regions that are applicable include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.)

2. Having a solid background in their own professions and have access to a wide audience in their country or region through publications, teaching, media, performance, etc. to disseminate their thoughts and findings.

3. Having a certain degree of achievement and having demonstrated outstanding leadership ability or potential.

4. Going beyond one’s discipline or field of specialty and having an intellectual impact in order to solve the problems facing global society today, from the broader perspective of the common public good and humanitarian causes.

5. Being able to think tolerantly and alternatively about different way of thinking and cultural values, and being willing to develop new social norms and value-orientations.

6. Being ready and willing to work, share concerns, and embrace differences with other fellows, who have diverse specialties and cultural backgrounds, in order to contribute to the building of an equitable civil society in the region while reaching out to the general public.

7. Having a good command of English that will enable one to communicate and engage in deep/substantial discussions in English.

Official Link: http://alfpnetwork.net/en/alfpabout/

Deadline: 22nd December, 2016