In 1996, the International House of Japan and the Japan Foundation jointly launched the Asia Leadership Fellow Program (ALFP) with the goal of creating a close, personal, and professional network of public intellectuals in the region. Since its inception, over 130 Fellows from 17 countries have participated in the programme.
The 2018 edition will seeFellows reside in Tokyo for a period of two months (10 September2 November, 2018) and actively engage in group discussions and dialogue with counterparts in Japan. ALFP seeks public intellectuals who are deeply rooted in and committed to civil society beyond their own cultural, disciplinary, and geopolitical backgrounds.
General Theme for 2018: “Imagining Plural Asias: How Can We Enrich Interrelationships across Borders?”
Asia today is more diverse and interconnected than ever. Relationships within the region, as well as with other parts of the world, have become multiple and dynamic. These plural faces of and linkages across Asia can be understood from various perspectives, such as Asia?s changing position in the world, diversity and interconnectedness within Asia, and complex relations among different groups at the national and the sub-national, local level. How can these plural and diverse ?Asias? be translated into resources for creating sustainable and inclusive societies rather than falling into marginalization and conflict? ALFP seeks to find the potentialities of these plural ?Asias? and work toward transforming and enriching interrelationships across borders for future generations.
Eligibility
1.Open to citizens of Northeast, Southeast, and South Asian countries or regions, aged between 35 and 59 years old.
2. The applicant mustpossess command of English sufficient for deep and substantial discussions in the language.
3. The applicant must have a solid background in his or her profession with access to a wide audience to which he or she can disseminate thoughts and findings via publications, lectures, multimedia, performance, etc.
As ALFP is keen on broadening the range of expertise within its network, there is no prescribed set of professions. Past Fellows have belonged, but are not limited to, such fields as academia, journalism, national and local politics, business, education, administration, the arts, publishing, as well as the non-governmental and non-profit sector.
Programme Period
10 September to 2 November, 2018
Number of Fellows
A maximum of nine (9) fellows from Northeast, Southeast and South Asian countries/regions.
Selection Policy
ALFP seeks public intellectuals who are deeply rooted in and committed to civil society beyond their own cultural, disciplinary and geopolitical backgrounds. More specifically, we are looking for individuals who:
1. Have demonstrated a certain degree of achievement in their profession as well as outstanding leadership ability
2. Are willing to go beyond their discipline or field of specialty and to engage in constructive discussions with other Fellows who have diverse specialties and cultural backgrounds
3. Are able to accept different ways of thinking, think tolerantly and alternatively about cultural values, and are willing to develop new social norms and value orientations in order to build an equitable civil society in the region
4. Have concrete means of dissemination/communication to bring about social and/or intellectual impact in one?s community/country/region/world, in order to solve the problems facing global society today, from the broader perspective of common public good and humanitarian causes
ALFP is NOT intended for:
1. Students and young professionals seeking leadership development
2. Japanese studies
3. Supporting individual research projects of any kind
Terms & Conditions
The programme will provide each fellow with the following:
1. Round-trip economy class airfare between Tokyo and theFellow’s city of residence
2. Daily allowance (to cover accommodations, meals and other incidentals)
3. Medical insurance during the programme in Japan
4. Other costs related to group activities set by the programme
Fellows must participate in all of the programme?s activities and make necessary preparations and later dissemination efforts as set by the programme.
Fellows are required to spend the entire programme period at the International House of Japan in Tokyo except for the one-week individual activities period in October. Fellows cannot be accompanied by family membersfor the duration of the programme.
Fellows are required to submit a final report, reflecting their experience, for online publication on the ALFP website.
Application Procedure
Visit the official website to download the application guidelines and documents.
Applications must be submitted to the ALFP Secretariat no later than Wednesday, 13 December, 2017.
Enquiries & More Information
ALFP Secretariat
c/o Program Department
International House of Japan
5-11-16 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032, Japan
Tel: 3-3470-3211
Fax: 3-3470-3170
Email: alfp_appli_2018[AT]i-house.or.jp
Official website:alfpnetwork.net/en
NOTE:Please send all applications and enquiries to the ALFP Secretariat,notThe Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur.
