Program Overview
The Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) is a public diplomacy program designed to advance regional strategic goals, break down barriers that separate the next generation of leaders in Southeast Asia, and link those emerging leaders to the United States.
The YSEALY Professional Fellows Program (YSEALI PFP) is a two-way exchange program designed to promote mutual understanding, enhance leadership and professional skills, and build lasting and sustainable partnerships between emerging leaders in Southeast Asia and the United States.
YSEALI PFP is administered under four Institute Themes: Civic Engagement, Economic Empowerment, Governance and Society, and Sustainable Development and the Environment. Applicants will be instructed to rank themes in order of preference on their application as well as their preferred program cycle. Applications may be assigned to a different theme or cycle if deemed necessary and appropriate.
Civic Engagement Institutes
The Civic Engagement Institutes will support professionals involved in: non-governmental management; community development; advocacy; education and capacity building; media and journalism; law; health equity; youth initiatives and programs; and civic activism for marginalized populations.
Economic Empowerment Institutes
The Economic Empowerment Institutes will support professionals involved in: small and medium-sized business development; business administration; business education; economic development policy; social entrepreneurship; and community training
Governance and Society Institutes
The Governance and Society Institutes will support professionals involved in: the legislative process; governance at the local or national level; public administration and management; policy making; fiscal management; political campaigns and initiatives; health and human services; public-private partnerships; public safety; transportation and urban planning; and law and judicial reform.
Sustainable Development and the Environment Institutes
The Sustainable Development and the Environment Institutes will support professionals involved in: food and water security; public health; ecotourism; the innovative development and management of agricultural and food systems, energy, housing, and transportation resources; natural disaster response; natural resource conservation and restoration; and waste management.
Candidate Eligibility
Candidates nominated for this program should:
- be a YSEALI member. Join YSEALI here.
- be a citizen and current resident of either: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste or Vietnam;
- be emerging leaders in government, civil society, or the private sector who have demonstrated expertise pertaining to the respective theme for which they are applying;
- be 25 to 35 years old at the start of the program, currently employed and have two or more years of relevant professional work experience;
- be self-directed with demonstrated leadership and collaborative skills and able to work effectively in a cross-cultural setting;
- be able to identify an objective/project of their own selection that the applicant would like to implement in their home workplace or community;
- have demonstrated proficiency in written and oral English.
Open Applications
There are no current open application for this program at this time.
Please check again at a later date.
Contact Information
Eligible candidates can send any questions to:
U.S. Mission to Vietnam
Public Affairs Sections
YSEALI Professional Fellows Program
PhamPM@state.gov
LeMuonTK@state.gov