Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship

Important Update: Application Deadline Extended!

We’re excited to announce that the application deadline for the Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship has been extended to 23 February 2025. Apply here at https://wj.qq.com/s2/17705215/m7y2/!

The Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship is a 10-week professional skills development program designed for graduate students and young professionals in any field. This immersive program brings together diverse participants to learn and practice skills in conflict resolution, public speaking, and cross-cultural communication, all critical for fostering effective diplomacy in salient issues of the Indo-Pacific. 

For more information:  https://www.acya.org.au/posts/beijing-global-leadership-fellowship

Please email Globalleadershipfellowship@gmail.com if you have any questions!

ACYA is excited to announce the founding of a pilot leadership development program – The ACYA Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship (BGLF)! This immersive program brings together graduate students, emerging leaders, and working professionals from diverse fields to learn and practice skills in conflict resolution, public speaking, and cross-cultural communication, all critical for fostering effective Australia-China diplomacy. 

The application is live and accessible here until 13 February 2025. Keep reading for more application and program information. 

ACYA Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship

The Australia China Youth Association welcomes applications from highly motivated, passionate graduate students or young professionals based in Beijing, China to join the inaugural 2025 cohort of Beijing Global Leadership Fellows.

What is the Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship?

The Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship (BGLF) is a professional skills development program offered by the Australia-China Youth Association in Beijing, China. This immersive program brings together graduate students, emerging leaders, and working professionals from diverse fields to learn and practice skills in conflict resolution, public speaking, and cross-cultural communication, all critical for fostering effective Australia-China diplomacy. Fellows will have the opportunity to engage with leading experts and an expanding network of young professionals dedicated to fostering productive dialogue on the region’s most pressing challenges.

BGLF seeks to: 

• Equip future leaders in Australia-China relations with greater mutual understanding, cross-cultural communication, and conflict resolution skill sets through an experimental and collaborative learning process
• Create a forum for generating knowledge and discourse around salient issues of the Indo-Pacific region (e.g., environment and climate mitigation, technology and AI governance, regional economic integration, and educational and cultural exchange).
• Build an intergenerational and international network of young professionals empowered to strengthen Australia-China relations

Composition of Fellows

• 35% of Fellows will be Australian nationals or with study backgrounds in/about Australia
• 35% of Fellows will be Chinese nationals or with study backgrounds in/about China
• 30% of Fellows will be of foreign nationality and currently residing in Beijing, China

Eligibility criteria

• Open to all nationalities and majors
• 22-35 years old. Graduate students and young professionals are especially encouraged. 
• Must be able to attend the entire program from 29 March - 31 May, 2025. Those living and studying/working in Beijing are especially encouraged.
• Able to articulate why you would make an excellent contribution to the Fellowship
• Able to dedicate between 2-5 hours per week 
• Fluency in written and spoken English (with Certificate if degree was not taught in English: TOEFL/IELTS) 

Selection Criteria

• Strong motivation and passion to be a Global Leadership Fellow
• Volunteer and Leadership Skills
• Educational and Professional Experience in China (Preferred, but not mandatory)

Program Themes

• Public Speaking and Conflict Resolution
• Cross-Cultural Competency and Collaboration
• Environmental and Climate Mitigation
• Technology and AI Governance 
• International Trade and Regional Economic Integration, and
• Cultural and Educational Diplomacy 

Application timeline

• Applications open: 18 January 2025
• Applications close: 13 February 2025
• Results announced: 7 March 2025
• Fellowship commences: 29 March to 31 May 2025

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to fill out the application form before 13 February 2025. 

Application Link: https://wj.qq.com/s2/17705215/m7y2/

FAQs

1. Who can apply for the Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship?

We welcome applicants of all nationalities to apply! While the curriculum content will be tailored to the specifics of the Australian-China relationship, Fellows will have the opportunity to develop skill sets and knowledge applicable to their desired field. 

Please select your affiliation carefully based on the following criteria: 

• If you have an Australian or Chinese passport, please select your affiliation according to your nationality (respectively “Australia" or "China"), regardless of your educational background.
• If you do not have an Australian or Chinese passport and do not have significant study backgrounds in/about Australia or China, please select the "International" affiliation.
• If you do not have an Australian or Chinese passport but have significant study backgrounds in/about Australia or China, you may choose up to two affiliations including the "International" affiliation and the affiliation matching your education background. The applicant may choose how to define "significant study background"; however, this may include scenarios where the applicant has 1) has lived in Australia/China for four or more years or 2) pursued their undergraduate education in Australia/China.  

For example, if you are from Malaysia but completed your undergraduate education in Beijing, you may apply with an International and China affiliation or both. 

2. Can I apply if I study, live or work in a different city in China?

The Fellowship weekly sessions will take place in-person on Saturday afternoons between March 29 and May 31. Attendance is expected at all sessions with limited exceptions. You may still be admitted to the Fellowship if you live in nearby Beijing, so long as you can reasonably commute to attend the sessions in full. 

3. Is the Fellowship offered on a remote basis?

No. The Fellowship will be fully in-person. 

4. Is prior experience in diplomacy or leadership required to apply?

No, prior experience in diplomacy or leadership is not mandatory. We value a range of diverse lived, professional and educational experiences. Applicants will be evaluated by their qualifications and leadership initiative; however, perhaps even more important is demonstrating your passion for promoting the core mission of BGLF and outlining how you will contribute meaningfully to the BGLF community.  

5. What are the key benefits of participating in the Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship?

Fellows will have the unique opportunity to learn and practice conflict resolution, public speaking, and cross-cultural communication skill sets relevant to careers in international diplomacy. As the first cohort in the Beijing Global Leadership Fellowship, participants will have the opportunity to fully participate in the curriculum’s design and implementation, with the possibility of helping to facilitate future sessions. Lastly, Fellows will have the opportunity to learn from and engage directly with an expanding network of young professionals and leading experts committed to fostering productive dialogue related to the most pressing challenges of the region.  

6. What kind of activities will take place during the Fellowship?

During the first 6 weeks of the 10-part program, Fellows will participate in facilitated group processing, public speaking exercises, workshops, and simulations broadly applied to the Australia-China relationship. Each session in the last four weeks of the program will explore one issue area in greater depth, led by leading academics, industry experts, and diplomats. Fellows will also have the opportunity to pursue an optional collaborative project or research paper following the conclusion of formal programming. 

Fellows should be prepared to commit 2 hours every week (Saturday afternoons) to attend in-person sessions. Additionally, there will be approximately 2 hours of preparation required each week (e.g., preparing for presentations, reading discussion materials, or preparing for conflict resolution simulations). 

7. How will I be notified if I am selected for the Fellowship?

You will be notified of your application status by email in the first week of March.