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Applications are now open. Click here to apply.
Deadline: 10th November 2025 (17:00 CET)

ELIGIBILITY 

To be eligible for the Forum, applicants must:  

• Be a citizen of or are doing policy work in one of the following jurisdictions: Japan, Hong Kong SAR, India, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan.  

• Be an early-to-mid-career professional (5 to 10 years of experience) working in government, civil society, the private sector, or academia  

• Have already demonstrated meaningful impact through their policy work at the intersection of technology, governance, and society.  

• Have an interest in scaling their work regionally, collaborating across sectors, and engaging with senior leaders and peers in addressing the region’s most pressing policy challenges. 

• Be passionate about increasing representation and diversity within the policy space in your country and within the region.  

The Forum prioritizes participation from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups within the policy space.
There are limited spots for partially funded participation via scholarships (covering travel, room and/or board costs), to get involved in this program.

Application Deadline: 10th November 2025 (17:00 Central European Time)
Applicants will be notified about the status of their application by December 2025.

PARTICIPANT PROFILE

The Asia Policy Leadership Forum (APLF) will convene 35–45 participants from key jurisdictions like Japan, Hong Kong SAR, India, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Bringing together emerging leaders alongside established policymakers and experts, the Forum advances policy innovation through a cross-ecosystem approach that engages government, civil society, the private sector, media, and academia.

Participants are early-to-mid-career professionals who have already demonstrated meaningful impact in technology, governance, or society. The Forum provides them with the opportunity to scale their work regionally, collaborate across sectors, and engage with senior leaders and peers in addressing the region’s most pressing policy challenges.

With an emphasis on inclusion, the Forum prioritizes participation from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups within the policy space. By amplifying diverse voices and synthesizing different knowledge systems, APLF seeks to model equitable and forward-looking leadership and to strengthen the policy ecosystem across Asia.

OVERVIEW

Asia is at a critical inflection point as rapid technological change intersects with governance and societal challenges. Fragmented regulatory frameworks, uneven digital infrastructure, and rising concerns over data sovereignty are creating gaps in public trust and complicating cross-border collaboration. These dynamics threaten the cohesion and resilience needed for inclusive, forward-looking governance in an increasingly interconnected region. 

Asia is experiencing a significant surge in technological innovation. Concurrently, data sovereignty has become a critical issue, as countries implement robust data localization laws to ensure control over their digital infrastructures. 

At the same time, Asia is rapidly developing digital public infrastructure to support inclusive governance, economic growth, and social services, while innovation ecosystems are expanding through cross-sector collaboration between governments, startups, and research institutions. Yet challenges remain in balancing open data sharing with privacy and security concerns, ensuring equitable access to technology, and addressing the societal impacts of AI, automation, and emerging digital platforms across diverse communities. 

The inaugural APLF convening in 2026 will unite 35–45 emerging leaders and early-to-mid-career professionals from across Asia to address these pressing issues. Through collaborative workshops and expert-led sessions, Fellows will explore strategies for strengthening digital public infrastructure, enhancing data governance frameworks, and fostering inclusive technological innovation with communities at the heart of it. By bridging policy, technology, and societal needs, APLF aims to cultivate a new generation of leaders equipped to navigate the complexities of the digital age and drive transformative change across the region. 

SUBTHEMES 

1. Strengthening Regional Digital Governance and Policy Cohesion 
Asia’s rapidly evolving digital landscape is marked by diverse regulatory frameworks, emerging data sovereignty laws, and uneven adoption of digital public infrastructure. This subtheme will allow participants to explore strategies to harmonize governance approaches across borders, develop coherent policies for technology deployment, and ensure that public institutions maintain legitimacy and trust in a fast-changing digital era. 

2. Ensuring Data Security, Privacy, and Responsible AI 
With AI, big data, and digital platforms reshaping society, governments face rising concerns around privacy, security, and ethical use of technology. This subtheme will allow Fellows to design practical tools and policies that safeguard citizen data, promote ethical AI deployment, and balance innovation with societal protection, fostering responsible technological development across the region.

3. Building Inclusive Technological Innovation Ecosystems 
Innovation ecosystems in Asia are expanding rapidly, yet access to technology and participation in digital economies remain uneven. This subtheme will explore policies and frameworks that support inclusive innovation, strengthen public-private partnerships, and ensure equitable access to technology and opportunities for historically underrepresented communities. 

4. Fostering Knowledge Sharing and Digital Collaboration 
Cross-border collaboration, data sharing, and knowledge exchange are critical to solving regional challenges in areas like smart cities, e-governance, and digital public services. This subtheme will focus on creating mechanisms for transparent, secure, and collaborative innovation, enabling leaders to leverage collective insights for scalable, region-wide solutions. 

5. Technology and Society: Leadership for Social Impact 
Emerging technologies are transforming civic engagement, labor markets, and societal norms. This subtheme will prepare Fellows to anticipate and address societal impacts of technology, designing policies that enhance social cohesion, equity, and public trust while promoting sustainable, human-centered digital transformation.

PROGRAM GOALS

This Program Aims To: 

• Catalyze Transformative Leadership: Equip emerging and mid-career leaders with the knowledge, skills, and strategic networks needed to navigate complex policy, technology, and governance challenges across Asia. 

• Advance Responsible Technology and Governance: Explore and develop forward-looking policy solutions that promote ethical, equitable, and sustainable use of technology, strengthen digital governance, and enhance societal resilience. 

• Build a Regional Network for Impact: Foster a vibrant, cross-sectoral community of leaders committed to collaboration, knowledge sharing, and scaling solutions that address the region’s most pressing technological and societal challenges. 

PROGRAM FORMAT

Through interactive workshops, expert-led panels, strategy labs, and collaborative sessions, participants will gain the insights, tools, and skills needed to navigate the complexities of technology policy, governance, and societal innovation across Asia. The program will foster peer-to-peer learning, mentorship, and cross-sector collaboration, building a supportive community for exchanging ideas, experiences, and best practices. By highlighting the forward-thinking approaches of these emerging leaders, APLF 2026 aims to drive transformative policies, responsible technological innovation, and regional solutions that strengthen societies and enhance public trust in governance. 

TIMELINE AND COMMITMENT

WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT NEEDED TO JOIN THE FELLOWSHIP? 

• The Fellowship will begin in March 2026 with two online on-boarding workshops of 90 minutes each. 
• The virtual network meetings will take place approximately every six weeks between April and December 2026, with each session lasting around 90 minutes. These sessions will include presentations, discussions, and skills-building exercises on public policy topics relevant to the Asia region. 
• Fellows will be matched with a mentor from the Salzburg Global and APLF networks. Fellows should plan to meet virtually with their mentor for about one hour at least four times over the course of the 9-month mentoring relationship, with flexibility to schedule additional sessions as needed. 
• We recommend that Fellows spend roughly two hours per month on self-directed activities, including pre-readings, reflection and journaling, writing or blogging, engaging with peers, and participating in relevant conferences, workshops, or events. 
• For the in-person convening, Fellows should plan to attend a six-day program (May 5–10, 2026) in Salzburg, Austria, plus travel time. Salzburg Global can provide an official letter outlining this time commitment for universities or employers. Please note that virtual participation in the in-person program is not possible. 

WHAT ELSE IS OFFERED? 

APLF Fellows become lifetime members of the Salzburg Global Fellowship, which in 77 years numbers more than 40,000 Fellows from over 170 countries. 

Salzburg Global will also create opportunities for APLF Fellows to participate in other areas of our programming and to build cross-sectoral connections with thought leaders from other program areas. This includes our own Public Policy New Voices Europe fellowship which is now in its fourth year with 120+ alumni in the European policy landscape. 

There may also be opportunities for members of the Fellowship to co-create contributions to international workshops and conferences with our partners; to raise awareness of their work through speaking, writing articles, and producing/curating social media content for Salzburg Global; and to gain professional experience through internships and paid employment by working with us as contractors / consultants. 

IS THERE A COST TO APPLY OR PARTICIPATE IN THE FELLOWSHIP? 

Thanks to the generous support of our partners, there is no cost to apply to or participate in the APLF Fellowship. All costs associated with room and board for the in-person convening in Salzburg will be covered by us – at Hotel Schloss Leopoldskron. Limited funding support may be available for costs associated with travel to the in-person sessions (and conferences, if applicable) of the Fellowship. 

We are looking for emerging leaders and early-to-mid-career professionals who are currently living/working/studying in one of the following key jurisdictions- Japan, Hong Kong SAR, India, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan, and those who have already driven meaningful impact in technology, governance, or society. 

We regret that we are unable to consider applicants from outside of the countries listed in the application information above.

Please note that third-party opportunity websites are not permitted to repost this application without our consent. Only applications submitted through our official application platform will be considered for review.