CFAs: YSEALI Professional Fellows Program 2025

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 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative 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.

Themes

• Applications may be assigned to a different theme or cycle if deemed necessary and appropriate:
  • 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. Topics related to these Institutes might include: NGO management, staff training and development, volunteer management, conducting effective community outreach and public relations, creating strategic partnerships and coalition building, conflict resolution and tolerance, social justice, and education and advocacy programs.
  • The Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and 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 programs. Topics related to these Institutes might include: entrepreneurship, community-based training programs, global competency and employment readiness, the role of government in promoting economic growth, sustainable economic development, and the economic empowerment of women, youth, minorities, persons with disabilities, and marginalized populations.
  • The Society and Governance 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. Topics related to these Institutes might include: rule of law, access to justice, civil liberties, fiscal management, anti-corruption, outreach and representation, and transparency and accountability.
  • The Sustainability 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. Topics related to these Institutes might include: grassroots activism, environmental policy and regulations, research and sustainable development, planning and forecasting, sustainable systems, corporate social responsibility, and market-oriented initiatives.

Eligibility Criteria

• Be a citizen and current resident of either: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste or Vietnam.
• Be a mid-level professional.
• 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.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam.