Professional Fellows Programs
The Global Leadership Exchange arranges Professional Fellowships for young entrepreneurs and civil society leaders on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s Professional Fellows Program. Professional Fellows Programs provide the participants an opportunity to embed in a local company or organization for a 2–4 week fellowship, where they work alongside their peers contributing their skills and expertise while learning new systems and procedures as well as creating a global network of entrepreneurs and civil society leaders.
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 leader in Southeast Asia and the United States. This initiative is the U.S. government’s signature program to provide skills training to young people in Southeast Asia.
The Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative (YTILI) is the U.S. Department of State’s flagship program for emerging entrepreneurs from Europe. YTILI uses entrepreneurship as a tool for economic empowerment to promote mutual understanding, enhance business and leadership skills, and build lasting partnerships between business leaders from Europe and the United States.
What does being a Fellowship Host involve?
- Hosting is an opportunity to create a network with and learn from a peer in another country pursuing a similar mission. There also may be the opportunity for ongoing collaboration with your Fellow through a funded reverse exchange to their home country.
- Fellowship lengths are generally one month long, approximately 32 – 40 hours a week from Monday to Friday (with flexibility).
- The general expectation from a fellowship host placement is to provide contacts/introductions, feedback, cultural insights, and goal-setting advice in both formal and informal ways. A Fellow’s time could be spent attending staff meetings, meeting with key staff, presenting to staff, helping with projects, and being a part of the team & organizational culture.
- The Fellow will be fully supported by the World Affairs Council in terms of lodging, transportation, per diem, etc. so there is no direct cost to host a Fellow.
- Fellows can sign an NDA and complete other paperwork as needed.
Are you interested in participating in an exchange by traveling abroad? The U.S. Department of State offers dozens of professional exchange opportunities for U.S. citizens.