The Australia ASEAN Emerging Leaders Program (A2ELP) is a three month leadership program for 15 social entrepreneurs from ASEAN and Australia. The program includes: pre-program education, a ten-day intensive program in Melbourne and Sydney including workshops, networking events, field visits, cultural activities, and support for implementation.

The A2ELP 2018 aligns with the ASEAN-Australian Special Summit, a high-level event which aims to strengthen Australia’s strategic partnership with ASEAN. A2ELP 2017 alumni and 2018 delegates will partake in a range of activities associated with the Summit, including high level dialogues with leaders in government and business.

A2ELP is designed to:

• Enhance the leadership potential of participants;


• Strengthen and expand people-to-people, professional, and institutional networks between Australia and South-East Asia and;


• Showcase contemporary Australian and South-East Asian creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.

A2ELP is an Australian Government initiative and is a flagship program for the Australia-ASEAN Council (AAC) with co-funding contributions from the Australia Awards and Alumni Branch (AWB) at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The 2018 program will also include co-funding from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) for the 2017 alumni. The A2ELP is implemented by Asialink, at The University of Melbourne. The 2018 workshop delivery partners include Asialink Business and BlueChilli.

Over a three-month period, participants will:

• build knowledge of scalable and sustainable business models to achieve long term change


• develop skills to engage a range of stakeholders


• receive training in cultural intelligence and lean start-up methodology


• participate in networking events and field visits to innovative social ventures in Australia


• discuss the latest thinking and ideas in social impact with academic experts and industry leaders


• foster connections with participants through peer mentoring exercises and alumni engagement

Participants will travel to Australia from 10 to 19 March 2018 to participate in a ten-day intensive program in Melbourne and Sydney.

ELIGIBILITY: Program participants will need to meet the following criteria:

• Citizens of Australia or an ASEAN country (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines)


• founder or co-founder of a social enterprise


• aged between 25-35 years old


• can demonstrate said enterprises potential impact in social / economic / environmental causes while being scaleable and profitable


• be able to demonstrate relevance to a relationship with, or ability to scale in South-East Asia


• be able to commit to the three-month program including pre-departure preparation, ten-day intensive, and post program requirements


• be able to access digital technology to engage in all three stages of the program


• be able to provide one professional written reference


• professional working knowledge of the English language

Deadline for applications: 13 October 2017