Asia matters. In its mission to foster Asia Competence, Asia Society Switzerland is committed to empowering younger voices in the dialogue with Asia, recognizing youth as a key driver of Switzerland’s future success in the region. We offer the Gen A (short for: Generation Asia) – Young Leadership Program to young professionals and advanced students in Switzerland. The program aims to deepen their knowledge of Asia-related issues, to provide the participants with the tools to interpret Asia’s development and to identify opportunities for a successful collaboration with Asia. This one-year program will enable the next generation to engage with Asia on eye-level and build a community of young Asia-curious people in Switzerland.

Gen A is a learning and leadership development platform for advanced students and young professionals. Application to the program is open to anyone living in Switzerland under the age of 35 with no more than three years of relevant work experience. Gen A is designed to inform, inspire, and connect. Gen A fellows gain access to leading business, policy, trade, diversity, and cultural thinkers on Asia; join a network of peers who are passionate about Asia; and get the chance to lead projects and represent the network.

Program Elements and Requirements

• 5 roundtables catered exclusively to the Gen A fellows
• 2 workshops
• Active participation in Asia Society Switzerland programs (attendance of a minimum of four public or members-only events/webcasts is required, participation at executive roundtables upon opportunity)
• Graduation project: deep dive on a topic that you care for, professionally or personally – alone or in groups of up to three fellows. Opportunity to present the project at our flagship conference, STATE OF ASIA. See selected projects from the 2022 cohort here.  

Why You Should Become a Fellow

In this one-year program, you will

• get direct access to high-level experts;
• get in-depth insights on Asia that help you understand what is happening today;
• build a network of like-minded peers;
• get the ability to analyze and assess future developments on your own;
• get free access to Asia Society Switzerland events;
• receive a certificate confirming your engagement to understand Asian issues;
• get access to a growing network of successful Gen A alumni;
• develop your skillset (e.g. leadership, public speaking, and presentation of research) and gain hands-on experience in relevant fields

Application

The program is designed for advanced students and young professionals who aspire to engage with Asia. Whether you want to do business in Asia, study a year abroad or just gain a better understanding of a region that is already shaping our future; this program will give you the tools and network to achieve your goals. If you have no more than three years of relevant professional experience; are below 35 years of age, and have a strong interest in Asia, join us! The maximum number of participants is 25. 

Applications for Gen A 2023 have closed on January 15, 2023. Watch out for the next call for applications by the end of the year.

The selected candidates of Gen A 2023 will be notified on January 31, 2023.

Experts

Milan Vaishnav is Senior Fellow and Director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) in Washington, D.C. His primary research focus is the political economy of India. He is the author of When Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics and host of Grand Tamasha, a weekly podcast on Indian politics and policy.

Anusooya Sivaganesan, born in Sri Lanka, is a PhD researcher at the University of Zurich, who is currently finalizing her research project "Forced to marry. A human rights violation within its Euro-Asian entanglements. Unfree marriages from a multi-country perspective exemplified by Switzerland, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Turkey".  Next to her academic work, she is the director of the Swiss center of competence against forced marriage (Fachstelle Zwangsheirat) and chairs the organisation Migration & Human Rights on a voluntary basis. In addition, she is also a member of the Federal Commission on Migration (FCM) and Federal Commission for Women’s Issues (FCWI).

Yasmin Afschar is a Swiss-Iranian curator, editor, and producer for contemporary art, based in Zurich. Recently, she was appointed as a mediator by the New Patrons, an international initiative supporting public art projects commissioned by citizens. Yasmin is the first recipient of Asia Society Switzerland's Curator Residency.

Rorry Daniels is the Managing Director of Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), where she leads and oversees strategy and operations for ASPI's projects on security, climate change and trade throughout Asia. She is also a Senior Fellow with ASPI's Center for China Analysis. Her most recent research project audited the U.S.-China Strategic & Economic Dialogue to evaluate its process and outcomes.

Matthew Guilford is an Asia 21 Young Leader and co-founder and CEO of Common Health, a purpose-driven company that uses mobile technology to advance universal health coverage. Since launching services in Myanmar in April 2021, the company has grown to serve more than 27,000 members through a blended business model of partnerships with multilateral institutions and sales to consumers.

Schedule for Gen A 2023

Application

Applications for Gen A 2023 have closed on January 15, 2023. Watch out for the next call for applications by the end of the year.

The selected candidates will be notified on January 31, 2023.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Gen A – Young Leadership Program cost? 

We offer Gen A free of charge to all fellows. We are convinced that fostering Asia Competence early on in the careers of future leaders is crucial for a flourishing society – in Switzerland and on a global scale.  

How much time should I set aside for the program? 

The program elements and dates that you are expected to attend are listed above. Whenever possible you should attend in person in order to graduate. We advise you to also allocate some time in the second half of the year to invest in your graduation project, especially if you would like to present it at the conference.  

Do I have to attend the Gen A events in person? 

Part of what makes Gen A so valuable is its community. Therefore, we expect our fellows to make an effort to attend in person whenever possible. We try to make programs available online if you cannot make it to Zurich for certain reasons, but cannot guarantee online participation for all program elements. 

I live outside of Switzerland but come to Zurich on a regular basis. Can I still apply? 

Under certain conditions, yes. As stated above, we expect our fellows to make an effort to join us in person whenever possible. If you can attend our program in person most of the time, then we highly encourage you to apply. 

I plan to study abroad/already know that I will spend some months outside of Switzerland. Can I still apply? 

Under certain conditions, yes. The Gen A network consists of an international group of people highly engaged with Asia and we encourage you to gather experience in Asia/an international context first-hand. However, please be aware that not all program elements will be available online. 

What happens after the fellowship has ended? 

After you successfully complete your fellowship and graduate from the Gen A – Young Leadership Program, you will become part of the Gen A Alumni Network and gain access to exclusive events, an extensive network of peers around the world, and much more. And of course, we highly encourage you to stay part of Asia Society Switzerland’s community and become a member. 

Contact

Serena Jung ([email protected])
Programs and Communications Director