Applications now closed for the 2018 Emerging Leaders Forum

The EU-Australia Leadership Forum is looking for promising young leaders from Australia and the EU to take part in the Emerging Leaders Forum/Senior Leaders Forum which will take place in Brussels from 18 to 22 November 2018.

The annual forum brings together key European and Australian young and senior leaders to provide input and ideas designed to diversify and intensify the EU-Australia relationship in key areas. As part of the annual EU-Australia Leadership Forum an Emerging Leaders Forum is run immediately prior to, and in conjunction with the Senior Leaders Forum. The EU-Australia Leadership Forum is a unique project funded by the European Union, running from 2016 until 2019. The core of the project is the EU-Australia Senior and Emerging Leaders Forum, a high-level event that is held alternately in Australia and in Europe. The project's overall objective is to broaden and deepen the existing ties between the EU and Australia and in so doing, to help shape the vision for the partnership, based on the EU-Australia Framework Agreement and the forthcoming negotiations for an EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

Applications are now closed

The Emerging Leaders Forum is looking for young Australian and EU citizens/permanent residents who have proven their potential leadership ability in diverse professional backgrounds including government, business, civil society, academia and the media. Applicants must have at least five years of professional experience after university graduation and experience in the priority areas of EU-Australia relations with particular preference to be given to this year's roundtable themes:

• Movement of people: EU and Australian perspectives;
• Environment, climate change and energy transition;
• Industry 4.0; Women’s leadership in Europe and Australia;
• Regional challenges: the view from the Indo-Pacific and the EU;
• Digitalisation with a focus on privacy and data protection;
• Space cooperation: the next frontier; and
• Civil society in the EU-Australia relationship.

There will be approximately 60 participants with equal representation from Australia and the EU. Flights, accommodation, transfers and other forum expenses will be fully supported by the EU-Australia Leadership Forum.

Applicants must be 35 years or under at the time of the closing date for applications (31 May 2018).

Timeline

• 9 April 2018 - Applications open
• 31 May 2018 - Applications close
• 18 June 2018 - Applicants are informed of decisions
• 18-22 November 2018 - Emerging Leaders’ Forum, Brussels, Belgium