The ASEF Young Leaders Summit (ASEFYLS) is a Youth platform that builds a community of young people from Asia and Europe. It invites participants to join a learning journey to reflect on and develop their 1) self-leadership, 2) team leadership and 3) societal leadership. ASEFYLS is designed to instil a spirit of curiosity, innovation, and intercultural understanding among young people, who can take over leadership roles and drive society forward through community engagement.

‘Anticipatory Leadership’ is the capacity and habit of using the future to inform the present by analysing trends, exploring a range of future scenarios, and using those insights to question assumptions, adjust leadership style, and take collaborative, adaptive action, that move systems toward more equitable and sustainable futures.

The ASEFYLS 2026 programme consists of 2 programme elements, with an additional programme element for a selected number of participants:

Training Phase | 9 June – 30 July 2026 | Online

• An exploration into ‘Anticipatory Leadership for a Human-Centred Future’ with trainings from thematic experts. Explore anticipatory leadership styles, systems thinking in different contexts, and how various sectors can apply an anticipatory framework in their organisations.
• Participants will be trained to build their understanding of strategic foresight, horizon scanning and the way new technologies like AI is influencing ethical, inclusive and sustainable principles – all in support of human-centred leadership. They will practice how to analyse trends, weak signals and systems across different context and see how they can adapt it to their own local communities.

Action Phase | August – November 2026 | In Local Communities

• Translating theory into action, participants will have to organise multiplier events in their local communities.
  See examples of what previous participants organised as part of the Action Phase here.

NOTE: Based on engagement and commitment during the Training Phase, 40 participants will be selected to join:

Asia-Europe Youth Leadership Training: Anticipatory Leadership in the Arctic | 23 – 29 August 2026 | Tromsø, Norway

• 40 participants will be invited to join the ‘Asia-Europe Youth Leadership Training: Anticipatory Leadership in the Arctic’ in Tromsø, Norway. This in-person training will continue to explore the topic of anticipatory leadership by examining the Arctic as a case study. It will also provide further opportunities for people-to-people exchanges, dialogues with experts, networking, and learning in a local context.The Training is organised in partnership with the Arctic University of Tromsø (UiT) and under the European Youth Capital 2026: “True North – Tromsø 2026.”

Candidates:

• Motivated youth who are actively engaged in youth and student life and wish to develop their personal and professional skills to better lead in an uncertain future and who can contribute to the development of their local communities
• A citizen of one of the eligible Asian and European Countries
• Students and young professionals between 18-30 years
• Playing a leading role in a Youth Organisation/ Student Association (not exclusive to board members, executive committees)
• Excellent command of English (verbal and written)
• Selection criteria such as motivation to participate and demonstration of experience in community and societal leadership will be taken into consideration for the selection.
• In addition, the ability to create impact and multiplier effect in your local community may also be taken into consideration.

What is expected?

From June to November 2026, participants are expected to attend and engage in:

• 2 online Training Phase sessions as week (16 in total) between 9 June – 30 July 2026 (on average 4 hours per week),  along with individual tasks (self-paced)
• Participants are expected to organise Multiplier events during the Action phase in their local communities – turning theory into action to share their learnings with a larger audience. These events are to be organised following the Training Phase (for selected participants, after the on-site ‘Asia-Europe Youth Leadership Training: Anticipatory Leadership in the Arctic’).
  The activities can be organised in-person or online. See examples from ASEFYLS Capacity Trainings 2024 here.
• [For selected participants] Active on-site participation in the ‘Asia-Europe Youth Leadership Training: Anticipatory Leadership in the Arctic’ in Tromsø, Norway (23-29 August 2026).

Application Deadline: 12 May, 2026 (UTC 23:59)

Costs:

• There are neither registration nor participation fees for this programme.
• Accommodation, meals, and travel subsidies will be provided for the selected participants.

For more information about the programme, check the website HERE, or download FAQ brochure below.