Queen Elizabeth II Academy Leadership Masterclass Programme 2023/2024

The Leadership Masterclass Programme is a career development programme by the Academy. It runs for nine months and is a part-time option for working professionals running from early October 2023 to June 2024 in parallel with Academy fellowships. It is sponsored by the Asfari Foundation, Robert Bosch Stiftung and Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

Established in 2017, the Leadership Masterclass Programme offers participants the opportunity to engage and build their capacity for independent thinking on global policy issues and leadership by participating in a variety of regular sessions and activities, all held at Chatham House with world-class experts. They also have the environment to develop a network with other like-minded individuals, all with the support of a professional career coach.

Applications are open between 10am BST on Wednesday 9 August and 10am BST on Monday 4 September 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and the closing date may be brought forward if needed, therefore applicants are encouraged to apply early.

Requirements and structure

Who can apply?

Citizenship
The Asfari Foundation stream is open to citizens of Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine (State of Palestine), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yemen.

The Robert Bosch Stiftung stream is open to citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia.

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation stream is open to citizens of any African country.

The programme is open to applicants who are based in London.

Preference is given to applicants who could come to London one day a week (usually Wednesdays) as the programme is designed to be delivered in person.

Career
Eligibility is limited to individuals who meet the selection criteria and works in one of the following fields: academia, NGO, business, government departments, civil society or the media.

Age restrictions
We do not impose age restrictions for applicants.

How long and where?
Duration
Leadership Masterclass participants will join the Academy one day a week (mostly on Wednesdays) at Chatham House between October 2023 and June 2024 with a break for the Christmas holidays.

Sessions take place in person on Wednesdays between 9am and 4pm. Most weeks, sessions will be 1.5 hours, with some weeks requiring multiple sessions of no more than 6 hours. The programme schedule will be released on a quarterly basis so that participants can plan their time.

Participants are expected to attend a minimum of 70% of the programme activities, and to join sessions in person, unless otherwise agreed before the start of the programme. Participants are expected to contribute to discussions, engage with speakers, and seize networking opportunities over the course of the programme.

Location
The programme will be delivered in person at Chatham House, London.

How is it structured and what are the benefits?
Programme structure

Participants will learn and contribute alongside Academy fellows to core elements of the Leadership Programme, which encompasses the following:

Intensive induction week
Academy fellowships begin with an intensive five-day induction week at Chatham House to become familiarized with the elements of the fellowships and the Leadership Programme, meet their host research programme, and have their first personal development coaching session.

Discussion seminars
In these sessions, fellows meet and discuss current international affairs challenges with subject matter experts from Chatham House and beyond. The sessions cover the principal substantive and skills-based areas vital for informed and effective international leadership. Fellows usually chair these sessions and are expected to contribute to and learn from one another’s experience.

Leadership workshops
Every two months, fellows participate in half-day workshops focusing on skills development within specific aspects of leadership such as ‘Leadership in a new role’ and ‘Fostering innovation and entrepreneurship’.

Project presentations
Fellows present updates on their research projects which help develop presentation skills, provide a valuable forum for peer-review, and to think about and analyse issues outside their own area of expertise.

Personal development coaching
Fellows join the Academy seeking to grow their self-awareness through one-on-one sessions with a dedicated coach, with whom they set personal development objectives which they work to meet during their fellowship and beyond.

Media training
Fellows learn how to interview effectively on television and radio, culminating in a mock interview from which they receive feedback on their presentation style and any areas of improvement.

‘Leadership in the 21st Century’ Breakfast Briefings
Academy fellows have priority in participating in the ‘Leadership in the 21st Century’ Breakfast Briefings series, giving them the opportunity to discuss leadership experiences and lessons in an informal setting with acknowledged leaders from government, business, media and the non-profit sectors.

Career mentoring (optional)
Fellows’ development is facilitated and supported by partnering them with mentors to enhance their career perspective and path.

Remuneration and benefits

The cost of the participation in the programme will be covered by the Academy.

Documentation and selection criteria

To apply for this fellowship, we need:
The applicant’s CV/résumé
A completed application form

Selection criteria:
Meet nationality requirements

• Should be professionals in their early-to-mid-stage of their career
  Be able to demonstrate a strong potential to excel in their industry or field
  Are in, or aspire to be in, positions requiring international thought or action
  Have an understanding of the interconnectedness of global policy issues
  Work in, or aspire to work in, positions requiring strong understanding of policy and influencing policy
  Have a global perspective and understanding of challenges relating to working in and across different cultures
  Demonstrate their fit with the criteria
  Be motivated by the values and mission of Chatham House
  Participants will be selected on the basis of their experience, expertise and on how the masterclass opportunity will support them at this point in their career. The Academy team will also take into consideration the background of other Leadership Masterclass participants and Academy fellows to ensure a diverse cohort.

Selection process:

Stage one: Complete the application. All applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and shortlisted by our selection committee.
Stage two: Participants will be selected based on their résumé and answers to the questions provided in the application form and notified via email.

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION