Develop the judgement to analyse an Indo-Pacific in transition.
The IPSC Emerging Leaders Forum is an applied live online program for participants who need to interpret regional change, assess strategic risk and communicate clear policy advice when the evidence is incomplete. Eight weekly sessions include two policy-writing masterclasses and one current-affairs forum, supported by faculty and peers from across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and close on 29 July 2026, or earlier if cohort capacity is reached. Payment is requested only after an offer of admission.
Who the programme is for
Regional knowledge, professional experience and analytical potential all have a place in the cohort.
Previous cohorts have included participants from law, engineering, development finance, government, military service, research and civil society. Admission does not depend on holding a degree in international relations.
Students and graduates
Build applied regional experience
Develop a portfolio, analytical frameworks and evidence of policy-writing capability for work in international affairs, government or strategic analysis.
Working professionals
Make geopolitics operational
Translate regional developments into implications for government, corporate risk, development, law, advisory work or organisational strategy.
Regional practitioners
Contribute ground-level knowledge
Bring practical experience from Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Pacific Islands and the wider region into structured comparative discussion.
Analysts in transition
Demonstrate analytical capability
Move from a generalist role toward policy, strategic or geopolitical analysis through assessed work and direct faculty feedback.
Applicants are assessed on the quality of their motivation, relevant experience or regional interest, capacity to contribute to the cohort, and readiness to complete the analytical work. IPSC reviews applications on their merits rather than institutional pedigree.
Programme outcomes
Capabilities that transfer. Analytical work you can use.
ELF is built around active analysis and professional writing. By the end of the programme, participants will have completed two portfolio-ready outputs and applied structured frameworks to decision-relevant Indo-Pacific problems.
Write for a decision-maker
Produce a 1,500-word policy brief that identifies the decision, recommendation, assumptions, uncertainties and trade-offs.
Develop concise public analysis
Produce an 800-word commentary on an Indo-Pacific issue and revise it through structured editorial feedback.
Interpret strategic signals
Apply structured signal interpretation and escalation-analysis methods to current regional developments.
Assess economic statecraft
Examine coercion, supply-chain exposure and the trade-offs faced by states and organisations under competing pressures.
Complete an applied certificate
Receive an IPSC certificate demonstrating successful completion of an applied programme in Indo-Pacific analysis and policy writing.
Join a regional peer network
Work with participants from government, research, law, corporate risk, development and civil society across multiple countries.
Programme structure
Eight weekly live sessions built around analysis, judgement and policy writing.
The programme includes five substantive analysis sessions — one structured as a current-affairs forum — two policy-writing masterclasses, and a final capstone review. Sessions combine strategic briefing, structured discussion and applied work.
Foundations of strategic competition
Core frameworks for great-power rivalry, regional order and judgement under uncertainty. No prior specialist knowledge is assumed.
Regional security architecture
ASEAN centrality, the Quad, AUKUS, maritime flashpoints and the strategic choices facing states inside and outside formal alliances.
Economic statecraft and coercion
Trade–security intersections, supply-chain vulnerability, geoeconomic leverage and the choices facing smaller states and exposed organisations.
Emerging geopolitical risks
Climate security, demographic change, artificial intelligence and digital statecraft, with attention to asymmetric effects across the region.
Indo-Pacific in focus
Participant-led discussion on current developments, supported by structured signal analysis and relevant IPSC research outputs.
Policy writing: structure, evidence and recommendation
Frame a decision problem, construct a recommendation, use evidence proportionately and communicate assumptions and uncertainty to a non-specialist reader.
Policy writing: advanced drafting, peer review and red-teaming
Test the argument through structured critique, revise the recommendation and strengthen the brief for editorial review.
Policy process, capstone review and final feedback
How foreign policy is formulated and delivered; final policy-brief review with faculty and peer feedback, and preparation for final submission.
Faculty
Regional scholars and practitioners with direct experience of the issues they teach.
Faculty combine regional scholarship, policy analysis, operational experience and current professional practice. Their contributions are aligned to the subjects on which they have direct research, institutional or professional expertise.
Professor Carlyle Thayer
Emeritus Professor of Politics, UNSW Canberra
Specialist in Southeast Asian security, Vietnamese foreign policy and regional strategic affairs. Contributes to analysis of strategic competition and regional order.
Captain Sarabjeet Singh Parmar (Retd)
IPSC Distinguished Fellow · Former Executive Director, National Maritime Foundation
Former Indian naval officer and maritime-policy leader. Contributes operational and institutional perspectives on maritime security and regional architecture.
Uma Sudhindra
IPSC Global Advisory Board · Defence and policy practitioner
Brings experience across defence, public policy and strategic engagement, including work relevant to India–China relations and regional policy.
Rear Admiral Sanjay Roye (Retd)
Former Gujarat Naval Area Commander · Senior Advisor, Alvarez & Marsal
Combines senior maritime command experience with current strategic advisory work relevant to security, resilience and organisational risk.
Natalie Treloar
IPSC Senior Fellow · Senior Analyst, National Institute for Deterrence Studies
Works on deterrence, escalation and strategic analysis. Contributes current analytical perspectives to geopolitical-risk and signal-assessment sessions.
Verena Zimmer
Country Manager Asia, Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce · EU-India Young Leader
Works on commercial engagement between European and Asian markets. Contributes practical perspectives on trade, business exposure and economic statecraft.
Captain James Park (Retd)
IPSC Senior Fellow · 2024 Kelly Korea Studies Fellow
Military veteran and published analyst with expertise relevant to Korea and Northeast Asian security. Contributes to regional security analysis and professional writing.
Dr Divya Anand
Associate Dean, IILM · PhD, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Scholar of South Asian affairs and China with academic leadership experience. Contributes regional and comparative perspectives on strategic competition.
Faculty participation is subject to professional availability. IPSC may substitute a comparably qualified speaker or adjust the sequence of sessions where operational requirements make this necessary.
Alumni evidence
Perspectives from previous Emerging Leaders Forum participants
“The discussions were rigorous and forward-looking, and the opportunity to engage with experts and peers from across the region made it particularly valuable.”
R.G. · Strategic Affairs Analyst · Washington, DC, United States
“The programme offered thoughtful discussion on regional security, governance and economic strategy, while encouraging participants to examine critically the evolving dynamics shaping the region.”
Sara W. · Policy Analyst · Canberra, Australia
“The programme provided an excellent platform to exchange ideas and contribute both practical and academic perspectives on maritime security and strategic affairs.”
R.K. · Researcher and Lecturer · Sri Lanka
“The Emerging Leaders Forum offered a valuable opportunity to explore the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Indo-Pacific alongside an impressive group of international experts and participants.”
V.Z. · Country Manager Asia · Germany
“The programme brought together emerging leaders from 29 countries, creating a dynamic space for dialogue on the major strategic challenges shaping the Indo-Pacific.”
T.S. · Defence and Strategic Studies · India
“The weekly sessions offered thoughtful discussions on geopolitics, regional security, governance and leadership in an engaging and intellectually stimulating environment.”
C.K. · Attorney-at-Law · Colombo, Sri Lanka
Fees and admission
One selective admissions process. Three funding-based fee categories.
Applying is free. Applicants select the fee category that reflects their funding status. Payment is requested only after IPSC issues an offer of admission.
Reduced-fee access
Access rate
US$99 initially, followed by two payments of US$98
For full-time students, recent graduates and eligible self-funded early-career applicants. Eligibility is assessed through the application.
Recommended for self-funded professionals
Individual professional
US$264 initially, followed by two payments of US$263
For working professionals who are funding their own participation, including those in government, business, law, research, civil society and development.
Institutional participation
Institutional rate
Three monthly payments of US$330
For participants funded by an employer, government department, university or other institution. This rate directly funds IPSC Foundation Scholarship places for eligible self-funded participants.
All fees are in US dollars. Foundation Scholarships apply to the Access rate only and are awarded at the discretion of the IPSC Foundation. Tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances — participants should seek independent advice.
How enrolment works
From application to confirmed place — clear, fast, and straightforward.
01
Apply
Submit a five-minute application. No fee or payment is required. Indicate on the form if you wish to be considered for a Foundation Scholarship.
02
Admission decision
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, normally within five business days. Scholarship decisions arrive with your offer.
03
Accept the offer
Accepted applicants may pay in full, pay a US$100 offer-holder deposit and settle the balance, or use the three-payment plan. The rate stated in the offer letter is locked.
04
Confirm the cohort
IPSC issues the cohort schedule, calendar invitations and participant onboarding materials after payment arrangements are confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Programme requirements and participation
How long does the programme run?
Cohort 4 runs from 5 August to 23 September 2026 — eight weeks, with one live session each week. The two policy-writing masterclasses are held in consecutive weeks in September.
How long is each session and what workload should I expect?
Each live session is approximately 90 minutes. Participants should normally allow two to three hours per week, including preparation and follow-up. Additional drafting time is required during the commentary and capstone-brief stages.
Are scholarships available?
Yes. Up to 5 IPSC Foundation Scholarships are awarded each cohort, reducing the Access rate by half to US$148. Request consideration in your application — there is no separate process — and the decision arrives with your offer of admission. Scholarships are limited and awarded as applications are received.
What is required to receive the certificate?
Certificate eligibility requires attendance at a minimum of six of the eight live sessions, constructive participation, submission of the 800-word commentary and 1,500-word policy brief, and completion of required revisions to the applicable standard.
How is work assessed?
Work is assessed against the clarity of the analytical question, quality and proportional use of evidence, structure of the argument, treatment of assumptions and uncertainty, relevance of recommendations, and responsiveness to editorial feedback.
Will my work be published?
Publication is selective rather than automatic. IPSC may publish work that meets its editorial and analytical standards after the participant has completed the programme and undertaken any required revisions.
Are sessions recorded?
Recordings are made available to enrolled participants where speaker permissions and the nature of the discussion allow. Some interactive or sensitive practitioner discussions may not be recorded. Participants should plan to attend live wherever possible.
When do applications close?
Applications for Cohort 4 close on Wednesday 29 July 2026, or earlier if cohort capacity is reached. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so applying early improves your chances of a place and of scholarship consideration.
How many participants will be admitted?
Cohort size is limited to preserve discussion quality, faculty interaction and meaningful feedback. IPSC may operate separate APAC and Americas cohorts where demand and participant locations support this.
What technology do I need?
Participants need a reliable internet connection, a modern web browser, access to video-conferencing software, and a computer capable of preparing and submitting written work. A headset and functioning microphone are strongly recommended.
Can IPSC provide accessibility adjustments?
IPSC will consider reasonable accessibility adjustments for admitted participants. Applicants may contact the programme team confidentially at rachel.lin@indo-pacificstudiescenter.org to discuss relevant requirements before or after applying.
What happens if faculty or session arrangements change?
Faculty participation is subject to professional availability. IPSC may substitute a comparably qualified speaker, change the sequence of sessions or make reasonable timetable adjustments while preserving the programme's substantive learning outcomes.
What is the cancellation and transfer policy?
Payments are subject to the IPSC cancellation and transfer policy, which addresses participant cancellation, IPSC cancellation or postponement, transfers to another cohort or participant, deposit treatment, timetable changes and applicable consumer rights. Nothing in the policy excludes rights available under the Australian Consumer Law. Contact rachel.lin@indo-pacificstudiescenter.org for a copy of the policy.
Apply to join the August 2026 Emerging Leaders Forum.
The application takes approximately five minutes. There is no application fee and no payment is requested until IPSC issues an offer of admission. Applications close 29 July 2026 or when Cohort 4 reaches capacity.
Questions: rachel.lin@indo-pacificstudiescenter.org