Call for 5th batch applications: Fellowship opportunities under Mekong Thought Leadership and Think Tanks Program

Launch of the call: 21 July 2025

Application deadline: 3 August 2025, 23:59 (Bangkok/Indochina time)

Submissions of applications will only be accepted online via Submittable:  

https://sei.submittable.com/submit/332211/mtt-fellowship-program-call-for-fellows-batch-5

Background

The Mekong Thought Leadership and Think Tanks Network Program (MTT), supported by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), aims to work with national and regional Knowledge-based Policy Influence Organizations (KBPIOs)¹ in the Mekong Region to enhance their capacities to effectively engage stakeholders involved in policy processes. In particular, the program will work with KBPIOs to support strengthening policy and practice concerning equitable water security, energy security, as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation. This will be combined with communications based on high-quality research, practical advice generated by the program, and cross-learning among relevant regional organizations.

The program views that investing in diverse entry- or mid-level professionals of all genders working in research and policy engagement is essential to enhance their capacity to produce and promote practical and sustainable solutions. The program will spearhead capacity building through fellowships and trainings.

For more information about the MTT Program, please visit https://www.sumernet.org/featuredproject/mekong-thought-leadership-and-think-tanks-network

Objectives

There are three main objectives for the fellowship program.

1. Strengthen knowledge, capacity, and skills of diverse Mekong entry- or mid-level professionals of all genders in policy research, engagement, and communication, as well as effectively integrate Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) within each of these.
2. Support the program’s implementation in enhancing effectiveness and inclusiveness of policy engagement at the intersections of water security, energy security, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as in the crosscutting dimension of Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) across these domains.
3. Provide opportunities for diverse entry- or mid-level professionals of all genders to increase their networking with other professionals across sectors, especially water, energy, climate change, as well as Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), across the Mekong Region.

Fellow qualifications

Required:

1. Entry- or mid-level professionals of all ages and genders.
2. Citizen of Cambodia, Lao PDR, or Thailand.
3. Education qualification as appropriate for the role, but generally considered to be:
   1. Master’s degree with at least two years experience; or
   2. Bachelor’s degree with at least five years experience.
4. Available to commit to a 6-month full-time fellowship based in SEI Asia’s office in Bangkok.

Preferable:

1. Experience in working in at least one of the thematic areas of the following:
   1. Water security
   2. Energy security
   3. Climate change mitigation or adaptation
   4. Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI)
   5. Water, energy, and climate nexus
   6. Communications
2. Consider being physically based with the host institution for at least half of the fellowship period, whereby stays/visits should add up to half of the fellowship period. For prospective fellows who are not able to physically relocate to the host institution, other arrangements can be negotiated upon request and subject to approval by the Program Secretariat (SEI Asia).
3. The fellow must be hosted by someone other than their existing employer.

For more details of the call, please download the attached pdf.

Kindly submit your application online here, email applications will not be accepted.

References

1. Wellstead, A.M. and Howlett, M. 2022. (Re)Thinking think tanks in the age of policy labs: The rise of knowledge-based policy influence organisations. Aust. J. Publ. Admin. 81: 224-232.