Jefferson Fellowships | East-West Center

Now accepting applications from American and Asia Pacific journalists for the 2012 Spring Jefferson Fellowships

427 The Jefferson Fellowships program was launched in 1967 to enhance public understanding through the news media of cultures, issues and trends in the Asia Pacific region, broadly defined as Asia, the Pacific Islands and the United States. The Fellowships provide U.S. and Asia Pacific journalists with an opportunity to broaden their understanding of Asia Pacific issues and build a professional network through one week of dialogue with professional colleagues and experts at the East-West Center, followed by a two-week study tour to cities in Asia or the U.S. focusing on a special theme. In this unique program, American and Asia Pacific journalists study and travel together throughout the program. Funding for the Jefferson Fellowships has been provided through a grant from the Freeman Foundation of Stowe, Vermont since 1999.

The Jefferson Fellowships is the East-West Center’s oldest and most widely-recognized seminar program, with an illustrious alumni network of more than 500 Jefferson Fellows across the Asia Pacific region and the United States. Participation in the Jefferson Fellowships provides journalists not only with a life-changing international experience, valuable professional contacts, and life-long friendships with their colleagues in the program, but also access to the EWC’s international network of more than 1,000 media professionals and 50,000 alumni.

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See a list of all Jefferson Fellowships alumni since 1967.

Applications now open for the Spring 2012 Program: "Changing Cities: Innovation for an Urban World"

Application deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Theme: Changing Cities: Innovation for an Urban World
Dates: June 3-25, 2012
Destinations: Honolulu, Hawaii; Singapore; Guangzhou, China; Songdo/Seoul, Korea. The 2012 program also includes the special opportunity to participate in the East-West Center’s 3rd International Media Conference in Seoul, June 22-24.
Who Can Apply: Working print, broadcast, and on-line journalists in the United States, Asia and the Pacific Islands. Five years of experience preferred. English fluency required. 12-14 Fellowships will be awarded, 4-5 for American journalists, and 7-9 for journalists from Asia and the Pacific.

Across the Asia Pacific region, a massive demographic shift is underway. For the first time in human history, more people now live in cities than in rural areas. In the next 20 years, the world population will grow from 7 billion to 8.3 billion people. The urban population will grow even faster, from 3.5 billion to 5 billion. Hundreds of cities will be built and expanded to accommodate migration and growth – particularly in India and China. Urbanization has led to expanded economic development, poverty reduction and increased wealth in the Asia Pacific region and cities are centers of knowledge and innovation. But rapidly growing cities across the region have struggled to manage demand for basic services, transportation infrastructure, housing, energy and employment. With humanity's urban footprint set to almost double in just 20 years, there is a new sense of urgency about finding ways to accommodate the future billions in sustainable, efficient and equitable cities that can foster productivity and continued economic growth. Cities, especially in Asia, are thus the focus of intensive efforts to find new approaches to energy efficiency, building design, transportation, waste management, water and sanitation, and energy use. The investments will be huge, and companies around the world see their economic futures tied to solving the social, economic, environmental, and engineering challenges of this urban transformation, which will largely define the 21st century.

The Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships will provide journalists from Asia Pacific and the United States with an opportunity to explore this regional mega-trend and the models and innovations that are solving current problems and will be key to managing cities of the future. The Honolulu program will provide a forum for journalists to share perspectives from their countries and communities and gain broad perspectives on urbanization challenges for the U.S. and Asia. Participants will then travel to Singapore, which has developed and implemented some of the world's most advanced solutions to address urbanization challenges such as road congestion, water management and housing, and has positioned itself as a regional hub and “living lab” of urban solutions for high-density and livable cities. In Guangzhou, participants will have a chance to see how China is adapting its existing cities to be more efficient with a new internationally award winning bus rapid transit (BRT) system, by far the largest in Asia and a model for other cities around the world, as well as other efforts to manage migration, pollution and industrialization. Korea is experimenting with “green growth,” setting aggressive low carbon goals, and as the most wired country in the world, is a test bed for new information technologies. Journalists will visit Songdo, an urban laboratory of digital-city innovation providing the focus and investments to re-engineer the way cities work. Companies are investing heavily in “smart cities” and are using Songdo to test new technologies that they hope to employ in cities across the world. Journalists will explore the role of government, business and citizens in affecting positive development for the regions' growing urban populations.

The program will close in Seoul with the special opportunity to participate in the East-West Center’s 3rd International Media Conference, June 22-24, with the theme “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” The Conference is expected to draw more than 300 media professionals from around the world to engage with leading journalists, analysts, policymakers and one another through keynotes, panel discussions and workshops. Topics will include new media and its impact on journalism, society, and politics across the region, as well as analysis of current security, economic, energy and international relations issues. There also will be a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.

Funding:
The Jefferson Fellowships are supported by a generous grant from The Freeman Foundation. The grant covers economy class airfare to Honolulu, Hawaii, throughout the program and back to participant's home country from Seoul; program-related ground transportation, lodging, and meals; and a modest per diem to cover incidental expenses and meals not provided by the program.

Participants are required to pay a $500 program fee that covers program expenses not included in the Freeman Foundation grant. Participants are also responsible for all applicable visa fees and any additional visa-related expenses. They also must purchase their own travel-related health insurance.

Additional funding support for the 2012 program has been provided by:

The U.S. Embassy Islamabad Public Affairs Section: Special funding to sponsor two (2) Pakistani journalists. The grant funds economy class airfare to Honolulu, Hawaii, throughout the program and back to Pakistan from Seoul; program-related ground transportation, lodging, and meals; U.S. visa fees; the $500 program fee; and a modest per diem to cover incidental expenses and meals not provided by the program. Participants are responsible for the visa fees for all other countries and any additional visa-related expenses. Participants apply through the East-West Center.

The Mary Morgan Hewett (MMH) Fund in Hawaii: Supports the participation of one (1) female journalist. The female journalist who will receive this funding award will be selected from among the Jefferson Fellowships applicants by the Jefferson Fellowships Selection Committee and the MMH Fund board. Applicants need not specifically indicate their desire to apply for the MMH funding; all female applicants will be considered. The MMH Fund covers economy class airfare to Honolulu, Hawaii, throughout the program and back to participant's home country from Seoul; program-related ground transportation, lodging, and meals; and a modest per diem to cover incidental expenses and meals not provided by the program. MMH Awardees will still be responsible for the $500 program fee and all visa expenses.

We ask all news organizations to support their employees’ participation by cost-sharing as much as possible. While financial assistance from the employer is not required, employers are encouraged to provide cost-sharing as a demonstration of their commitment to the value of the program. An "Employer’s Statement of Support" is a required part of the application.

For full program information please download the Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships Announcement.

How To Apply:
All applicants must fill out the Jefferson Fellowships application form. You may download PDF or MS Word versions below.

Jefferson Fellowships Application Form (PDF) NOTE: You must save a copy of the form to your computer before filling out the form.

Jefferson Fellowships Application Form (MS Word)

In addition to the application form, applicants must also provide the following:

• A letter outlining your issues of interest, a brief description of your news organization, and what you expect to accomplish if an award is granted. Please suggest topics you propose to address in your paper and presentation at the East-West Center (maximum three pages, double-spaced, please).

• Names, addresses, phone/fax numbers and e-mail of three people who may be contacted by the Center as references. Two of these references should be people outside your news organization.

• A letter of recommendation on official letterhead from your supervisor describing your suitability for the Fellowship and the benefit the organization hopes to derive from your participation in the program. Freelance journalists are welcome to apply; please send a letter on official letterhead from a media organization that regularly accepts and publishes or airs your work.

• The “Employer’s Statement of Support” form completed by your employer (third page of application form).

To print a copy of these instructions, please download the Jefferson Fellowships Application Instructions.

Please send applications by Wednesday, February 15, 2012 to:

E-mail: jefferson@eastwestcenter.org
Fax: 808-944-7600
Post:
Jefferson Fellowships
East-West Seminars
East-West Center
1601 East-West Road
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96848-1601, U.S.A.

Inquiries: 808-944-7524

PLEASE NOTE, for fax and e-mail submissions: Indicate “Jefferson Fellowships Application” in the subject heading. We will confirm receipt of the application within 5 working days. If you do not hear back from us, please follow up.

● Applications must be received at the East-West Center by the application deadline in order to be considered.