Call for Applications: Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit 2026 (Fully Funded)

Application Deadline: April 19, 2026

About the Summit

The Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit 2026 is a fully funded programme designed to empower young women leaders across Southeast Asia with the skills, networks, and confidence to drive change in their communities. Founded in 2017, this annual summit brings together emerging female leaders for an intensive leadership and capacity-building experience. Organized by the Harpswell Foundation, the summit focuses on women’s leadership development, critical thinking and public speaking, regional collaboration and networking, and social impact and community leadership.

The Summit is designed to advance positive change in Southeast Asia by creating a network of women’s leaders who have a deep understanding of the ASEAN region alongside meaningful, lifelong relationships with peers across borders. An extension of Harpswell’s Cambodian leadership curriculum, the Summit is structured as a mix of lectures, workshops, site visits, and group activities. Summit trainers represent leading experts from academia, industry, and community development throughout Southeast Asia and beyond. In 2026, the Summit proudly expands to welcome participants from Timor-Leste, ASEAN’s newest member and Papua New Guinea, further strengthening a diverse and inclusive regional community of women leaders.

Summit Structure

The Summit has taken on a new hybrid form, expanding the program’s depth and impact over the course of five months.

Phase 1: Virtual Learning (July – October 2026)

During these four months, the program will host twice-monthly 2-hour virtual learning sessions. These sessions will lay the foundations of the cohort’s relationships to:

• Themselves: Four inner work sessions focused on self-awareness, values, and leadership identity
• One Another: Three small group meetings for peer connection and support
• The Region: Four ASEAN-themed expert-led sessions on regional issues, governance, and collaboration

Note: All virtual activities will take place outside of regular business hours to accommodate participants across different time zones.

Phase 2: In-Person Gathering (October 30 – November 8, 2026)

The cohort will gather in beautiful Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for one week of collaboration, exploration, and networking. Many of the trainers and facilitators that are part of the virtual program will also join this face-to-face element of the program.

After 5 days as a Summit cohort exploring the Inner Development Goals, 2026 Summit participants will have the unique opportunity to join IKAT 2026, Harpswell’s inaugural gathering for women leaders working in and for Southeast Asia.

Why This Summit Matters

Women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions across Southeast Asia, despite the region’s rapid economic growth and increasing global importance. Cultural barriers, limited access to networks, and lack of mentorship opportunities prevent many talented young women from realizing their leadership potential.

The Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit addresses these barriers by:

• Bringing together emerging leaders from across the region to learn from and support one another
• Providing world-class training from experts in academia, industry, and community development
• Creating a lifelong sisterhood that transcends borders and sustains leadership growth
• Offering Social Impact Grants to turn ideas into action in participants’ home communities
• Building a network of women leaders who understand the ASEAN region deeply and are committed to its positive development

By investing in women’s leadership, Harpswell is investing in a more peaceful, prosperous, and equitable Southeast Asia. Alumni of the Summit have gone on to lead NGOs, start social enterprises, influence policy, and mentor the next generation of young women in their countries.

What the Scholarship Covers

This is a fully funded opportunity, covering:

• Round-trip airfare to Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Accommodation for the duration of the in-person gathering
• Meals during the summit
• Training and program materials
• All visa-related expenses (if applicable)

Harpswell covers all travel, meals, and accommodation for participants.

Additional Opportunity: Following the Summit, the women leaders are also eligible to apply for Social Impact Grants to support their community projects.

Eligibility Criteria

We welcome applications from women, aged 25 to 35, from ASEAN countries, Nepal, and Papua New Guinea who demonstrate:

• A keen interest in social change and women’s leadership
• Leadership potential through academic achievement or professional accomplishment
• Willingness to share, explore, and grow in self-identity, cultural diversity, and worldview
• A curiosity about the experiences of others in the region
• Strong English language skills

Harpswell is committed to gathering a diverse and inclusive cohort. We welcome applicants from any race, ethnicity, social background, religion, disability, and sexual orientation. We know that learning from those with experiences different from our own makes us more compassionate and effective leaders. We look forward to the broad range of perspectives our participants will bring to the Summit and the broader Harpswell sisterhood.

Eligible Countries:

• All 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam)
• Nepal
• Timor-Leste (new for 2026)
• Papua New Guinea (new for 2026)

What You Will Gain

• Leadership and personal development training through the Inner Development Goals framework
• Access to a network of ASEAN women leaders – a powerful sisterhood across borders
• Mentorship opportunities from leading experts in academia, industry, and community development
• Exposure to regional and global perspectives on issues affecting Southeast Asia
• Skills to drive social change initiatives in your home community
• Eligibility for Social Impact Grants to fund your community projects after the Summit
• Lifelong relationships with peers from across the region

Past Trainers and Topics

Summit trainers have included leading experts such as:

• Dr. Alan Lightman – Professor of the Practice of Humanities, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Founder and Board Chair at Harpswell
• Penny Burtt – Head of Public Policy and Government Relations at Stripe; formerly held leadership positions with Visa Inc. and McKinsey & Co.; most recently led AsiaLink at the University of Melbourne
• Professor Dr. Noraida Endut – Unit for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
• Professor Dr. Rashidah Shuib – Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, USM; former director of KANITA
• Dr. Vannarith Chheang – President at Asian Vision Institute; previously Southeast Asia Analyst at the Nippon Foundation
• Alison Pavia – Executive Director of Harpswell; previously Executive Director at Peter C Alderman Foundation and REServe; former attorney

Topics covered in past Summits include inner work sessions on self-awareness and identity, small group peer connections, ASEAN-themed expert sessions on regional governance and collaboration, and leadership skills for social change.

Testimonial

“In product and tech, data is our default language. We use numbers to prove points, to guide decisions, to demonstrate impact. I’ve long relied on data as my way of persuading. But the Harpswell Summit reminded me that stories are also data. They may not come in spreadsheets, but they move hearts, shift perspectives, and invite trust.”
— Rachel Kuo (Singapore), Senior Product Manager, Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit 2025

Application Process

Applications are submitted through the official Harpswell Foundation website.

Application Link: Click here

Virtual Information Session: Interested in learning more about the Summit? Join a virtual information session on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 7:30 PM (ICT) to explore the program experience, eligibility, and application process. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and connect with the Harpswell team.

Questions: Please reach out with any questions to Summit Senior Administrator Dr. Leila Mohajer at leila@harpswell.org

For More Information: Visit the Official Webpage of the Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit