Apply now to take part in international study tours and research events on disaster resilience!

 

The Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) and the Japan Foundation are continuing their Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network, a network of early-career professionals focused on resilience in the Indo-Pacific Region. This is your chance to engage in a continuing research project with fieldwork and activities in Japan, Australia, and the Pacific and to connect with fellow future leaders. The original cohort of the group travelled to Japan, Australia, Fiji, and Tonga to seek collaborative solutions to regional challenges related to disaster resilience.

The network will continue with a new cohort of up to 15 early-career professionals selected to focus on a particular policy question. The theme for the 2026 cohort is again disaster resilience. Participants will focus on a particular social or policy aspect of this question, for example, multi-level government coordination, maintaining fragile ecosystems, the role of the media, social cohesion, volunteerism, or intergenerational memory. They will be asked to develop their research during a series of tours and meetings across Japan, Australia, and the South Pacific throughout 2026, with the aim of producing a final publication and/or policy recommendations in cooperation with the rest of the cohort. Part of their research project will need to be relevant to Japan.

The activities listed above will include the AIIA National Conference, the premier event on Australian foreign policy. Participants will be brought to the conference and will also gain guaranteed entry into the conference masterclasses, the conference gala dinner at a premium location in Canberra, and a pre-conference reception. While in Australia, they will also conduct a short study tour focusing on resilience.

 

We invite early-career professionals, especially those from or residing in Australia, Japan, the Pacific Islands, South East and South Asia, or the United States, to apply to participate in the network. Applicants from other parts of the Indo-Pacific or from countries with an Indo-Pacific strategy are welcome to apply. Participants will have the opportunity to get to know one another over the course of three in-person tours as well as online, as outlined below.

Applicants who are unsuccessful for the Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network may also be offered the chance to participate in other AIIA opportunities such as conference participation or separate study tours.

The cohort is strictly limited based on the quality of applications. Participants will be selected according to the requirements below and their ability to contribute to the subject matter at hand. Each physical trip will last around one week. Participants must commit to being available and willing to travel to the below locations during the following times.

The organisers will cover flights to each destination. All travel, meals, program fees, and other costs associated with the program from the time of arrival and departure at each destination, with certain exceptions such as bank fees for reimbursements, will also be covered. 

 

Dates

DATE*	ACTIVITY	LOCATION
1-8 March 2026	Orientation and study tour	Japan
Mid to late June 2026	Study tour	Fiji and New Zealand
August 2026	Online check in meeting	Zoom
Late September	Deadline for publication
Late October or November	AIIA National Conference and Roundtable	Australia

*We have done our best to provide an accurate timeline for applicants, however all dates listed are subject to change. 

*The trips themselves will last about one week and we hope to schedule them within the times indicated above.

 

Requirements

To be eligible for participation in this program, participants must: 

• Reside in or be a citizen of Australia, Japan, or another country in the Indo-Pacific, notably the Pacific Islands, South East or South Asia, or the United States. Those from outside the region might be accepted if they can demonstate a credible link to the region.
• Have a strong and demonstrable interest in disaster resilience and Indo-Pacific affairs.
• Be available and able to travel to the relevant locations at the above times.
• Identify as an "Early-Career Professional" - In most cases, we consider early-career professionals to be those who have completed a tertiary degree in a relevant field within the past five to ten years and who are already engaged in employment. PhD researchers are encouraged to apply.
• Speak and write English at a level that would allow you to take part in research activities.
• Demonstrate leadership capacity.
• Be available between study tours and other program activities for meetings with network alumni and current network participants.
• Agree to write a 1,000 to 1,500-word article on disaster resilience by September 2026 for inclusion in an edited volume of cohort contributions.
• Be available for all listed activities.

AUSTRALIA-BASED APPLICANTS ONLY: Priority will be given to applicants who are members of their state or territory's AIIA branch. If you are not yet a member of the AIIA, you can join HERE.

Tips on our selection process are available HERE.

To apply, participants must complete the form below, submitting a CV of no more than two pages and a statement of interest of no more than one page. The statement of interest should demonstrate their leadership capacity and explain how they might use this project to strengthen knowledge that would be relevant to their careers. They should also demonstrate the nature of their interest in disaster resilience and Indo-Pacific affairs.

The forum will be held in English, and applications should be submitted in English. Participants must consent to be covered by a travel insurance policy provided by the AIIA or, in special circumstances, agree to provide their own travel insurance.

Applications close on January 8, 2026 (Australia/Japan time).

 

This program is jointly launched with the Japan Foundation as part of the JFIPP (Japan Foundation Indo-Pacific Partnership) Program.