Policy Leader Fellowship Program

The Policy Leader Fellowship (PLF) is a residential programme at the Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG) aimed for mid-career policy professionals from a range of policy fields: politics, civil service, media, non-governmental organisations and others.

This unique programme is nested within one of the most renowned academic institutions in Europe and provides the fellows with an insider view into the EU policy making processes.

The Policy Leader Fellowship is particular in its aim to attract individuals with diverse hands-on experiences in policy-making across the world and does not require academic training background. Besides having direct access to the STG and the EUI faculty and researcher community, the fellows learn from each other and form lasting professional and personal connections.

Eligibility

The general profile of the candidates:

• Mid-career professionals able to demonstrate solid professional experience (minimum 10 years) and potential for future excellence in a given policy area; candidates with strictly academic profile typically will not be considered;
• Self-motivated and driven, able to autonomously accomplish the activities presented under the fellowship work plan;
• Open-minded and curious individuals willing to engage in peer discussions on topics which may go beyond their area of expertise;

Evaluation criteria:

• Accomplishments and potential: Professional excellence is assessed on the basis of the candidate’s contributions to a given policy field based on the CV and any other supporting evidence of the application. Minimum Bachelor’s degree or equivalent is required.
• Focus area: The candidate’s field of work should be broadly aligned with the STG programmes and faculty research a Other themes can also be considered but preference will be given to applicants that cover policy areas of the STG faculty and programmes.
• Fellowship work plan: Applicants are assessed on the professional substance of their work plan as well as its feasibility, applicability in a transnational policy context and potential impact.
• Motivation: Applicants should be able to articulate what difference the fellowship experience will make to their professional journey as well as what they can offer to the STG. Preference is given to applicants who can both contribute to the STG programmes and activities as well as benefit from their stay at the STG and the EUI.
• Diversity: The programme strives for thematic and geographic diversity as well as gender balance among the fellows.

How to apply

The deadline for applications is January 24, 2025. To learn more and apply, please click here.