SI Leader Lab 2025
| Type | Leadership programme application, Part-time |
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| Study language | English |
| Territory requirements | Applications are accepted from the following territories (based on citizenship): Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Sweden, Türkiye, Ukraine. |
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| Language requirements | English |
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| More information |
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Overview
SI Leader Lab – Connecting leaders in civil society
Are you a leader in an organisation dedicated to democracy, human rights, or freedom of expression? The Swedish Institute Leader Lab is for leaders in civil society, culture, and media across Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, and Türkiye who wants to explore innovative tools and new forms of collaboration.
Apply to SI Leader Lab to enhance your leadership skills, strengthen your organisation’s advocacy efforts, and exchange knowledge within a network of inspiring peers.
SI Leader Lab is designed to strengthen the capacity of organisations to drive successful advocacy work linked to democracy, human rights or freedom of expression. The programme brings together influential civil society leaders who are open to new digital solutions and innovative methods. The network consists of peers from across various sub-sectors and provides the participants with broad input from different spheres in the field. SI Leader Lab invites 100 participants from Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
The programme combines online workshops, in both regional and cross-regional learning groups, with regular coaching support. In May, all 100 programme participants will come together in Stockholm for an intensive week of onsite learning that deepens the experience and enhances collaboration.
The programme is an opportunity to develop your organisation’s advocacy work and strategic outreach. It is also an opportunity to grow as a leader, exchange knowledge, form new connections and test out innovative tools and methods with peers.
The programme features personal as well as professional development. Not only do you get renewed confidence and insights as a leader, but you get to explore and develop tools to build a more sustainable team culture and increase your impact.
To support the organisational implementation of the programme tools and methods, SI welcomes colleagues within the same organisations to apply to the programme. All applications will be evaluated on an individual basis, but organisations with more than one qualified applicant tend to be prioritised in the selection process.
SI Leader Lab will give you:
• Personal insights as a leader: how to lead yourself and others through increased self-awareness and increased understanding of group development.
• A stronger capacity in your organisation to successfully organise and lead teamwork.
• A stronger capacity in your organisation to implement and lead effective advocacy work.
• The possibility to share and build knowledge among a network of experts, to inspire each other and to share experiences around common challenges.
SI Leader Lab is arranged by the Swedish Institute, a public agency that builds interest and trust in Sweden around the world. The Swedish Institute work with Sweden promotion, cooperation in the Baltic Sea region and global development. (Link to Swedish Institute website)
Am I eligible to apply?
Applicants to SI Leader Lab must meet the following requirements:
• Have a leading position in a civil society-, culture- or media organisation working in the field of democracy, human rights or freedom of expression. The work should benefit one of the programme countries.
• Work with a team in which they have a leadership role (formal or informal).
• Be between the ages of 22 and 45 (born in the 1979 to 2003 range).
• Have a good working knowledge of both written and spoken English.
• Be a citizen of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye or Ukraine.
• Be available to participate in all parts of the programme.
• Be prepared to implement tools, competencies and knowledge they gain from the programme in their team and organisation.
No exceptions can be made to any of the eligibility requirements.
Please note that SI Leader Lab is a demanding programme that uses experience-based learning and reflection as a tool for personal growth. Therefore, participants need to be dedicated with a strong capacity for self-exploration.
How much time do I have to allocate for the programme?
Here is an estimation of the time the programme requires:
Online
The programme starts in January and ends in June, with a diploma ceremony online.
If selected, you will receive an exact schedule at the start of the programme.
From April to June, there will be regular online sessions every week. There will be approximately 10 online sessions (spread over three months, plus time for your own work as well as implementation in your organisation). The online sessions are typically one to two hours of group meetings, plus the time for your team’s assignments and learning groups. Participants will engage in online seminars, practical group assignments and individual project work. There will also be optional coaching sessions where you can invite your team to participate.
During the autumn you can choose if you also want to implement a change project in your own organisation. This part of the programme is optional. You get access to coaching and learning materials based on your project.
Participants will receive an exact schedule and more information about the programme content at the start of the programme.
Onsite – Stockholm, Sweden
On 4-10 May (including travel days), there will be an onsite meeting in Stockholm, Sweden. On these days, the programme is full-time and it’s important to take time off work to be able to fully participate.
Your organisation involvement
As a participant, it’s important that you have permission from your supervisor to engage in the programme and try out tools and methods from the programme with your team. You are expected to actively implement the tools and methods you gain from the programme (for example, by holding implementation workshops with your team). You can also invite your team members to participate in optional coaching sessions.
Programme timeline 2025
• 21 January–18 February: Call for applications
• February–March: Selection process
• April–June: Online sessions and individual assignments
• 4–10 May: Onsite meeting in Sweden (including travel days)
• 15 June: Diploma ceremony (online)
• August-November: Optional implementation of a change project in your own organization
How to apply
The application period is 21 January–18 February 2025
Only applicants who have submitted a complete application will be considered for the programme. These are the steps you need to go through to submit your application:
1. Register your profile in the application portal.
2. Select what programme you would like to apply for (SI Leader Lab is available 21 January–18 February 2025
3. Answer all the questions for the different sections in the application portal (found in the left-hand menu).
4. Upload your CV under the document section.
5. After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation to your inbox in Dream Apply.
6. You will also receive a message to your inbox in Dream Apply with a link to record a short video. Follow the instructions in the message. It will take less than ten minutes to record the video. You will get two questions to answer. We ask you to make the recording in a quiet setting and, if possible, use headphones with a built-in microphone. Please note that it is mandatory to make the video recording. We wish you the best of luck!
Evaluation of applications (21 Feb – 20 March)
Each application is evaluated according to the following criteria:
• Democracy, human rights and freedom of expression: To what extent does the work of the candidate fall within the scope of democracy, human rights and freedom of expression?
• Organisational impact: What capacity does the applicant’s organisation have to drive development within the scope of democracy, human rights and freedom of expression.
• Impact within organisation: What capacity does the applicant have to impact strategic decisions within his/her organisation?
• Drive and leadership capacity: Has the applicant demonstrated drive and enterprise – for example by undertaking new initiatives?
• Advocacy: Is the applicant working with advocacy in their daily work? If not, possibilities to benefit from the programme will be limited.
• Teams: Is the applicant collaborating with others in their daily work? If not, possibilities to benefit from the programme will be limited.
• The candidate’s overall potential to both benefit from and contribute to the programme.
As part of the final selection process, the evaluation committee also considers the overall English proficiency level and equal representation of gender amongst the programme’s participants, as well as including a balanced mix of geographic origins and expertise.
Admission (20 March)
SI will contact the 100 selected applicants by email to offer them a place in the programme. SI will also compose a list of reserve candidates in case a second selection round is needed. Unfortunately, because of the large number of applications for a limited number of spots, we have to turn down many highly-qualified people who apply to the programme.
Read more about the programme here: SI Leader Lab – Connecting leaders in civil society – Svenska institutet
Read more about the Swedish Institute here: Swedish Institute