Apply Now for the Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network!
The AIIA will be running an online information session about the network and application process on December 15. Click here to register!
Applications are now open for the third cohort of the Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network!
This is a fully paid programme, involving study tours to Japan, the South Pacific, and Australia over the course of 2026 to examine disaster resilience.
The guidelines and application form are available by clicking on the button below. For more information about the program click “Discover.” To read about network participants from earlier cohorts, click “meet.”
To understand our selection process, read on.
How We Select
Making the First Cut
During the initial round of our selection process, we determine whether candidates meet the basic eligibility criteria by assessing their connection to the Indo-Pacific region, their interest in disaster resilience, and their status as early-career professionals. The Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network is generally open to citizens or residents of Indo-Pacific countries, although exceptions may be made for other applicants who have a strong regional connection or who come from countries with policies demonstrating a clear Indo-Pacific orientation.
We also review applications for evidence that disaster resilience is a focus of the applicant’s career, or that they can demonstrate interest in related fields through other means such as volunteer work or publications. Applicants who satisfy these basic criteria proceed to the next stage of the selection process.
Demonstrating Future Impact
The next step in the process is to assess whether candidates have the potential to make an impact in their field as it relates to disaster resilience. The specific questions we ask at this stage depend on each candidate’s professional background. For example, does the candidate work in an international organisation where they might help shape rules on disaster resilience? Are they likely to contribute to domestic government policy in the future? Might they influence public debate through media or academic work? Could they help shift thinking within the private sector?
Ultimately, we are seeking individuals who view this program as a long-term learning opportunity and who are likely to apply the insights they gain to their professional practice or field for many years to come.
Selecting the Network
The final phase of the selection process is critical. At this stage, we assess whether candidates will bring a sufficiently unique perspective to enrich the network and contribute meaningfully to the new cohort. By this point, we will have identified many applicants who meet the program’s criteria on merit. However, the Indo-Pacific Cooperation Network is built around bringing together people with different backgrounds, professional focuses, and viewpoints. We are not aiming to assemble a group of like-minded researchers from a single field, but rather a cohort in which each member offers something distinctive to the others.
If your experiences, outlook, or professional position give you a unique vantage point within the broader resilience community, this is a strong advantage. It is also helpful to demonstrate, for example through volunteer work or community involvement, that you are prepared to engage actively in a network larger than yourself. Applicants who are citizens or residents of Australia will receive more favourable consideration if they are members of the AIIA.
