The World Economic Forum is looking for outstanding individuals, who demonstrate a high level of energy and strong commitment to its mission, to take up positions within its Global Leadership Fellows Programme.
The Global Leadership Fellows Programme combines a full-time job at the Forum with an intensive work and learning experience that is run in collaboration with CEIBS, Columbia University, INSEAD, the London Business School and the Wharton School. After three years, successful Fellows receive a Master’s degree in Global Leadership.
The programme is dedicated to developing the next generation of world leaders – well-rounded professionals who feel equally at home in the public and private sector. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the once well-defined line between the two sectors continues to blur, making it difficult for any one organization to act effectively in isolation. To succeed in such an environment, organizations – both private and public – must often align numerous stakeholders to most efficiently approach problems, develop strategies and capitalize on opportunities.
The Global Leadership Fellows Programme is comprised of a three-year, 90-credit Master’s degree (European Credit Transfer System) and full-time work placement within the World Economic Forum.
The academic programme
• The programme includes intensive leadership and management training, both practical and analytical.
• The Coursework is designed to develop both hard and soft skills.
• The first two academic years include an active study programme of four weeks per year. Sessions are conducted offsite and are taught by leading coaches as well as professors from academic partners INSEAD and Columbia and selected faculty from other leading educational institutions such as London Business School, Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government, IMD and the London School of Economics.
• Each of the three years of the programme is dedicated to a different kind of leadership.
– Year 1: Personal Leadership
– Year 2: Team Leadership
– Year 3: Global Leadership
Every year includes a one-week retreat based on these themes. The retreats include specialized skills training and opportunities for the Fellows to develop relationships with their peers outside of their day-to-day work environment.
Constantly putting the learning into practice Global Leadership Fellows have full-time work assignments, which span the breadth of the World Economic Forum’s activities. Like any employee, each Fellow is part of a team within the Forum and is responsible for external relationship management as well as internal operational activities.
The third-year project
In the third year of the Programme, each Fellow chooses, defines and executes a Board-approved project.
• The aim of the project is to provide Fellows with the opportunity to apply their knowledge to a specific field of interest; to prove their leadership skills; and to contribute a beneficial, practical and value-adding solution to activities at the Forum.
• The project should also demonstrate the leadership skills acquired in the course of their training, and lead them to their next career move upon graduation.
• Throughout the project, each Fellow is assisted by an experienced executive coach and a mentor from the Young Global Leaders Community
Each year approximately 25 Fellows from around the world enter the programme. Introduced in 2005, today the Fellows represent around 40 nationalities. Their average age is 32 and they have an average of seven years’ work experience. The gender ratio is 54% male to 46% female.
Fellows are professionals recruited through a rigorous screening process based on their demonstrated leadership ability, professional excellence, academic prowess and their commitment to improving the state of the world.
Fellows come from the following industries:
- Consulting 18%
- Consumer/Media & Entertainment 14%
- Financial Services 13%
- Raw Materials/ Energy 4%
- Technology 21%
- Government 15%
- NGOs/International Organization 15%
For more information on the Fellows or on the programme, please visit The WEF Global Leadership Fellows Programme Webpage
or write to leadershipfellows@weforum.org
For more information about applying, visit WEF Global Leadership Fellows Programme FAQs page.