Next Gen
Hawaii Asia-Pacific Affairs Leadership Program
The Hawaii Asia-Pacific Affairs Leadership Program immerses the next generation of Hawaii’s leaders in the major political, economic, and security issues of the region.
Since 2013, the Hawaii Asia-Pacific Affairs Leadership (APAL) Program has provided university students and young professionals the opportunity to learn about Asia-Pacific affairs and think critically about Hawaii’s role in the region. Participants develop a local and international peer network that will serve them in the future.
APAL participants gain exclusive access to Pacific Forum’s international network of senior foreign policy experts, emerging next-generation scholars and practitioners, and local community leaders and professionals. Throughout the nine-month program, they are invited to Pacific Forum conferences and events in Honolulu that are normally reserved for experts, practitioners, and donors. They also undertake a guided research project, allowing them to explore Hawaii’s connection to the region and speak directly with stakeholders and decision-makers working on these issues.
program overview
The Hawai‘i Asia Pacific Affairs Leadership (APAL) program is a 9-month initiative focused on developing understanding and awareness of Indo-Pacific affairs among young adults who have Hawaiian ancestry, or were born/raised in Hawaii.
The program is designed for individuals ages 18–24 who are based in Honolulu, Oahu and local residents (kamaʻāina) who were born and/or raised in Hawaii. We highly encourage candidates with Native Hawaiian ancestry to apply.
This focus ensures that participants are likely to maintain an enduring tie to the State. Each annual cohort will consist of 10–12 participants.
Over the course of 9 months, meetings will be held monthly or every 3-4 weeks. Each session will feature a senior-level speaker to provide insight and perspectives on Indo-Pacific issues
Learning Focus
Participants will gain a general understanding of Indo-Pacific issues and affairs, approached through a Hawaiian lens. To the extent possible, the program includes a service-learning component.
Research Requirement
All participants will be required to write a research paper that addresses an issue of interest to them.
The topic must include:
A Hawai‘i angle
An Indo-Pacific dimension
A tie to foreign policy
Example: A project examining Japanese investment in a hotel would be framed within larger themes such as Japanese tourism, investment flows, and business strategy—specifically in the context of the Japan–Hawai‘i relationship.
If a participant completes a relevant internship or practicum, they may choose to submit a report summarizing that experience and connecting it to the program themes.
All final papers and reports will be published in a dedicated Issues & Insights volume.
Conferences and Events
At the conclusion of the program, APAL participants will take part in a Next-Gen Conference alongside Pacific Forum fellows, interns, and Emerging Leaders.
This conference is tentatively scheduled for the second half of December, before Christmas.
How to apply
If you would like to apply, click HERE.
The program will start on October 1st, 2025.
Deadline to apply is September 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM HST.
The program is supported by a generous grant from the Takitani Foundation.