The SLOCAT Partnership on Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport and the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) are accepting applications for the fourth round of the SLOCAT-VREF Young Leaders in Sustainable Transport programme from now until 26 May 2023 (extended from original deadline of 15 May).

The SLOCAT-VREF Young Leaders in Sustainable Transport programme seeks to empower Young Leaders to help foster far-reaching and unprecedented transformations in sustainable transport. The programme builds long-lasting bridges between young professionals and the transport community to explore new perspectives. The programme creates an interface between knowledge and policy through engagement at high-level events and knowledge-driven policy advocacy. It will raise the capacity of young people and provide them new skills in evidence-based policy analysis for sustainable transport.

“The programme taught me the importance of building a valuable network and the importance of good mentorship in sustainable career growth.” – Testimonial by Robert Ambunda, former Young Leader

Who qualifies for the Young Leaders programme?

The fourth round of SLOCAT-VREF Young Leaders in Sustainable Transport is envisioned to consist of young scholars and young professionals from Africa or a professional focus on Africa. Eligible candidates are people who are currently PhD students, recent graduates and young people with less than three years of work experience (see more details below under Criteria).

Programme Offerings

Young Leaders will engage in key activities around high-level events in international processes, thus fostering a stronger professional network, contributing to wider thought leadership and developing highly beneficial skills related to knowledge-based policy making and advocacy. Moreover, the programme will offer participants the opportunity to connect to other young, up-and-coming professionals working in the global policy space related to the wider sustainable development and climate change action movements. Finally, Young Leaders will be strongly involved in determining the ultimate activities and outputs of the programme, further ensuring benefits to career development.

The programme will run from May 2023 to December 2024.

“The programme was a valuable way to gain exposure to a multitude of interests through the cohort of academics from various fields of expertise.” –  Testimonial by Bianca Ryseck, former Young Leader

Criteria

Suitable candidates fulfill the following criteria:

• Current PhD students or recently completed a graduate school programme or up to three (3) years of work experience in an organisation working on global climate and sustainability agendas.
• Strong interest in knowledge-based policy-making, as well as in the role transport can play in putting communities on pathways toward sustainable development and climate change action.
• Educational background in sciences and/or humanities; efforts are to be made to recruit Young Leaders beyond transport-related fields.
• Fluency in English (oral and written). Preference will be given to applicants who come from and/or focus their activities on Africa.

In this fourth round of the SLOCAT-VREF Young Leaders in Sustainable Transport, it is intended to recruit three to four participants. Interested individuals are warmly encouraged to submit a CV and a cover letter (of not more than 600 words) answering the following question: How do you see the role of sustainable transport in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in Africa?

The deadline for submissions is by 11:59 pm Pacific Time (California, U.S.) 26 May 2023 (extended from original deadline of 15 May). Please submit your application to the SLOCAT Secretariat under secretariat@slocatpartnership.org. Interviews with candidates will be held in early June.