SLOCAT and the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) are accepting applications for the fifth cohort of the SLOCAT-VREF Young Leaders in Sustainable Transport programme until 4 April 2025.

Established in 2019 by VREF and SLOCAT, the Young Leaders in Sustainable Transport programme aims to nurture the interest of young professionals in sustainable, low-carbon transport. The programme enhances the capacity of Young Leaders, equipping them with new skills in knowledge generation, evidence-based policy analysis and professional practice at the interface between knowledge and policy.

Who qualifies for the Young Leaders Programme?

The fifth cohort of SLOCAT-VREF Young Leaders in Sustainable Transport will consist of young scholars and professionals from Africa or those with a professional focus on Africa. Eligible candidates include PhD students, recent graduates and young professionals with less than three years of work experience (see detailed criteria below).

Programme Offerings

Young Leaders will engage in international processes related to transport, climate change and sustainability. The programme will foster professional networks, contribute to thought leadership and develop valuable skills in knowledge-based policy-making and advocacy. Additionally, participants will have opportunities to connect with other emerging professionals in global policy discussions on sustainable development and climate action. Young Leaders will also play an active role in shaping the programme’s activities and outputs, ensuring benefits for their career development. 

The programme will run from May 2025 to December 2026.

Criteria

Suitable candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be a current PhD student, a recent graduate, or have up to three years of work experience in an organisation engaged in global climate and sustainability agendas.
• Demonstrate a strong interest in knowledge-based policymaking  and the role of transport in advancing sustainable development and climate action.
• Have an educational background in sciences and/or humanities; efforts will be made to recruit Young Leaders from diverse fields beyond transport.
• Be fluent in English (oral and written). Preference will be given to applicants from Africa or those focusing their activities on Africa.

Interested individuals are encouraged to submit a CV, a cover letter and a response (maximum 600 words) to the following question: How can the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport make a career in sustainable transport more attractive to young people? Information on the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport are here in this thought paper and this inputs’ paper.

The deadline for applications is 4 April 2025. Please send your application to Nikola Medimorec at nikola.medimorec[at]slocatpartnership.org. Interviews will be conducted in the second and third weeks of April.