The ASEAN Governance Innovation Fellowship (ASEAN-GIF) is a regional program by the Asian School of Governance (ASG), inspired by the model of the Harvard Government Performance Lab. Like Harvard GPL’s success in accelerating public sector innovation in U.S. cities and states, ASEAN-GIF brings that spirit of rigorous, scalable, and data-driven governance innovation to Southeast Asia.
Fellows work at the intersection of national ministries, UN agencies, and ASEAN bodies to co-create solutions that deliver measurable impact in priority areas such as trade, sustainable tourism, financial stability, energy, and STI cooperation.
Build a regional engine for public sector innovation that strengthens ASEAN integration while scaling home-grown governance solutions across borders.
If we embed skilled innovation fellows inside key ASEAN and national institutions, and support them through structured labs, cross-country learning, and leadership exposure,
then we will generate scalable governance innovations that improve institutional performance, strengthen ASEAN regional cooperation, and accelerate sustainable development across Southeast Asia.
Deploy fellows to co-develop, prototype, and test governance solutions inside government agencies
Facilitate cross-country innovation labs to share learnings and align policy models
Connect fellows to ASEAN platforms for scaling and adoption
Build lasting institutional capacity through technical assistance and peer learning
Lead scalable governance solutions aligned with ASEAN priorities
Collaborate across borders with peers from ASEAN Member States
Receive mentorship from ASG faculty and global innovation leaders
Present innovations at ASEAN summits and policy forums
Grow your institution’s innovation capacity for lasting impact
Aligned with ASEAN’s regional priorities:
Trade and Investment
Digital platforms for cross-border MSME trade
Financial Market Stability
Fintech regulatory sandboxes and governance tools
Sustainable Tourism & Connectivity
ASEAN sustainable tourism certification frameworks
Food, Agriculture & Forestry
Digital traceability for ASEAN agri-food exports
Energy Security & Cooperation
Governance models for regional energy grid connectivity
Minerals Cooperation
Sustainable certification and reporting standards
MSME Sustainable Development
Green finance hubs (with ASEAN-China, Japan, Korea Centres)
Science, Technology, & Innovation (STI)
Regional platforms for STI policy experimentation
Embedded Fellowships
Fellows are placed in national ministries, ASEAN bodies, and UN agency teams, forming innovation teams tasked to co-develop solutions.
ASEAN Governance Innovation Labs (Powered by ASG)
Mid-year regional innovation sprints where fellows prototype and iterate solutions, supported by faculty from ASG and partners.
ASEAN Summit Capstone
Fellows present their models at ASEAN ministerial meetings or side-events, aiming for regional scaling and adoption.
We are looking for:
Mid-career professionals from ASEAN Member States
Government innovators, policy entrepreneurs, and public managers
Candidates committed to transforming public sector systems at scale
ASEAN Secretariat
ASEAN Member State Governments
UN Agencies (UNESCAP, UNDP, UNCTAD)
ASEAN Dialogue Centres (ASEAN-China, ASEAN-Japan, ASEAN-Korea Centres)
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Leading academic institutions (UP, NUS, Chulalongkorn, STI policy think tanks)
Scalable governance innovations delivered in ASEAN priority sectors
Strengthened cross-border policy alignment and regional coordinationon in Asia