Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund Program

The SYLFF Program

The Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund Program was launched in 1987 by The Nippon Foundation (formerly, The Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation or The Sasakawa Foundation). The goal of the SYLFF Program is to nurture future leaders who will transcend geopolitical, religious, ethnic, and cultural boundaries and actively participate in the world community for peace and the well-being of humankind. Under the SYLFF Program, The Nippon Foundation has endowed $1 million each to institutions of higher learning, from which fellowships are awarded to graduate students enrolled in social sciences and humanities fields at the respective endowed institutions. As of April 2004, there were 88 SYLFF institutions in 45 countries (please refer to SYLFF Institutions ). The number of SYLFF fellows is approximately 8,500.
The SYLFF Program's Homepage

The SYLFF Program at Columbia

The SYLFF program was established at Columbia University in 1991. Fellowships at Columbia are given in accordance with the Foundation's objectives––"to provide fellowships to graduate students concentrating in the study of the Pacific Basin region...who have demonstrated high potential for future leadership in international affairs, in public life as well as in private endeavor." The fellowship competition is held in the spring of each year, and awardees are chosen by a committee of faculty drawn from Columbia 's graduate schools. Fellowships for doctoral support, research, and internship support are offered. The doctoral fellowships are used by students for research in the United States , East Asia, and Southeast Asia , and funds have paid tuition and fees for advanced doctoral students, as well as international airfare and stipends to cover living expenses. The fellowship committee decides on the amount of each doctoral fellowship after a thorough review of the candidate's proposal and budget request. Internship and research support fellowships provide partial travel support and/or a stipend to cover living expenses.

To date, over 200 SYLFF awards have been made to Columbia University graduate students.

Recently selected SYLFF Fellows and their summer internship or research locations are as follows.

Last	First	Country	School
Aung	Kyisin	Myanmar	Public Health
Beckley	Michael	China	Political Science
Caihuajia	Caihuajia	China/Tibet	Teacher's College
Ha	Guangtian	China	Anthropology
Hooker	Zachary	Korea	Anthropology
Hwang	Michelle	Korea	Anthropology
Kiik	Laur	Burma/Myanmar	Anthropology
Leung	Hau Man	Thailand	SIPA
Park	Yae-Ji	China, Korea	Law
Saba	Christine	Vietnam	Public Health
Sawamoto	Akiko	Vietnam	Teachers College
Shim	Mi-Ryong	Korea	MARSEA
Smolak	Alex	Malasya	Social Work
Townsend	Dominique	India	EALAC
Tsui	Brian	India, Japan	EALAC
Volinski	Jeffrey	Singapore	Business/SIPA
Waterburton	Eve	Indonesia	Human Rights
Wong	Man Kai	Cambodia	Public Health
Wu	Lan	China/Tibet/Mongolia	EALAC
Yao	Haogen	China	Teacher's College

 

SYLFF Fellowships at Columbia

Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF) Fellowship
Provides partial, academic year support to advanced doctoral students in East Asian studies who are completing coursework, pursuing dissertation research, or at the dissertation write-up stage.  Priority will be given to students whose research focuses on Southeast Asia and on regional or cross-national issues in East Asia.  Doctoral work focused on politics, economy, business, international and public affairs, law, society, and media in modern East Asia are eligible.

Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF) Grant
Provides partial support, travel and/or cost of living to graduate students to conduct summer research or to serve in an internship in East Asia. Priority will be given to students for research or secured internships in Southeast Asia, and to students who wish to use their research or internship to expand their expertise beyond their main country of interest.  Projects focused on politics, economy, business, international and public affairs, law, society, and media in modern East Asia are eligible.

The application deadline for these opportunities generally falls in late February or early March for projects in the following summer or academic year.

The next application deadline will be in Spring 2012.

For application information go to http://www.columbia.edu/cu/weai/funding

Contact Information:
Weatherhead East Asian Institute
Columbia University
International Affairs Building
420 West 118th Street , Mail Code 3333
New York , NY 10027
USA
Tel: 1-212-854-9206
Fax: 1-212-749-1497
Email: kp2449@columbia.edu