Applications are now open for the fully funded 2026 McCain Global Leaders Program!
Closing Date: 15 March 2026
Applications are now open for the fully funded 2026 McCain Global Leaders Program!
2026 McCain Global Leaders Program: Advance Democracy. Protect Human Rights. Join McCain Global Leaders.
A Regional and Global Approach Focused on Driving Positive Change:
To adapt to and meet the needs of an ever-changing and complex global environment, the McCain Institute will determine a global thematic focus area as well as technical areas of focus for each region and recruit participants who work on relevant issues related to each theme. Throughout the 12-month program, the Leaders will participate in programming that is both regional and global with the goal of connecting them to a highly relevant and targeted professional peer group in their home region, as well as a broader and diverse network of global peers.
2026 McCain Global Leaders Program
2026 Global Theme: Advancing Freedom, Defending Rights, Creating Opportunity
The global community continues to grapple with authoritarians and malign actors harnessing developments in technology and interconnectedness to push back on democratic norms and human rights. Younger generations around the world are faced with declining freedoms, a reduction in basic rights and limited opportunities to determine their owndestiny. The McCain Institute recognizes that 2026 will bring unprecedented change and challenge to the global community. Yet the Institute also believes that opportunity exists to identify creative solutions to these challenges and the next generation of leaders will have the ability to increase freedom and advance democracy in every corner of the world.
To counter these challenges and harness the collective power to promote stability, democracy and human rights, the 2026 Cohort of McCain Global Leaders will undertake an intensive, non-residential 12-month curriculum that focuses on the global theme of Advancing Freedom, Defending Rights, Creating Opportunity. The McCain Institute will seek to identify a diverse cohort of leaders who are working to advance democracy and human rights in their home countries through a variety of professions and projects.
2026 Regional Themes:
Western Hemisphere: Building Partnerships, Advancing Migration Solutions
The Western Hemisphere will bring together leaders addressing the root causes of migration as well as those who are working on policy and frontline efforts related to migration flows in the Western Hemisphere. The regional theme will explore how stakeholders can work together across the region to tackle the underlying reasons why people leave their homes, while developing comprehensive solutions that treat migrants with dignity and also respect each country’s right to manage its borders and ensure its citizens’ safety.
Europe and Eurasia: Countering Authoritarians: Leveraging Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights
Democratic backsliding and interference from Russia continue to sow instability throughout Europe and Eurasia. The regional cohort will focus on internal and external threats to democracy posed by disinformation, disregard for state sovereignty as well as rising nationalism and extremism. It will also focus on proactive solutions to these threats and expose the cohort to broader networks that can help advance democracy and human rights throughout the region.
Africa and the Middle East: From Protest to Policy: Growing Democracy for All
Political and security instability persists through the Africa and Middle East regions and young leaders are leading efforts to identify inclusive governance approaches and to redefine what power means. The regional cohort will examine factors that drive instability and examine effective strategies to move from protest to policy. A focus on policy making, democratic transitions, and citizen engagement will develop the practical skills needed to provide stability and good governance during democratic transitions. By studying regional examples and building connections with a network of experts across Africa and the Middle East, participants will establish a foundation to draw upon as they work to strengthen governance and create greater stability in their home countries.
Asia and Oceania: Creating Stability by Advancing Democracy and Freedom
The region has seen dramatic youth-led democratic transitions but also continues to see the rise of authoritarians and continued pressure from regional powers that limit individual freedom and violate human rights. The regional cohort will focus on the various threats to economic and political stability that persist throughout the region. Additionally, participants will explore how advancing democracy and human rights can counter instability created by the great power competition found throughout the Asia and Pacific region.
Cohort 2026 Programming Schedule
Leaders will participate in three impactful in-person events, which will be enhanced by online learning. They include expert-led practical skills trainings and an integrated leadership development curriculum inspired by Senator McCain’s legacy and emphasizes peer-mentoring and group problem-solving.
Summer 2026
The McCain Leadership Curriculum: Throughout the program, Leaders participate in a curriculum that is administered both online and in person. The McCain Leadership Curriculum is designed to incorporate lessons and experiences from Senator McCain’s life, to reinforce and augment in-person engagements and to focus on community building and group problem-solving. A central tenet of the curriculum is a dynamic peer-mentorship model, through which the Leaders support each other’s journeys directly. The McCain Leadership Curriculum will help each leader chart their own journey as a changemaker while also imparting real-world skills that will assist leaders as they take on some of the most difficult challenges facing their home country and region.
Fall 2026
Athens, Greece: The first in-person event of the program, the Leadership Experience, brings together all participants for the first time in the home of democracy: Athens, Greece. The 7-day long program exposes leaders to the principles that guided Senator McCain’s leadership approach and connects them with experts in their core thematic areas and with key decision-makers. Leaders will also work together and with experts to establish their own leadership philosophy, career goals and design impact projects to be implemented throughout the program.
Winter 2026/2027
The Changemaker Tour (Host Country in Each Region): The second in-person event of the program convenes each regional cohort and members of the Global Advisory Council for five-day regional study tours that provide exposure to the global theme of defending democracy in a host country and focuses on developing targeted regional connections and networks, while providing the opportunity to discuss solutions and ideas related to the theme. Leaders will be encouraged, but not required, to explore regional professional collaborations – the McCain Institute will actively support any resulting collaborations. There will be one Changemaker Tour for the participants in each respective region. Past Changemaker Tours have occurred in Colombia, Guatemala, Estonia, Finland, Kenya, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan and South Africa.
Spring 2027
The Legacy Experience (Vietnam): The capstone program of the 10-month journey will, for a second time, bring all Leaders together in a country of significance to Senator McCain’s own leadership journey. The Legacy Experience will take place in Vietnam and examine the journey and relationship between Senator McCain and the people of Vietnam. During this seven-day trip, Leaders, MGL Alumni and members of the Global Advisory Council will convene to reflect on their experience during the program, share how their own leadership philosophies have evolved, explore professional collaborations, outline the next steps of their leadership journey, and learn about the resources that they can access as program alumni.
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