Call for Applications: Join the 2026/27 cohort of the Generation Connect Young Leadership Programme (up to $10,000 USD grant awarded)
Closing Date: 31 March 2026
Call for Applications: Join the 2026/27 cohort of the Generation Connect Young Leadership Programme (up to $10,000 USD grant awarded)
Applications are now open for the 2026–2027 cohort of the Generation Connect Young Leadership Program.
Overview
The Generation Connect Young Leadership Programme (GCYLP) is an exciting programme to engage, empower, and inspire young digital leaders and changemakers. GCYLP is supporting young visionaries from around the world who propose creative, far-reaching, innovative, and feasible community-driven projects aimed at creating a more inclusive and empowered digital future.
ITU in partnership with Huawei, is providing guidance, training, and financial support to 30 young fellows per year to enable them to practically implement digital development projects in their diverse communities across the world. Through this programme, young leaders have the unique opportunity to make new digital development ideas a reality, or to expand the impact of their existing projects!
Who are the GCYLP fellows?
GCYLP Fellows are young individuals aged 18 to 28 who are passionate about driving meaningful change in their communities through digital development. They are either currently enrolled in or have recently graduated from tertiary education programmes in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) or closely related fields. These emerging leaders possess strong communication skills, enabling them to fully engage in the programme’s diverse training sessions, networking opportunities, and events.
What do the selected fellows get?
Selected GCYLP Fellows benefit from a comprehensive package of support designed to develop their leadership potential and amplify their impact. They receive virtual mentorship and leadership training sessions delivered by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Huawei, in collaboration with other partner. Fellows also have the opportunity to participate in an in-person global Development Week in Geneva, Switzerland. Each of the selected fellows is awarded an initial grant of $5,000 USD to implement a digital development project of their choice. At the end of the programme, the most impactful projects will receive an additional $5,000 USD to support scaling efforts, for a total potential grant of up to $10,000 USD.
Current Cohort (2025-2026 )
Selected by a global jury from a pool of 6800 applicants from 156 countries worldwide, the 2025-2026 cohort of the Generation Connect Young Leadership Programme (GCYLP) fellows are young changemakers from 25 countries across all ITU regions, willing to leverage innovative digital solutions towards an inclusive, more prosperous digital future for all. Over the next year, they will receive support and resources to implement digital development projects in their diverse communities across the world.
For clarifications on the application and selection process, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or email GCYLP at [email protected].
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