Young Strategic Leaders' Forum (YSLF)
Young Strategic Leaders Forum membership is free.
Become a YSLF member online here.
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A key priority of the Kokoda Foundation is to do as much as possible to foster a new generation of young strategic thinkers in Australia.
The Young Strategic Leaders' Forum has been established by the Kokoda Foundation to develop the professional skills of the next generation of Australia’s national security leaders. The Forum provides a challenging environment for Australia’s brightest and best young minds to develop their skills and build a network with the current and next generations of national security professionals in government and industry.
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The Forum offers a wide range of opportunities for young national security professionals to gain practical, professional experience and develop a network with the current and next generations of Australian strategic thinkers.
Seminars
The Forum is based around a series of monthly seminars focusing on strategic and professional development themes. Some of Australia’s Government and national security leaders, industry representatives and world-renowned experts will present this series.
At each seminar a theme is discussed in-depth with the opportunity for young leaders to discuss these and many other issues with recognised experts in national security policy and the long-term issues facing Australia.
Other special events in which young strategic leaders will have the opportunity to participate include closed seminars with world-renowned experts in a number of fields from policing to diplomacy and military strategy.
YSL Congress
Twice a year Kokoda offers Young Strategic Leaders the opportunity to attend a weekend long Congress. The weekend retreat involves a series of workshops and seminars with senior national security community leaders and industry heads. Activities are structured around a central theme with time in between seminars and workshops to talk informally with some of Australia’s senior officials. For more information see Young Strategic Leaders Congress.
National Security Careers Night
The Kokoda Foundation National Security Careers Night is an exclusive careers night for university graduates and young professionals who work in the national security community or aspire to do so. The Careers Night provides young leaders with valuable insights into the national security community, featuring presentations on the roles, activities and professional development opportunities in major government organisations.
The Careers Night is an annual event and is usually in March when most of the represented organisations are recruiting. This year it will be held in Adam's Hall at the Australian Defence Force Academy for approximately 350 particpants.
Organisations represented include:
- Defence Signals Directorate
- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
- Attorney-General’s Department
- Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation
- Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Australian Federal Police
- Australian Customs Service and Border Protection Command
- Department of Defence
- Defence Intelligence Organisation
- Australian Secret Intelligence Service
Australian Defence Business Review Young Strategic Writers Competition
2011 Young Strategic Writers Competition
Prize: $2,500
Contributions can be made throughout the year until Sunday 28 August 2011. The winning article will be published in a forthcoming edition of Security Challenges. Articles submitted and published before the closing date of the competition are eligible to participate.
The competition is open to all young scholars or professionals under 35 years of age (as of 28 August 2011). For more information, please visit the competition website. The brochure will be available to download here soon.
About the ADBR Magazine Strategic Essay Prize
The Kokoda Foundation’s vision for encouraging a new generation of young Australian strategic thinkers is shared by many colleagues and friends. The Australian Defence Business Review Magazine generously sponsors an annual essay competition to find the best article on forward-looking strategic issues written by an Australian under the age of 35.
The prize for 2011 was awarded at the Annual Seminar dinner on 22 September 2011.
Winning articles and other outstanding entries will be published in subsequent editions of Security Challenges.
2011 Winner
Congratulations to the following winner of the 2011 Young Strategic Writers Competition.
Prize - $2500 Wilson Chun Hei Chau "Explaining China’s Participation in Bilateral and Multilateral Military Exercises"
Robert Chaloner Prize
The Rob Chaloner Prize is awarded annually as recognition of outstanding young strategic leadership. The Prize consists of $1,000 to allow the winner to undertake further personal development.
Rob Chaloner was an energetic supporter of the Kokoda Foundation from its very beginnings. He was particularly enthusiastic to see young strategic thinkers encouraged to strengthen their strategic analytical skills, understanding and expertise as well as their practical work, leadership and management capacities. In memory of her husband Frances Chaloner donated a sum of money to the Kokoda Foundation in order to fund an annual prize in memory of her late husband.
2010 Winner Haitham Algohary with Frances Chaloner and Andrew Balmaks
2011 Robert Chaloner Prize
The nomination form for the 2011 Robert Chaloner Prize can be downloaded here. For more information please also see the selection process.
Nominations will be judged by a sub-committee of the Kokoda Foundation Board on the following criteria:
- Has demonstrated strong leadership and management skills.
- Has developed greatly improved strategic analytical skills.
- Has demonstrated initiative in launching and/or leading events that benefit other young strategic thinkers.
- Has worked harmoniously with others and demonstrated characteristics of a strong team player.
- Has demonstrated capacities to research and write quality strategic analysis.
- Has either worked within, or aspires to work within, the Australian national security community, broadly defined. The Australian national security community is defined here to include all Commonwealth and State Government departments and agencies, the Australian Defence Force, police forces, relevant parts of defence industry and also relevant academic and independent research institutions.
- Is aged 35 years or below at 1 January of the year of the award.
The recommendation of the selection committee will be presented to the Kokoda Foundation Board for endorsement.
The winner will be announced at the Young Strategic Leaders Forum Congress held late in the year.
The decision of the selection committee and the Kokoda Foundation Board is final and binding, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the decision or any part of the selection process.
History of the Robert Chaloner Prize
here
Research
Young Strategic leaders may also be invited to participate in Kokoda Foundation research projects and attend closed workshops where senior government officials discuss some of Australia’s most challenging future security challenges with academic and industry experts from Australia and around the world. Some of the projects in which young strategic leaders have participated include:
- The National Security Community in 2020
- Next-generation underwater options for Australia
- Next-generation space options for Australia
Participants in the Forum will also have opportunities to write for Security Challenges, the Foundation’s reviewed journal.
The Young Strategic Leaders’ Forum is proudly sponsored by Noetic Solutions Pty Ltd
