The Southeast Asia Exchange organizes our annual, flagship program from January to April every year.

It is designed to expose high school students to a range of discussions surrounding Southeast Asia and encourage participants to engage in further conversations on issues that matter in the region.

Panel Sessions

The program entails six panel sessions where we invite in expert speakers from a broad range of sectors, from the arts, to industry, to academia, to government, to engage with our students. The panels span four key themes, namely:

  • Society & Politics

  • Culture & History

  • Business & Entrepreneurship

  • Science & Technology

These panels are mandatory for all. Discussion sections are subsequently conducted after each panel for interested students.

More information on our past panels can be found here. 

Capstone Project

Alongside panel sessions, interested students have the opportunity to work on a Capstone Project, which can be on any theme related to Southeast Asia. The project will be completed in small clusters of four to five students, who are grouped on the basis of a shared interest in particular disciplines. Each cluster of students receives dedicated mentorship from an undergraduate student, who provides them with guidance and support until they present the Capstone Project to their cohort at the Conference in April.

You may view past Capstone Projects here. Our students have worked on a broad range of topics related to Southeast Asia, from the middle income trap, to mythical creatures in Southeast Asian folklore, to US-China relations in the region, and we are proud to exhibit many of their projects here.

Applicant Information

All students who are currently studying at a high school in Southeast Asia are eligible to apply (typically aged 15-19). We do not require perfect fluency in English to apply — only an interest in learning more about our region and a commitment to participating actively in the program.

Applications open in October and close at the end of November every year. We announce the opening of the application through all our social media channels, so please stay tuned to find out more. Once applications are closed, we are unfortunately unable to accept any further requests to join the program.

Our Program In Numbers

~450

applicants from

10

countries in
Southeast Asia

studying at both local and private or international schools

220

Capstone Track participants who have been grouped into sections led by

>50

mentors,
from

Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Thailand, and from

~25

universities across SEA, Europe, and the US

on themes ranging from traditional & contemporary art in Southeast Asia, to climate change, to start-ups in the public health space in the region, to interfaith understanding & plurality

>50

Panelists confirmed,

Student Testimonials

“The best few months and such a privilege”

“It was humbling and amazing to learn alongside so many capable and passionate people, from experts of the region, and guided by some of the sweetest and most competent mentors and team members!”

“Joining the program was so enlightening!”

“Not only did I enjoy panels on topics I had already developed interests in, but I had the wonderful opportunity to explore new areas of interest, like feminism in literature. Loved the experience overall, and had such nice mentors too!”

“Phenomenal”

“I really loved the panel sessions and being able to listen to the speakers was amazing. The most memorable memory was the Capstone Project because my team’s efforts culminated in this very day and I’m proud that we were able to perform so well!” 

FAQs

  • We encourage anyone between Grades 9 to 12 who is currently studying at a high school in Southeast Asia, and interested in learning more about the region, to apply. We do not require perfect fluency in English or prior study/knowledge of the region. Our goal is to create an inclusive space both for you to learn more about SEA and for you to share your experiences growing up in your country of origin.

  • We would love to learn more about your background and interest in Southeast Asia! We are interested in reading about your personal experience growing up in the region, and any particular passions you have related to SEA. In particular, we are looking for students who are curious about the region and eager to learn more, who will be committed for the duration of the program, and who are open to engaging with their peers from throughout the region.

  • The information regarding your English proficiency will be useful to us in determining how best to ensure the program will be accessible to all. In future iterations of our program, we hope to be able to conduct panels in languages other than English, to better reflect the cultural diversity and makeup of SEA.

  • Track 1 participants, who only attend panel sessions, commit around 1.5 hours every two weeks. Track 2 participants, who participate in both panels and discussion sections, and work on a group Capstone Project, commit around 2-3 hours every two weeks.

  • Unfortunately, the program is designed specifically for high school students. We do not accept applications from students in university.