ASEAN Summit
Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit
Many Countries. One Sisterhood.
This annual summit brings 22 young women aged 25-30, two from each of the ten countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as Nepal, to Malaysia for a two-week immersion in leadership development and professional networking.
The only gathering of its kind in the region for young women leaders, the summit is organized by Harpswell in collaboration with the Center for Research on Women and Gender.
For many participants, it’s the first time they’ve joined forces like this with other young women leaders. For two very special weeks, they live together as roommates, learn as collaborators and form bonds that last a lifetime.
We are excited to announce that the sixth Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit will take place September 2025 in Penang! Application instructions will be announced soon.
“The summit experience inspired me to do research and establish a social media platform about sexual violence against women in Indonesia. It’s been life-changing for me.”
— Zenny Rezania Dewantary, Lecturer of Law at President University, Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit: Indonesia
Leadership Development and Professional Networking
Based at the Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, the Summit is designed to help advance positive social change in Southeast Asia through women’s empowerment.
An extension of Harpswell’s Cambodian higher education leadership curriculum, the Summit is structured as a mix of lectures, workshops, site visits and group activities. Summit trainers represent leading experts from academia, industry and community development throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.
The Summit encourages personal bonds and global networking among the women whose home countries span Southeast Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Harpswell covers all travel, meals and accommodation for participants. Following the Summit, the women leaders are also eligible to apply for Social Impact Grants.
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Dr. Alan Lightman, Professor of the Practice of Humanities, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Founder and Board Chair at Harpswell
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Penny Burtt, Head of Public Policy and Government Relations at Stripe. Formerly held leadership positions with global multinationals Visa Inc. and McKinsey and Co. Most recently led AsiaLink at the University of Melbourne
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Professor Dr. Noraida Endut, Unit for Research on Women and Gender, KANITA, School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
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Professor Dr. Rashidah Shuib, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, USM. Former director of KANITA
Dr. Vannarith Chheang, President at Asian Vision Institute. Previously Southeast Asia Analyst at the Nippon Foundation
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Alison Pavia, Executive Director of Harpswell. Previously Executive Director at Peter C Alderman Foundation and REServe and former attorney
Trainers and topics include:
Application Process
We welcome inquiries and applications from women, aged 25 to 30, from ASEAN countries and Nepal, who demonstrate:
A keen interest in social change and women’s leadership
Leadership potential through academic achievement or professional accomplishment
Willingness to share, explore and grow in self-identity, cultural diversity and worldviews
Strong English language skills
Applications for 2024 are now closed.
Interested applicants may send a photo, a CV and a short cover letter detailing their candidacy to the Summit Program Senior Administrator Dr. Leila Mojaher: leila@harpswell.org.
Following a careful initial screening of inquiries, Harpswell will contact potential candidates, asking them to complete an official application. We may also request a virtual interview. We will notify accepted candidates with an invitation letter to join the summit and arrange travel plans. Please check back for 2025 application information.
