Going back to the roots of defining and shaping leadership
#ASEFYLS3 is for those who ask: what type of leader do I aspire to be?
WHAT IS #ASEFYLS3
Since the inaugural edition of the ASEF Young Leaders Summit (ASEFYLS), the forum has invited over 200 students and young professionals from all 51 ASEM partner countries. In 2018, the programme returned to the heartbeat of its existence: to understand, define and develop leadership among young people – by young people.
The 3rd ASEF Young Leaders Summit (ASEFYLS3) was dedicated to the topic of Ethical Leadership. The forum investigated 3 critical levels of leadership, namely:
You: Self-leadership
We: Team leadership
All: Societal leadership
These 3 levels were at the core of the conversations, action-planning, learning experiences and networking of ASEFYLS3, all integrated in the 10-angle focus of the topic:
1. Culture
2. Economy and Finance
3. Education
4. Environment
5. Family
6. Media
7. Politics
8. Religion and Spirituality
9. Science and Technology
10. Sports
ASEFYLS3 adapted a 360° approach to leadership that recognised the very act of leading to be present across all spectrums of society—from home, to the classroom, in a business meeting to the streets. ASEFYLS3 brought together young people who were willing to critically reflect, re-imagine and shape the notion of leadership — starting from themselves, within their communities and on an Asia-Europe scale.
#ASEFYLS3 ECO-SYSTEM & IMPACT
The 3rd edition of ASEFYLS moved beyond the conference borders. The participants of ASEFYLS3 joined a 5-step programme:
Online:
#knowledge_stretching
Initial insights on the topic and the 10 thematic angles through webinars and group/individual tasks.
This year we made the webinars open for the whole ASEFEdu community – Streamed on our ASEFEdu Facebook page.
On-site at ASEFYLS3:
#action_oriented
The core element of ASEFYLS3 was for the participants to develop ideas, projects and commitments in the form of spin-off activities linked to leadership and sustainable development in local communities and collaboratively with the ASEFYLS3 peers. In accordance with this, there were 4 spin-off proposals developed by participants from various thematic groups.
#network_based
Networks triggered movements! ASEFYLS3 had enhanced its networking element amongst the participants, speakers, facilitators and partners.
#leadership_exchange
ASEFYLS has always been in close proximity to the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) political process. ASEFYLS3 was aligned with the 12th ASEM Summit (ASEM12), where the youth voice and commitments were voiced out at the Opening Ceremony of ASEM12. Watch it here.
#reciprocity_focused
ASEFYLS3 promoted the leadership of paying forward. ASEFYLS3 alumni are being supported in rolling out ideas and initiatives to spread their talent and work beyond the ASEFYLS framework.
WHEN
15-19 October 2018
Held in conjunction with the 12th ASEM Summit (ASEM12)
WHERE
Brussels, Belgium
COSTS
No registration or participation fee. The organisers provided participants with travel subsidy, accommodation and meals.
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![[Article] Ulf-Daniel Ehlers, Professor, Baden-Wurttemberg Cooperative State University](https://dev.asef.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/0ee9b4aefe955318dc403ef1bdfbb65b0f0d2f63.png)
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