Terms and Conditions – Future Leaders Connect

Future Leaders Connect (the 'programme') is where exceptional young people from around the world will join a long-term network of emerging policy leaders ('Participant(s)'). They will develop their policy making expertise, make valuable connections and gain the skills to have real impact. Together they will discuss major global policy issues in the Houses of Parliament, engage with inspiring leaders, visit some of the UK’s leading global institutions and collaborate to produce innovative policy recommendations. The skills, experience and connections they make through Future Leaders Connect will support them to seize their leadership potential. 

Participants will come to the UK from 21 October - 1 November 2019 and will stay in Cambridge and London. Approximately 50 participants will attend. Participating countries are: Canada, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Tunisia, the US, the UK.

The programme is run by the British Council, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN, United Kingdom.

The programme is open to individuals of the participating countries who meet all the criteria listed below. The participating countries are:

• Canada, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Tunisia, UK, USA
• to meet the Eligibility Criteria, listed below, participants must;
• be aged between 18 and 35 years old on the 06 May 2019.
• be able to speak English at IELTS level 7 or equivalent (please note, you do not require the IELTS qualification). Please make sure to take the time to understand how we assess your language level. 
• hold a passport valid for at least 6 months from October 2019.
• live in one of the participating countries. In this case, ‘country you live in’ means the country you live in at the time of applying and you have a long term commitment to that country. Your policy vision for change needs to match the country you are applying from.

Example 1: A participant was born in England but lives in Nigeria and will be living in Nigeria for three years. This participant needs to write their policy vision for Nigeria. 

Example 2: A participant was born in Somalia and has lived in the UK for the last ten years. This participant needs to write their policy vision for the UK.  

Be available to travel to the UK from 21 October to 1 November 2019. 21 October will be a travel day to get you from the airport in the UK to Cambridge. There will be a welcome event that evening, and the programme will officially start on 22 October and will run until 31 October.  On 1 November participants will be transported from London to the airport. 

Not be currently employed by or be an immediate family member of the British Council or the Møller Institute. (In this case immediate family member is defined as one's spouse, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings and immediate in-laws (mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law). Adopted children and stepchildren also counted as immediate family members

Entry to the programme is free of charge. The British Council shall arrange and pay for the travel of participants to the programme in the UK. During the duration of the programme participants will be provided with free accommodation and food. 

Applications will open on 12 March 2019. The closing date for applications will be 23:59 pm BST on 6 May 2019.

The British Council reserves the right to extend the closing date. Any entry received before the opening date or after the closing date will not be included in the selection process. The British Council accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any technical failure or malfunction or any other problem with any system, server, provider or otherwise that may result in any entry being lost, delayed or not properly registered.

Where possible shortlisted candidates will be notified by 30 June 2019.  This notification will be made to the email address provided by the participant when applying for the programme in accordance with section 4 of this document.  In this notification, the British Council will inform each candidate about the outcome of their application and the next steps of the selection process that they should follow.

The programme will be promoted through the Future Leaders Connect website and the websites and social media of the British Council offices overseas.To apply, participants must access the application through the application link on the Future Leaders Connect website and then follow these steps:

• Read and agree the Terms and Conditions 
• Answer the contact and eligibility questions
• Provide personal data
• Answer the professional and academic background questions
• Answer the application questions
• Answer equality, diversity and inclusion questions (this is not compulsory)
• Complete self-evaluation and reflection questions
• Submit the application form

Participants are responsible for ensuring they complete the form fully and correctly. Once submitted, there is no option to change or edit the entry.  

Proof of identity and references will be required if you get through to the final selection stage.

Introduction

In most cases the applications will be reviewed by an independent external organisation using the programme selection criteria determined by the British Council. The external assessors will provide a shortlist of candidates per country to the British Council which will then be forwarded to the relevant British Council country offices for final selection. The use of external assessors will not affect the way your data is handled.

Pre Screen Questions

In order for your application to progress you must meet the minimum criteria for this programme; for example your age, living in a country that is part of the programme and holding the required level of proficiency in English language as detailed in section 2 above. You will be asked a series of questions in your application to determine if you are eligible for this programme. You will be asked to make declarations in your application. False declarations may result in your application being rejected.

Scoring your application 

Due to the significant volume of applications we expect, we will firstly read and score your response to the question: 

Question 1: In no more than 300 words, please tell us about a time that you used your leadership skills to achieve a successful outcome, ideally related to policy making. 

Top scoring applicants will provide an example which evidences:  

Influence and leadership, shaping and promoting positive behaviors, engagement and influencing skills, including how you inspired others to engage and achieve the outcome, an outcome or change that had both scale and impact.  

If you do not meet the required score/standard in the above question response, unfortunately your application will not be considered further and your application will be rejected. If you meet the required standard in this question then the panel will go on to review your response to the below question:

Question 2: In no more than 300 words, please tell us about a global change you would like to see happen and how you would use policy making to achieve this. 

Top scoring applicants will:

Explain the impact this would have globally and on the country they live in, use this answer to demonstrate understanding of how policy chance occurs, explain how they would be involved in making the policy change happen and how this will have an impact, both on the country they live in and internationally.

Final Shortlisting 

Only the top scoring applications (by country) will then progress to the final stage of the shortlisting process where the final two questions (of four) will be reviewed and scored. If you are in the top scoring applications by country, the assessor panel will then consider and score your answers to the below questions:  

Question 3: In no more than 200 words, please provide your biggest achievement in either your professional or voluntary experience, ideally related to policy making. 

Question 4: In no more than 150 words, please tell us about any awards publications or projects which we should take into account.

Final Selection in Country 

We expect that around 30 applicants per country will be shortlisted, although this may vary by country. The final selection of successful applicants will be determined through interviews and events. The process may differ slightly in each country. In all cases this will be communicated to participants in advance and selection will be made based on a shared set of criteria. In many cases the final decision will be made by a panel of British Council representatives and external stakeholders. All decisions of the panel will be final and binding. We expect that approximately between 2 and 4 successful applicants will be selected by each country. 

Anyone applying for Future Leaders Connect should be aware of the following:

Application: your application should be accurate, not omit any facts that are relevant and not be misleading. If we find that there are significant errors or omissions in the information you have supplied to us in the course of your application you will not be offered a place in the programme, or we will terminate your application.

Eligibility criteria: to be eligible to take part, you must meet all criteria listed in section 2.

Selection: the selection process will be fair. No applicant will have, or should seek or accept, any unfair advantage. No member of the British Council or its partners involved in the process will unfairly promote or disadvantage the interests of any applicant. If we find that you have secured an unfair advantage in the selection process we reserve the right not to offer you a place, or withdraw or terminate your application. If you are shortlisted we will ask you to provide references and documentation to prove your identity. 

UK visa and entry clearance: your UK visa application will be processed through your local British Embassy who have the discretion to decide whether to approve or reject your UK visa appli ation. The British Council will provide you with the necessary supporting documents. We cannot guarantee the outcome of your visa application.  

Changes of circumstances: if your circumstances change by an event or events that are genuinely beyond your control, or in ways that are generally unexpected, or you change your mind after you are selected, you should contact us immediately. 

English language: good written communication skills are an essential requirement and therefore the assessor panel will also consider the use of English language within the assessment of your application.  This will include: if your statement is well written, vocabulary, spelling, grammar, development structure, coherence and general language range. You will need to demonstrate that you have an operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage and misunderstandings in some situations but generally you will handle complex language well. 

Anonymity: the assessor panel will review and score your responses to the above application questions on an anonymous basis. This means that they will not know any details from your application. They will score and either progress or reject your application based solely on the responses you provide to the above question/s. The assessor team only have access to the statement provided and will NOT cross reference any other part of your application, for example they will not be able to view or consider any personal details, work history, education or other information provided.

Scoring system; due to a significant variance in application numbers by country the benchmarks and scoring will be applied on a country by country basis and are likely to vary. 

Feedback; we regret that due to the potential volume of applications, we will NOT be able to provide you with feedback on your application this includes the scores that you achieve or any detailed feedback on your application.

Word Limits: please take careful note of the word limits by question, as detailed above. We will not read or score any words that exceed the stated limit by question.

How we use your personal information

If you apply to participate in the Future Leaders Connect programme, we will need to collect and process your personal data in order to process your application. We will need to collect certain categories of personal data from you in order to process your application, including:

• Name and email address
• Academic and professional background
• Age range
• Country of residence

Those who are shortlisted or selected to take part in the programme will need to provide other personal information to aid visa applications, travel booking and taking part in the programme.

We ask you to provide equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) information, which may include sensitive personal data/special categories of personal data such as:

• Gender
• Information about any disability
• Ethnic background
• Information on religion and belief
• Photograph

Submission of equality and diversity information is entirely voluntary. If applicants submit equality and diversity information, it will be collected on a form and separated as soon as possible to preserve anonymity. Equality and diversity information will be used for monitoring of equality of opportunity and the production of depersonalised statistics. It will not be used for any other purpose and will not be used as part of the shortlisting and selection process.

Your personal data may also be shared with partner organisations, for example The Møller Institute, University of Cambridge. 

You should read the Future Leaders Connect Privacy Notice, which provides further information about how we will use your personal data. You understand and agree that your personal data will be collected and further processed in accordance with the information described in the Future Leaders Connect Privacy Notice.

You will be asked if you wish to receive further information about Future Leaders Connect including further information about the Future Leaders Connect programme and the British Council global policy mail out by email. If you do agree to receive this information you should read the Future Leaders Connect Consent Statement. If you do not agree to receive this information, it will not affect the application process. 

The British Council may publish the names, photographs and information about the successful participants on the British Council’s websites, facebook pages, twitter pages, press releases and in other promotional and marketing material. In addition, in collaboration with the relevant participant, the British Council may write and publish articles, edit participant biographies for consistency and publically write about the successful participants’ and the impact of the programme on their professional life.  By entering the programme, each participant agrees to the use of their name and image and agrees to co-operate with any such publicity or marketing of the programme.

All rights in the British Council’s name and logo, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter pages, press releases and other promotional and marketing material and all course and examination content and materials (together the “Council’s Materials”) shall remain the exclusive property of the British Council (or its licensors). By participating in the programme, participants agree that they will not use, broadcast, publish, export, exploit, reproduce nor copy part or all of any non-publicly available British Council materials without permission.

The British Council will use its reasonable endeavors to follow the programme as advertised. However, the British Council reserves the right to change the programme at short notice (including the guest speakers and the times of their presentations). In the unlikely event that the British Council needs to change the location of the programme to a different area of the UK, it will give the participant as much notice as possible. In the event that any such changes are made, the British Council will not be liable to refund any costs incurred by the participants.

The views expressed by external speakers are theirs alone, and do not necessarily represent the views of the British Council. The British Council does not extend or express any warranties or representations as to the quality and/or accuracy of the content of presentations given, or information supplied, by the external speakers.

The British Council will use its reasonable endeavors to ensure that the programme proceeds as advertised, but it reserves the right to cancel at any time. In the unlikely event that the programme is cancelled by the British Council, the British Council accepts no responsibility for travel, additional accommodation outside of the programme dates or other costs which may have been incurred by the participants.

The successful applicants will be asked, as a part of their long-term development, to stay connected to the Future Leaders Connect network and to the British Council. If successful, you will be asked to make yourself available for any further face to face or online learning opportunities as well sharing their learning and experience with their peers after your return to your home country.   

The British Council will provide letters of invitation for participants’ UK visa applications.  If the participants require a visa they should allow sufficient time for the application process. The British Council cannot guarantee that participants will be given a visa.

The British Council does not provide travel insurance. Any successful participant should take out Personal Accident Travel insurance for their time overseas. This should include the following standard elements of cover:

• Medical costs for treatment in case of illness or accidental injury
• Benefits for permanent disabling injuries, e.g. rehabilitation and living costs
• Benefits for death and costs of repatriation
• Cover for loss or damage to your personal belongings
• Cover for cancelled flights, e.g. if the airline goes out of business or on strike
• Personal Liability cover. This provides legal support and covers financial costs if you cause injury or property damage to others and are found personally liable.
• 24hr emergency assistance helpline.

Many policies also have Legal Expenses cover, which is recommended in case the successful Participant needs legal assistance while overseas.

The participant should remember to save the emergency contact number for their travel insurance to their mobile phone, keep a copy of the insurance policy in a safe place and give their insurance policy number and the emergency contact number to their next of kin.

(a) The British Council does not exclude or limit in any way its liability to the participant for any death or personal injury caused by the British Council’s negligence, any fraudulent misrepresentation by the British Council, or any liability which cannot be excluded by law.

(b) Subject to paragraph (a), no liability is accepted by the British Council for:

i. Loss of or damage to property belonging to the participant or anyone travelling with the Participant (for example, watches, jewellery, cameras or clothing); or

ii. Losses or additional expenses incurred by the participant due to delays or changes in travel services, sickness, weather, strikes, riots, war, quarantine or any other cause beyond the British Council’s reasonable control; or

iii. Any special, indirect, consequential or pure economic loss, costs, damages, charges or expenses.

Subject to paragraphs (a) and (b), the British Council’s total liability to the participant in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty) misrepresentation, restitution or otherwise arising under or in connection with these programme rules, or the participant’s participation in the programme, shall be limited to £300 for that participant.

The British Council may disqualify or refuse to accept the application of any participant which does not meet the eligibility criteria in section 2 or does not otherwise comply with these programme terms and conditions.

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes or claims (including, without limitation, non-contractual disputes or claims) arising out of or in connection with the programme.

By participating in this programme, participants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions.

If any participant wishes to make a complaint, they can do so by email, letter or telephone. Participants are encouraged to submit complaints in writing wherever possible. All complaints should be made within 90 days of the date that the event occurred, or the date that the issue came to a participant’s attention. Participants should refer to the British Council’s Customer Services page for further information and contact details.

Participants may direct their general inquiries to the programme’s dedicated email address FutureLeadersConnect@britishcouncil.org inquiries will be replied to within 5 working days.