Frequently Asked Questions

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Eligibility

The 2022 AAMEP program is open to young Muslims and emerging leaders aged 23-40 who are actively contributing to their communities in Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines or Brunei Darussalam.
 
Applicants must be Muslim, the citizen of an eligible country, and be actively contributing to their community, either through formal employment and/or volunteer networks. Due to the fact that all AAMEP meetings will be conducted in English, ASEAN applicants are also required to have a high level of spoken and written English.
 
Please note, the AAMEP is not a student exchange program, but university students can definitely apply if they meet the relevant criteria!
 
Indonesians are encouraged to read more about the sister AIMEP program between Australia and Indonesia. The AIMEP is open to young Muslims and emerging leaders from Australia and Indonesia and will reopen in mid-2022.
There are many ways in which candidates for the AAMEP and AIMEP programs might be actively contributing to their communities through either formal employment or voluntary involvement. Your role does not have to be religious in nature.
 
Past delegates have included community organisers, educators, scholars, activists, religious leaders, lawyers, artists, journalists, interfaith activists, peace-builders, politicians, entrepreneurs, and many others, representing diverse aspects of the region’s many Muslim communities.
 
If you have any further questions regarding your possible eligibility, please contact us directly.
Applicants within the 23-40 year age range will always be given first priority for places on the AAMEP & AIMEP programs. In rare instances, where there are insufficient suitable applicants from a particular gender or country within the specified age range, applicants slightly outside the range may be considered.
 
A note for applicants aged 22 or 40: In order to determine if you are eligible to apply for the current program, we will consider your age on the day that the program begins. For instance, if you are 23-40 years of age on 31 January 2022 then you are eligible to apply for the AAMEP 2022 program (see Key Dates).

The AAMEP 2022 program is open to citizens from Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam. Citizens of other ASEAN countries are not eligible to apply for the AAMEP 2022 program, but may be eligible for the AAMEP in future years.

Indonesian citizens are eligible to apply for the AAMEP’s sister program, the Australia-Indonesia Muslim Exchange Program. The next round of AIMEP applications will open in mid-2022. Visit the AIMEP section on this website for more details and to sign up for notifications about that program.
As long as you hold citizenship of an eligible country then you are eligible to apply for the virtual AAMEP and/or AIMEP programs. However, you must be able to demonstrate that you are actively involved in the community of your home country to be considered as a candidate. Please note that the 2022 AAMEP is open to citizens of Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam.
 
If you are a resident of an eligible country, but not yet a citizen you are unfortunately not eligible to apply for either program.

Application Process

Applications for the AAMEP should be written in English.
To enhance your application, we strongly recommend that you submit 2-3 reference letters/recommendation letters. At least one should be from a Muslim community organisation. If this is not possible, you can include a letter from an individual who can describe your activities supporting or working with Muslims in your community.
 
All reference letters should be from individuals who know you well and can vouch for your suitability as a potential delegate.
 
Reference letters for the AAMEP should be written in English.
If you speak English fluently or have completed studies where the medium of instruction is English, you can demonstrate this through your written application and by listing any relevant education in your CV.
 
If the above does not apply to you, we encourage you to include additional evidence of your English ability. This might include evidence of English language test results such as TOEFL or IELTS.
 
If you are unsure, please contact us directly to discuss this further.

Additional supporting documents, such as an extra letter of recommendation, are not essential, but will be accepted. It is preferable not to attach copies of certificates, awards, university transcripts, or similar documents.

All applicants will be notified via email regarding the status of their application, whether successful or unsuccessful. Successful applicants will be contacted via email or phone to coordinate interview times and any other requirements.

The online programs accept approximately 28-30 delegates (about 20 from ASEAN and 10 from Australia).

Program

The 2022 AAMEP program will run over 8 weeks from 31 January 2022 to 28 March 2022.
Due to the different time zones covered by our program, it is likely that core sessions may fall towards the end of the working day for delegates in the ASEAN region. In addition, a small number of live virtual tours, such as school visits, may fall within working hours for Australian delegates.
 
All successful applicants will receive an official letter of acceptance stating that the program is an initiative of the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This letter can be used in conjunction with any required application for time off work.
 
If further support is required you are welcome to contact us directly to discuss this.
 
Please note, the timing of key AAMEP sessions are currently likely to be:

Core Speaker Sessions
Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays
3-5pm Bangkok
4-6pm KL/ Manila/ Brunei
7-9pm Melbourne/ Sydney (daylight savings time)

Optional AAMEP social session
Fridays
4-5pm Bangkok
5-6pm KL/ Manila/ Brunei
8-9pm Melbourne/ Sydney (daylight savings time)

Live Virtual Tours
TBC
The AAMEP will involve three main kinds of sessions or opportunities. These include speaker sessions, delegate interaction and live virtual tours.
 
SPEAKER SESSIONS
Through weekly live speaker sessions, delegates will gain exclusive access to renowned speakers and experts in their fields. Delivered via Zoom, speaker sessions will include insightful presentations followed by engaging and interactive Q&A sessions where delegates engage in dialogue with guest speakers from across the region.
 
Speaker sessions will be held three times a week and represent a core element of the AAMEP program.
 
The likely times for these sessions are:
Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays
3-5pm Bangkok
4-6pm KL/ Manila/ Brunei
7-9pm Melbourne/ Sydney (daylight savings time)
 
DELEGATE INTERACTION
Delegate interaction and connection is at the heart of the AAMEP experience. Delegates will be provided with multiple platforms and opportunities to connect, collaborate and learn from inspiring young leaders from across the region.
 
From delegate social sessions to one-on-one virtual coffees and in-depth breakout room discussions, the AAMEP will offer a range of exciting opportunities to form friendships, connections and collaborations with your fellow delegates across the life of the program and beyond.
 
The timing of delegate interaction is more flexible than speaker sessions and can include:
  • AAMEP social sessions (optional)
  • Most likely on Fridays
  • 4-5pm Bangkok; 5-6pm KL/Manila/Brunei; 8-9pm Melbourne/Sydney
  • One-on-one coffees with fellow delegates
  • Each delegate will be encouraged to pre-select a time that they plan to be available for a 30 min virtual coffee during most weeks of the program
  • Interactive delegate platforms & resources. This can be completed in your own time. We recommend allowing an average of around 30 min – 1 hour a week for this.
 
LIVE VIRTUAL TOURS
Live virtual tours offer a unique, real-time opportunity to delve into the local culture and history of communities across the region. Virtually visit some of the region’s most important sites, and see community projects and local spaces first-hand through livestreamed, customised tours created especially for the AAMEP & AIMEP programs.
 
We plan to schedule several live virtual tours spread across the 8 week program, subject to any lockdowns or COVID-19 restrictions at the time.
 
These exact time of these tours is yet to be confirmed, but most will likely be held on weekends. We strongly encourage delegates to attend tours held outside their own country.
The virtual AIMEP and AAMEP programs run for 8 weeks, with a different thematic focus for each week. These currently include:
  • An Introduction to Islam in Our Region
  • Leadership & Government 
  • Religious Diversity
  • Delegate Presentations (an opportunity to hear from your fellow delegates)
  • Gender & Family 
  • Education & Youth
  • Community Development & Social Justice
  • Art, Media & Spirituality
At a minimum, virtual delegates will need to have access to a Zoom-ready mobile phone with a stable internet connection. Access to a laptop or desktop computer will provide the added benefit of interacting on a larger screen, but is not essential.
 
We strive to make our online programs accessible to delegates who don’t live in big cities with high speed internet. The platforms we have chosen are accessible from a range of different connection speeds. Most live meetings will be conducted via Zoom, while most delegate interaction and resources will be accessible through Slack and a web browser.
 
If you have concerns about your internet connection or other technical aspects of your participation in a virtual program, please reach out to us through our contact page.
Delegate presentations are designed to be a fun and easy way for delegates to share a story related to their community work, local culture or personal experience with fellow delegates from across the region.
 
A delegate presentation session will involve 10 delegates presenting for 5 minutes each. Delegates are invited to think about the story they most want to share with others. They will be supported to create presentations through PowerPoint or as a pdf, using mainly images, with our technical team on-hand if you have any questions!

Alumni of our virtual programs will still be eligible to apply for the in-person AAMEP once travel is possible again. Participation in the virtual program will not disadvantage and may in fact strengthen your application for the in-person program.

The AIMEP (Australia Indonesia Muslim Exchange Program) is an annual program, running once per year. Details of each year’s application round are announced through our website, mailing list and social media. Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, or sign up to our mailing list to be notified when applications are open. 
 
The AAMEP (Australia ASEAN Muslim Exchange Program) currently runs once every two years. Applications for the 2022 AAMEP are open until 7 November 2021. Details of each application round are announced through our website, mailing list and social media. Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, or sign up to our mailing list to be notified when applications are open.