Women's Public Leadership Program

Launched in 2018, this program identifies and trains talented and ambitious young women who to take on community leadership roles and commit to the betterment of their communities. In addition to conventional forms of education, the program focuses on skills development and gaining practical experience. Participants solve project tasks, engage in simulation games to develop their resilience and leadership skills. Through the program’s presentations, talks, and panel discussions, participants also have the opportunity to meet prominent leaders, experts, and politicians from Hungary and abroad.

Held under the patronage of the President of Hungary, Mrs. Katalin Novák, this free program is available to young women between the ages of 18 and 37 who have a good command of English and adesire to engage in their community’s public life.In recent years, this training program has received much attention from the press in Hungary, and has helped foster a public dialogue in Hungary about enhancing the participation of women in leadership positions. Graduates of the program are typically employed in public administration, international organizations, public institutions, or even run their own business or start-up. A further aim of the program is to create a growing "alumni community" and network whose members will hopefully form Hungary's next community of leading female public figures.

The curriculum is structured around the following four professional/theoretical modules: foreign policy (multilateral and bilateral relations, diplomacy, negotiation techniques, protocol); economics (business studies, lobbying, project management, start-ups); legal foundations (domestic and international law, public administration, preparation of laws, decision-making); psychology (political and mass psychology, self-awareness, behavioral science, change management).

At the graduation ceremony, diplomas are presented and awarded by the program's patron, President Katalin Novák. 

The program is supported by the National Talent Program and the Human Capacities Grant Management Office.