Skip to content

    Imagination in Statecraft

    Fellowship Program for Emerging Ukrainian Leaders

    About the Course

    5.png

    ­Call for Nominations

    Delphi Global Research Center is proud to announce a call for nominations to its inaugural Fellowship Program for Emerging Ukrainian Leaders.

    In an era of unprecedented global volatility, the need for clear-eyed, realistic, and rigorous geopolitical vision has never been more vital. This six-month fellowship program is designed to move beyond the "waves of despair and hope" that often characterize wartime discourse and instead ground the emerging Ukrainian leaders in the Western tradition of analytical and imaginative rigor.

    The fellowship program ultimately aims to help Ukraine build a “deep bench” of professionals capable of navigating complex geopolitical dynamics.  By exposing Fellows to Western modes of argumentation and critical thinking, and by familiarizing them with Western audience expectations, the program seeks to lay a foundation of rigorous analytic techniques and best practices. Further, the program’s unique focus on the role of imagination in statecraft and strategic analysis will expose Fellows to novel modes of engaging the world’s most intractable geopolitical problems.

    Partners

    The course will be led by Delphi Global Senior Fellow and Imagination in Statecraft Program Director Mr. Sean Murray. Mr. Murray has more than 12 years of experience as a diplomat and intelligence analyst focusing primarily on Ukraine, Russia, the Baltics and the Western Balkans.  He has been posted in Vilnius, Moscow, the U.K., and Washington, D.C., and is a winner of the State Department's Superior Honor Award and DoD's Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, as well as a Fulbright research fellowship.

    Certificates

    Fellows will receive certificates of completion at the end of the course.

    Schedule

    The fellowship consists of a comprehensive three-phase curriculum:

    1. Pre-Residency: Approximately two months of online meetings and guided readings in fiction, literary criticism, history and policy analysis intended to kick-start Fellows’ thinking about strategic imagination.

    2. Washington, D.C. Residency: A two-week intensive residency featuring daily instruction in analytic techniques and creative statecraft from U.S. government experts, academics, and NGO leaders.

    3. Post-Residency Mentorship: Four months of structured individual mentorship and group calls to implement follow-on projects within home institutions.

    Who Should Be Nominated?

    We are seeking high-potential early/mid-career individuals (min. 3 years work experience) from across Ukraine’s professional landscape, including:

    • Government & Military: Diplomats and civil servants from all branches, including military planning, intelligence, etc.

    • Law & Civil Society: Judges, lawyers, and NGO leaders.

    • Academia & Media: Journalists, university faculty and researchers.

    • Creative Industries: Writers, filmmakers, etc.

    Ideal Candidates are those who demonstrate a high degree of English-language fluency, an appetite for critical self-reflection, and a commitment to improving Ukraine's institutional capacity for strategic foresight.

    Application Status

    Not Accepting Applications

    Nomination Process

    Candidates must be nominated by a home institution (University, Ministry, NGO), a Western partner institution (e.g., U.S. Embassy Kyiv), or an individual with extensive knowledge of the candidate’s background and potential.  Nominating institutions should work with candidates to compile the following submission materials and confirm the candidate’s availability for the duration of the program.  Candidates must possess or be able to obtain a visa for travel to the United States; Delphi Global Research Center staff will be available to assist in the visa application process.

    To submit a nomination, please provide:

    1. A Letter of Recommendation: Outlining the candidate’s potential for future impact/leadership. Max. 500 words

    2. The Candidate's CV: Highlighting relevant engagement with questions of statecraft, policy, geopolitics, etc.

    3. A Statement of Interest: Indicating how the candidate hopes to integrate skills and concepts learned into his/her work and career.  Max. 500 words

    4. Nomination Deadline: 30 March 2026

    Finalists will be selected on or before May 1, 2026. The program will begin on June 1, 2026 with the residency portion taking place in August 2026.

    Please submit your application packets via e-mail to: info@delphigrc.org

    ChatGPT Image Mar 2, 2026 at 07_40_23 PM Small.jpeg