About the opportunity
What this programme is offering
The CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy (DILA) is a unique, three-month-long, part-time, English-language leadership training program offered by the CEU Democracy Institute for a new generation of public leaders in Central and South-Eastern Europe. The course is designed for mid-career local, municipal, and national leaders, political party representatives, civil society activists, media professionals, and policy experts working in the public domain or at think tanks who are committed to promoting the transformative defense of democracy.
The 2026 DILA fellowship will explore the challenges civic leaders and political parties face in diverse forms of European democracies – on the local, national, and at the EU level. Led by a distinguished international faculty of scholars and experienced practitioners, the curriculum will focus on democratic governance and equip selected fellows with a wide range of strategic and leadership skills essential for a successful career in public life.
CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy
The CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy (DILA) is a unique, three-month-long, part-time, English-language leadership training program offered by the CEU Democracy Institute for a new generation of public leaders in Central and South-Eastern Europe. The course is designed for mid-career local, municipal, and national leaders, political party representatives, civil society activists, media professionals and policy experts working in the public domain or at think tanks who are committed to promoting the transformative defense of democracy.
The DILA fellowship explores current challenges civic leaders and political parties face in European democracies—on the local, national, and at the EU level. across cities, nations, and at the EU level. Led by a distinguished international faculty of scholars and experienced practitioners, the curriculum covers topics on democratic governance and equips fellows with a wide range of strategic and leadership skills that are instrumental for a successful career in public life.
Format
During the three-month-long hybrid course, three four-day-long residential sessions take place in Budapest at the CEU Democracy Institute. Between residential sessions, interactive online sessions take place on Thursday mornings from 8.30 -11.00 CET. Participation in the residential and the online sessions is the precondition of the completion of the course.
Eligibility
The 2026 fellowship is designed for mid-career public leaders, civil society activists, policy experts, and media professionals from Central Europe, Southern Europe, and the Western Balkans.
The language of the program is English.
fees and costs
The CEU Democracy Institute Leadership Academy is a non-profit executive education program, supported by CEU and external donors.
The program provides a world-class faculty and curriculum, access to CEU’s e-learning platform and facilities, accommodation in double rooms (for non-Budapest residents), and coffee breaks and lunches throughout the residential sessions.
Fellows are asked to contribute €1,500 toward tuition.
Requests for partial tuition waivers and travel scholarships must be submitted during the application stage and include a compelling justification.
How to apply