CAUX
SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Indonesia, 2026

Caux Scholars Program

An intensive residential program on building global leaders as innovators of peacebuilding, conflict resolution, trauma-informed healing, and narrative transformation.

May 24 - June 15, 2026

Bandung, Indonesia

Program Overview

The Caux Scholars Program (CSP) is a unique, immersive residential learning experience designed to equip emerging leaders with the knowledge, skills, and heartset needed to navigate complex challenges and foster peace, justice, and collaboration across divides. CSP brings together a diverse cohort of participants from around the world for deep academic engagement, reflective practice, collaborative dialogue, and real-world application.

Rooted in Initiatives of Change’s long-standing commitment to building trust across cultures and contexts, the program integrates interdisciplinary coursework with reflective dialogue, community inquiry, and shared learning. Scholars explore topics such as conflict analysis, peacebuilding methodologies, narrative transformation, ethical leadership, and systems-level change. Through interactive discussions, collaborative projects, experiential learning, and community building, CSP cultivates a vibrant global network of changemakers dedicated to ethical engagement and collective wellbeing.

This year’s edition marks a new chapter as the program comes to Bandung, Indonesia, from May 24 to June 15, 2026. Situated in the dynamic heart of Southeast Asia, Indonesia offers a rich cultural, historical, and social context for deep engagement. With its incredible diversity of ethnicity, belief systems, languages, and lived experiences, the country embodies both the promise and complexity of peaceful coexistence in an interconnected world.

Program Objectives

To nurture individuals with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to become effective agents of peace in a conflict ridden world.

To provide interdisciplinary learning experiences that showcase a comprehensive understanding of a range of peacebuilding disciplines and practical approaches to conflict transformation in bringing sustainable peace.

To invite and involve peace workers from diverse socio-economic, national, and religious backgrounds. To be inclusive of all gender, sexual and racial identities. To make it accessible for activists coming from challenging financial backgrounds.

To foster a global network of peacebuilders and equip them with meaningful connections in the field.

To foster a global network of peacebuilders and equip them with meaningful connections in the field.

To create a safe space by encouraging self-reflection, promoting accountability, and fostering a commitment to building inclusive and just communities.

Why Indonesia?

Indonesia is more than a location — it is a living context for understanding the challenges and possibilities of unity in diversity. As the world’s largest archipelagic nation with hundreds of distinct cultural identities, Indonesia invites us to reflect on how communities build trust, navigate difference, and pursue shared futures. This edition of CSP is shaped by the lived realities of the region, offering participants a rare opportunity to learn not only from curated coursework but through direct engagement with communities, local practitioners, and IofC’s ongoing work across Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Initiatives of Change (IofC) has a growing presence in Indonesia and across the Asia-Pacific, supporting trustbuilding, interfaith dialogue, leadership development, and inclusive movements for positive change. IofC Indonesia actively engages young people and communities in efforts that bridge social divides and foster collective action. Bringing CSP to Indonesia is part of a broader commitment to meeting people where they are, expanding accessibility to high-impact learning, and strengthening regional networks of practice and solidarity.

CSP Indonesia 2026 offers scholars a chance to connect global perspectives with local meaning, to surface intersectional insights, and to co-create strategies that are grounded in both shared values and contextual nuance. It is a place to learn, reflect, and act — together.

Application Requirements

The Caux Scholars Program – Indonesia 2026 is an intensive, advanced residential course conducted entirely in English.
Participants must be comfortable engaging in sustained dialogue, analytical discussions, collaborative work, and reflective writing in English.
This is an intensive leadership and peacebuilding program, and strong English proficiency is essential for full participation.

Applicants must be between 21 and 35 years of age at the time of the program, reflecting the program’s focus on emerging leaders in early to mid-career stages of their peacebuilding journey.

To apply, candidates must complete the online application form in full and submit all required materials.
Applicants are required to record a short video, film themselves using a phone or laptop webcam, upload it as an unlisted YouTube link, and paste the link into the application form.
The video should focus on why you are passionate about peacebuilding, what motivates you to join the program, and how you hope to grow and contribute through this experience.
It should not be a résumé-style introduction, but rather a reflection on your commitment and vision.
Applicants are expected to speak authentically and should not read from a script while recording their video.

Because CSP places strong emphasis on self-awareness, integrity, and authentic leadership, applicants are expected to write their responses independently and without extensive use of AI tools like ChatGPT.
Applications that are clearly generated or heavily assisted by AI will be disqualified.
We are interested in your voice, your thinking, and your lived perspective.

Two recommendation letters are required.
At least one should speak directly to your character, leadership potential, and engagement in social change, peace work, or community initiatives.
Applicants currently enrolled in academic programs should upload their most recent transcript.
Those not affiliated with an academic institution may submit a brief professional profile instead.

The Indonesia 2026 cohort is limited to 18 participants.
We receive a significant number of applications each year, and interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply early rather than waiting until the final deadline.
Due to the limited number of spaces, early submission is advisable.

Selection is competitive and based on diversity, demonstrated commitment to ethical leadership and community work.

Sponsorship & Participation Commitment

The program is fully sponsored by Initiatives of Change USA. Tuition, accommodation in Bandung, and meals throughout the program are covered.

Airfare and travel expenses are not sponsored. Participants are responsible for arranging and covering their own travel to Bandung, Indonesia, including visa fees and personal expenses.

Once selected, participants must submit their confirmed flight tickets and travel arrangements. A place in the program can only be reserved once travel plans are confirmed.

Initiatives of Change USA is committed to inclusion and accessibility. While the program is fully sponsored, participants who are financially able to contribute toward accommodation, meals, or program costs are warmly encouraged to do so. Voluntary contributions allow us to extend opportunities to others who require financial assistance and sustain the spirit of shared responsibility within our global community. Please write to us if you are able to contribute toward your expenses, and/or donate.

Program Dates & Attendance Expectations

Participants must arrive at the program center in Bandung, Indonesia by 4:00 PM on May 24, 2026. The program concludes on June 15, 2026, and participants should plan their departure after 5:00 PM that day.

CSP is an intensive residential experience, and full attendance is required. Participants are expected to engage in all scheduled sessions, community responsibilities, and learning activities throughout the program. Late arrival or early departure is not permitted.

Academic Director

DR. DAVID ANDERSON HOOKER

Dr. David Anderson Hooker PhD, JD, M. Div. is the Founder and Principal Narrator for Counter Stories Consulting, llc. Counter Stories engages as a conversation and visioning partner with international, national and local civil society organizations, religious groups, organization leaders, and social entrepreneurs to craft narratives of their preferred futures and align organizational structures and internal practices in furtherance of their constructed narratives.

For almost 40 years, Hooker has served as mediator, restorative circle steward, facilitator, community builder, scholar, and advocate. Hooker’s primary focus is in the role of narratives for the transformation of multi-party disputes and post conflict community reconciliation, especially those conflicts where race, gender, class, religion, and other socially constructed variables significantly impact the disputed context. Hooker is the author of The Little Book of Transformative Community Conferencing, co-author of Transforming Historical Harms and author of several chapters and articles considering the roles of narratives in identity formation and multi-generational trauma, and restorative justice.

Hooker is formerly a Professor of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame (2016-2021) and Senior Fellow for Community Engagement Strategies at the J. W. Fanning Institute for Leadership at University of Georgia (2010-2015).

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Tuition, accommodation, and meals during the official program period are covered by Initiatives of Change USA. Participants are responsible only for travel, visa fees, and personal expenses.
Yes. Participants are responsible for obtaining the appropriate visa for entry into Indonesia. Once selected, you will receive an official invitation letter to support your visa application.
Participants are welcome to arrive in Indonesia before the program begins or extend their stay after it concludes, but any additional accommodation, meals, or travel arrangements outside the official program dates must be organized and covered independently. Participation from May 24 to June 15, 2026 is mandatory.
Travel insurance is not mandatory; however, we strongly recommend that all participants obtain travel insurance that covers medical emergencies, trip delays, or unexpected changes during their stay in Indonesia. For certain nationalities, proof of insurance may be required for visa approval or boarding. Participants are responsible for reviewing the specific entry requirements that apply to their country of residence.
Participants are encouraged to be up to date on routine vaccinations such as MMR, diphtheria, tetanus, varicella, polio, and influenza. We also recommend consulting your healthcare provider regarding travel to Indonesia and any recommended vaccinations or precautions. If you have specific medical conditions or dietary needs, inform the program team in advance so we can prepare appropriately.
Participants will be accommodated on a twin-sharing basis at the program center in Bandung, Indonesia. Accommodation includes bedding, towels, laundry access, and high-speed internet. The program covers three meals per day throughout the official program period, along with tea, coffee, and light refreshments. Special dietary requirements can be accommodated on a case-by-case basis if communicated in advance.
Yes. While the program is intensive and immersive, the schedule includes designated time for reflection, rest, and personal exploration. CSP values both rigorous learning and space for integration, ensuring participants have moments to process and recharge throughout the residential experience.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a virtual interview with the Selection Committee as part of the second round of screening. Final acceptance is confirmed only after you submit your confirmed travel details and flight ticket. Due to the limited cohort size, we are unable to hold places without confirmed travel arrangements.
Graduates become part of the Global Alumni Initiative Network (GAIN), joining a growing international community of leaders engaged in ongoing collaboration, dialogue, and future Initiatives of Change programs worldwide.
TOP