THE UK-ITALY YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAMME
The UK-Italy Young Leaders’ Programme (YLP) aims to further strengthen the excellent relations between the UK and Italy by creating a community of young professionals who are leaders in their fields.
The programme was founded by the Memorandum of Understanding signed on 27 April 2023 in London by the British and Italian prime ministers. It is run jointly by the British Embassy in Rome and the Embassy of Italy in London.
Each year, we select a group of young professionals to forge connections, take part in events organised by the two embassies, meet representatives of public institutions and business leaders, build networks, and share projects, helping strengthen UK-Italy relations in the long term.
At the end of the experience, the participants join the YLP alumni network, through which they can continue promoting relations between the two countries and mentor members of subsequent cohorts.
APPLICATION FOR THE YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAMME 2026
Applications for the Young Leaders Programme 2026 will be open until 23:59 on 31 December 2025.
Please complete the form at this link; please note this includes submitting a reference. Applicants who are successful in the initial sift will be invited to present their CV, headshot photo and a short video (details of which will be communicated to applicants) to youngleadersprogramme@fcdo.gov.uk.
Successful applicants will be contacted directly. The winners will be announced by the British and Italian embassies in March 2026.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
The following will be taken into account when assessing applications:
- Candidates should be under 40 on the date of the deadline.
- They should hold UK and/or Italian citizenship.
- They should have exceptional and demonstrable professional qualities and a track record of leadership.
- They must have excellent English, and a good working level of Italian is desirable.
