THE CENTRAL-EASTERN EUROPEAN PROGRAM

💻 JOIN THE NEXT INFO CALL (20.6., 9-10 am)

Further opportunities to meet us: email us at rtoncicsorinj@ashoka.org & abrida@ashoka.org.

Everything you need to know about your application:

Stipends Meet the Team Our Partners in CEE

Are you ready to become a leader of change? Get access to all the tools for systems-changing social entrepreneurship, know your purpose & connect to a community of peers? The application phase is now open, and special stipends are available for social entrepreneurs & leaders working on democracy or climate. Fill out the form to apply and be selected as one of 30 participants. Got questions? ➜Email us at rtoncicsorinj@ashoka.org & abrida@ashoka.org.

You don’t want to miss any updates on the next program edition? Sign up to the Ashoka Austria newsletter (biweekly to monthly). The newsletter is in German, but has occasional special editions in English! Also, follow us on Ashoka Austria’s LinkedIn where we post the most recent updates. The next program edition will run from Oct ’23 to June ’24.

So, you are ready to join the Ashoka Visionary Program?

The Ashoka Visionary Program is the pioneering, part-time leadership program empowering decision makers from all sectors to solve societal problems in an entrepreneurial way, and Central-Eastern Europe is one of its three locations.

We founded the Ashoka Visionary Program in 2015, starting with CEE. Right now, one more cohort is taking place in Vienna. 2023-24 will be the ninth time in CEE that we offer 30 decision-makers and leading changemakers from across Europe this transformational learning journey.

Modules	Dates of the 7 modules (Oct 2023 – June 2024)
1	19-21 October 2023
2	01-02 December 2023
3	19-20 January 2024
4	01-02 March 2024
5	12-13 April 2024
6	24-25 May 2024
7	21-22 June 2024

The program offers a similar experience across all regions, thus the target group, requirements to join, curriculum and other key infos not specified here remain the same everywhere.

You can find all the info on the:
About the Program Page

Learn more about the content of the modules.
And about putting learnings into practice during the program.

Be An Early Bird – Apply Now

Application Process

Let’s get ready to attend 7 practice-based modules, of 15 days in total (Friday-Saturday), between October 2023 and June 2024? And invest in your future to come out transformed. Learn more about your successful application process for the executive leadership program:

1

Brew yourself a good coffee/tea and apply. Please notice that we process applications on a rolling basis, so we recommend applying early.

2

Once that is done, we will take a maximum of 2 weeks to review your application and let you know if your profile fits the program.

3

If it does, we will contact you via mail with an invitation for a personal interview to take place over the course of the following days.

The key selection criteria are high motivation and a successful personal interview.

4

You have the interview with a member of the Ashoka Visionary Program-team.

5

2 weeks after the interview latest, we will inform you if it’s a match and you have been selected.

Welcome on the journey! We have different options of payment, with the participant fee either to be paid at once or in several instalments.

Learn more about the requirements to join.

Cost

The program costs 10,000 € (excl. VAT) in CEE, it may vary in other regions. Stipends are available, please check the info below. Ashoka Fellows and the co-leaders of their social entreprises join for a special reduced rate of 1,000€.

STIPENDS

We offer three different types of stipends (2,500€ for people in transformation, 5,000€ for representatives of NGOs/foundations/public institutions and 7,500€ for social entreprenereurs) to allow those who can’t afford the full price to attend the program! This means: if you’re a social entrepreneur, you’ll only pay 2,500€.

And this year, we want to invest into leaders on democracy and climate! Are you one? The program will be the place for you and you will receive a reduction. The Ashoka Visionary Program team screens all the applications on a rolling basis and informs candidates if they are eligible.

Grants and other financing options in Austria

The participation fee is EUR 10.000 (tax exemption due to Ashoka´s non-profit status).

Stipends available! We offer individual stipends for social entrepreneurs and additional stipends (for leaders from the foundation-, corporate- and NGO-sector)

Financing options for people living/working in Austria

Austrian database for scholarships and research grants: OeAD (Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education & Research) helps you find the adequate Scholarship or Research Grant according to your country of origin as well as your preferred destination oead.grants.at

Further education funding of the EU

You can find funding opportunities on erasmus+ for people in adult education here.

Educational leave – Bildungskarenz

The Public Employment Service Austria (Arbeitsmarktservice Österreich – AMS) has accepted the courses of the Ashoka Visionary Program as vocational training for educational leave for previous participants. If requested by participants we provide a confirmation of the total duration of the program and also a certificate of participation after completing the program that can be used for application at the AMS for educational leave.

Please note that the AMS decides on a case-by-case basis on the eligibility. If you need certificates and documentation for your participation in the Visionary Program for application at the AMS get in touch with us!

Financial Benefits for Employees and Companies

Employees and self-employed persons save up to 50% of the program fee.

In case you are employed or self-employed and afford the fees on your own, our program fees are fully tax-deductible if you pay taxes in Austria. The prerequisite for the tax authorities is that the program falls under professional development training in the present field of occupation or in a related profession. Depending on your income, you can get up to 50% of the program costs back.

This means that not only program fees but also additional costs connected with the program (e.g. travel expenses, accommodation, literature, program hand-outs, flat rate for up to max. 5 days regarding food and beverages) are fully deductible.

Similar tax arrangements can be found in other countries. For further information, please refer to the responsible institution in your home country.

Unlike bonuses, tuition fees are exempt from taxation, which is a considerable advantage for the employee. For the employer, tuition fees do not amount to payroll-related costs and therefore do not incur payroll related contributions. At the same time, costs are shared by the Austrian state, which covers 31% for a public limited company and 61% for an individual enterprise. The pre-requisite for the above mentioned treatment is that the employee’s participation in the tuition program is in the interest of the employer.

Further information on tax deductions in Austria is available at the Website of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance: english.bmf.gv.at