The 2026 Global Changemakers Workshop, now in its fourth year, brings together a small cohort of young leaders from across the Aspen global network. Previous editions have been held in Berlin, Warsaw, and Bogotá, building a growing network of over 60 alumni engaged in public leadership, policy, and civic life. The 2026 workshop will be hosted in Hyderabad, India by the Ananta Aspen Centre.
Theme: Decision Making in an Age of AI
As emerging technologies reshape economies, governance, and society, the nature of decision making is changing.
This year’s workshop will explore how leaders can navigate the opportunities and constraints of artificial intelligence, examining questions of accountability, governance, and the evolving relationship between institutions and the public.
Participants will engage with questions such as:
Who defines the boundaries of AI?
How should these technologies be governed?
What are the implications for democratic integrity and global stability?
The workshop is designed as an immersive, dialogue-driven experience in the Aspen tradition. It includes:
Text-based Aspen seminars
Policy roundtables
Conversations with officials and subject-matter experts
Cultural site visits
All sessions will be conducted in English.
Applications for this year’s scholarship have now closed, and we’re pleased to announce Aspen NZ alumni Arne Larsen and Alexander Plimmer as the 2026 recipients. More here.
Past Scholarship Recipients
For Aspen NZ scholarship recipient Shreya Singaraju, the 2024 Global Changemakers workshop reinforced the importance of collaboration in addressing global challenges:
“Working together is key to driving meaningful change.”
For Shreya, the opportunity to connect with international peers from nations including Nairobi, Colombia and Germany, and to hear firsthand about their struggles and successes, was both humbling and inspiring.
Following the 2023 Global Changemakers workshop in Berlin, Peter Southey-Jensen, Aspen NZ youth alumni and scholarship recipient reflected:
“The Aspen Institute’s Global Changemakers event was an incredible experience. The opportunity to learn from so many different people each with their own fascinating stories and experiences was an absolute privilege. The combination of intellectual and social discussions was the perfect mix to make for a memorable experience that got the most out of everyone.”
Reflecting on the 2025 workshop in Bogotá, Aspen NZ scholarship recipient Archie Ritchie highlighted the value of engaging directly with diverse global perspectives:
“Connecting with peers from across the world - each bringing different experiences of migration, policy, and identity - was both humbling and energising. It challenged assumptions and deepened my understanding of how global issues are experienced locally.”