KASYP - Konrad Adenauer School for Young Politicians

📣Event Update: KASYP 16.3 Local Governance & Development I 27th March – 2nd April 2026 I Mongolia 🇲🇳

The final day of Module 3 for Batch 16 brought the KASYPERS to the Sukhbaatar District Office in Ulaanbaatar 🇲🇳, where Mr. Gombodorj Vandangombo, Head of Public Administration and Management, gave an introduction to the structure and goals of the district. The participants had the opportunity to raise important questions and engage in a dialogue 💬 on the practical implementation of local governance projects.

Later in the day, a meeting at the Parliament of Mongolia 🏛️ was facilitated by Ms. Jargalan Batbayar, MP and KASYP alumna, where fellow Members of Parliament Mr. Erdenebold Sukhbaatar, Mr. Ganbaatar Gombo, and Ms. Bolormaa Enkhbat joined the discussion. Together, they explored how experience in local and regional leadership shapes national policymaking 🌏, particularly in the areas of public service delivery, infrastructure, economic development, and regional inequality. Topics such as decentralization, transparency, and evidence-based policymaking made for a fruitful discussion on strengthening local governance and citizen trust 🤝.

The day concluded with a networking dinner with Mongolia’s KASYP alumni, who shared their political journeys and reflected on the role KASYP has played in their development as young leaders 🌱.

KASYP 16.3 in Mongolia offered Batch 16 a rich and inspiring learning experience — connecting theory with practice, and local realities with regional perspectives 🌍.

📣Event Update: KASYP 16.3 Local Governance & Development I 27th March – 2nd April 2026 I Mongolia 🇲🇳

Day 4 of KASYP 16.3 brought the Participants back to Ulaanbaatar 🇲🇳 — with a memorable stop at the iconic Chinggis Khaan Monument along the way.

Back in the city, the KASYPers had the opportunity to engage in a rich and candid conversation with Oyungerel Tsedevdamba, leader of Mongolia’s Civic Unity Party. Batch 16 found the session especially insightful 💡, as it opened up discussion on political participation 🏛️, party development, internal dynamics, and the role of youth and women 🚺 in politics.

A rich day of conversation 🤝, perspective-sharing 🌏, and learning.

📣Event Update: KASYP 16.3 Local Governance & Development I 27th March – 2nd April 2026 I Mongolia 🇲🇳

Day 3 of KASYP 16.3 Mongolia 🇲🇳

Today’s programme brought together both participant-led country presentations 🗣️🌏 and expert input on local governance 🏛️

Our participants from Mongolia 🇲🇳, Cambodia 🇰🇭, North Macedonia 🇲🇰, and India 🇮🇳 shared insights from their national contexts, sparking thoughtful discussion 💬 and valuable peer exchange 🤝 across the region 🌏
The afternoon then shifted to Mongolia’s local governance landscape 🏛️, with Lakshmi Boojoo, Director of the Economic Policy and Competitiveness Research Centre 🎓, guiding the group through key issues related to public administration reform , service delivery, and citizen participation 🗳️

A rich day of learning 📚, comparison 🔍, and reflection 💡

📣Event Update: KASYP 16.3 Local Governance & Development I 27th March – 2nd April 2026 I Mongolia 🇲🇳

Day 2 of KASYP 16 took participants from the city into the countryside of Terelj 🌄🌿

The programme continued with an introduction to local governance and local problem-solving led by Dr. Soeren Kiel, Research Fellow at the University of Passau, Germany 🎓

The afternoon then shifted into applied learning through an interactive group simulation on local government, air pollution 🌫️, and traffic management 🚦 in Hanoi, Vietnam — inviting participants to work through complex policy challenges, competing priorities, and practical governance responses 💬🧠

A thoughtful and engaging second day, combining new perspectives 🌏, teamwork 🤝, and hands-on political learning 📚✨

Event Update: KASYP 16.3 Local Governance & Development I 27th March – 2nd April 2026 I Mongolia 🇲🇳

We kicked off with a welcome dinner, where Viktor Frank, Director of the KAS Office Mongolia, introduced the work of the foundation in Mongolia and gave participants a first overview of the country’s political landscape and local governance system 🏛️

On Day 1, the learning continued with Dr. Soeren Kiel, Research Fellow at the University of Passau, who guided participants through the foundations of local governance, comparative perspectives 🌍, and key questions around competences and financial arrangements 💬📚

A strong and inspiring start to a week full of exchange, learning, and regional dialogue 🤝

📣 Baden-Württemberg 2026: Shaping Germany’s Political System Through State Elections | 6th - 12th March 2026 | Frankfurt, Mannheim & Stuttgart - Germany 📣

Young leaders from across Asia 🌏 are in Germany 🇩🇪 to experience democracy in action — from observing grassroots campaigning 📣 to visiting a polling station on election day 🗳️ and engaging directly with political actors 👥, election officials 🏛️, and students 🎓.

From Frankfurt 📍 to Mannheim 📍 and Stuttgart 📍, KASYPers of Batch 15 exchanged perspectives 💬 with CDU representatives, KAS scholars 🎓, and campaigners 📢 focusing on youth participation, federalism 🏛️, and how young people can shape political processes.

For many in the group, it was a firsthand opportunity to witness the organisation of a German state election up close and to engage in open dialogue 💬 about democracy, leadership, and political responsibility.

KASYP continues to bring together the next generation of leaders 🌱 to learn from each other 🤝, build networks 🌐, and strengthen democratic dialogue across regions.

KASYP 17.1 Political Parties in Democratic Societies I 22nd-28th February 2026 I Cebu, Philippines 🇵🇭✨

📅 Day 5 – 27th February 2026

The last day focused on exploring leadership 🤝, negotiation 🗣️, and intra-party democracy 🗳️.

Participants engaged with Sugar Munkhtsooj, Executive Director of the Institute for Policy and Leadership, Mongolia 🇲🇳, across interactive sessions 🎯, covering:

✅ Intra-Party Democracy 🏛️
✅ Character, Power, and Negotiation as tools for political leadership ⚖️
✅ A Multi-Stakeholder Negotiation Simulation 🎭

Dessy Hristova, Programme Manager, closed by presenting participants with their certificates of attendance 🎓📜, marking the completion of the first module of their Political Leader’s Journey 🚀.

The programme was followed by a farewell dinner, celebrating a week full of meaningful discussions 💬, shared insights 💡, and valuable exchange 🤝 among participants.

📣 KASYP 17.1 Political Parties in Democratic Societies I 22nd–28th February 2026 I Cebu, Philippines 🇵🇭✨

📆 Day 4 – 26th February 2026

On Day 4, participants engaged with local institutions to explore the practical aspects of governance, leadership, and accountability in Cebu 🏛️🤝

At the Cebu Provincial Capitol, participants met with staff from the Governor’s office to learn about Cebu’s future development plans and discuss provincial leadership and policy priorities 📊🗺️

The visit continued at Cebu City Hall, where Kenneth Siasar, Chief of Staff of the Mayor, and Paul Climaco, Chief of Staff of the Vice-Mayor shared valuable insights into urban governance and political responsibility at the city level 🏙️

The programme also included a visit to the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas, where Deputy Ombudsman Hon. Dante F. Vargas, together with Atty. Luis Gonzaga S. Bonoan JR., Assistant Ombudsman, OMB Proper, and Atty. Philip C. Camiguing, Acting Assistant Ombudsman for the Visayas, welcomed the participants 🙌⚖️

The exchange highlighted accountability mechanisms and the crucial role of oversight institutions in strengthening democratic governance 🗳️🔍

📣 KASYP 17.1 Political Parties in Democratic Societies I 22nd-28th February 2026 I Cebu, Philippines 🇵🇭✨

Day 3 – 25th February 2026 📅

Today’s focus: Storytelling & Feedback! 🎤💬✨

In a highly interactive and dynamic workshop, Maidy Lynn Lim, Expert in Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in Project Development, guided participants through effective framing, pitching, and storytelling for political change. 🧠📢🌏

Throughout the day, participants also engaged in different exercises dedicated to feedback, strengthening their ability to give and receive feedback. 🤝🔄💡

📢KASYP 17.1 Political Parties in Democratic Societies I 22nd–28th February 2026 I Cebu, Philippines 🇵🇭✨

📅Day 2 – 24th February 2026 📌

Today, our participants took the stage! 🎤🌍 During the country presentations, participants introduced their home countries, shared political contexts and exchanged perspectives with their peers 🤝💬

The countries presented were:
• Philippines 🇵🇭 by Felipe Remolo
• Nepal 🇳🇵 by Najya Miya
• Timor Leste 🇹🇱 by Dircia Da Costa
• Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 by Amrit Edirisooriya, Kanishta Michael and Damintha Gunasekara

Each presentation was followed by a Q&A session and engaging discussions.

In the afternoon, Jerome Jugno, Senior Program Manager for Leadership and Strategic Communication at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines , provided insights into KAS’ work in the Philippines 🇵🇭 and answered participants’ questions 💡

We concluded the day with a networking dinner alongside KASYP Philippines alumni, continuing exchange and strengthening connections 🌐.

📣 KASYP 17.1 Political Parties in Democratic Societies I 22nd–28th February 2026 I Cebu, Philippines 🇵🇭✨

📅 Day 1 – 23rd February 2026

A strong start to a new journey! 🚀 Today marked the first day of KASYP Batch 17, beginning with welcome remarks by Andreas Klein 👋 and a programme orientation by Dessy Hristova 🧭, setting the stage for an engaging and insightful week.

Together with Prof. Julio Teehankee , Professor of Political Science and International Studies at De La Salle University, participants then explored key dimensions of Asian party politics, including:

✅ Ideational foundations of Asian political parties 🧠
✅ Historical and institutional development of party systems 📚
✅Party organization and voter mobilization 🗳️
✅Comparative perspectives trough an interactive World Café ☕🌏

Day 1 laid the foundation for a week full of learning, connecting 🤝 and lively exchange 💬. We are excited to continue this on the following days! ✨