Frequently Asked Questions
The Catalyst Public Policy Champions Programme is an intensive, international executive-style training programme for policymakers and practitioners working on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) and its links to violent extremism (VE).
It equips participants with evidence, practical policy skills, and cross-sectoral networks to design and implement effective, gender-sensitive responses to these intersecting challenges. The programme combines online learning, an in-person executive training in Berlin, applied capstone projects, and engagement with global policy forums.
The programme is designed for professionals with demonstrated policy relevance and experience, including:
Civil servants and regulators at national, sub-national, or regional level
Professionals from international organisations engaged in policy or norm-setting
Technology sector professionals working in Trust & Safety, policy, or enforcement
Civil society practitioners and researchers working on TFGBV, prevention, survivor support, or digital harms
The cohort is intentionally cross-sectoral to enable meaningful exchange between government, tech, civil society, and research communities.
Key thematic areas include:
Forms and mechanisms of TFGBV in digital environments
Online misogyny as ideological infrastructure
Gendered pathways into violent extremism
Platform governance and regulatory approaches
Harm signals, ecosystem mapping, and OSINT-informed analysis
Prevention, intervention, and organisational readiness
Policy design, regulatory innovation, and crisis response
The programme emphasises translating research into actionable policy practice.
Applicants should at minimum have 3-4 years of highly relevant professional experience and work in roles with policy influence or the ability to apply learning within their institution or professional context. Exceptional candidates with slightly different profiles may still be considered if they demonstrate strong relevance and impact potential.
The application process includes:
Submission of an online application (CV + motivation questions + motivational video via online form)
Shortlisting based on eligibility, relevance, and cohort balance
Possible short online interviews
Final selection and onboarding
Selection prioritises policy relevance, diversity of perspectives, and participants’ ability to apply learning in their professional context.
- Prepare your CV and a 90-second video explaining your motivation for applying to this programme.
- Upload the files and fill out the application form here. Time commitment for application - ca. 75 mins.
Applications close Friday, 20 February 2026, 23:59 CET
Successful applicants will be notified by 27 March 2026.
Applications close on Friday, 20 February 2026, 23:59 CET.
Applicants apply as individuals, not as formal institutional representatives. However, the programme values candidates who have sufficient institutional support to apply learning and engage meaningfully in the capstone phase. Applicants should at the very least be able to collect institutional sign-off for their participation in the Programme.
To strengthen peer learning and support implemented impact, public sector applicants are encouraged to apply as dyads - that is, in pairs.
A dyad should consist of two public sector colleagues who are either from the same institution, or from the same country (but different institutions). This approach is intended to help participants co-develop their capstone work, build shared policy momentum within their policy environment, and enhance coordination and uptake of learning back home.
In your application, please specify who you are applying with in the “Applied Impact & Capstone Project” section of the form. Be sure to include the name, organisation, and role of your proposed partner when answering that question.
If you are applying without a partner or your professional context makes a dyad impractical, we are happy to support individual applications also.
Yes. Participation is fully funded, including programme costs, travel, accommodation, and meals for the in-person training in Berlin. There is no participation fee for selected participants.
This is a fully funded programme, and there will be travel and visa assistance for the Berlin-based part of the programme.
The programme runs over approximately six months and includes:
Online foundational learning: Regular online sessions over several weeks (approximately 1–2 days per month)
In-person executive training: Five full days in Berlin, Germany
Capstone project work: Group work and mentorship sessions over several weeks
Participants are expected to engage actively in all phases.
A cohort includes 25 participants. Selection is competitive and aims to build a balanced cohort across sectors, regions, and governance levels, with a strong emphasis on representation from the global majority.
During the programme, participants work in small groups to develop a capstone policy brief or institutional roadmap addressing TFGBV–VE challenges in their own policy or organisational context.
Capstone projects are:
Applied and practice-oriented
Anchored in evidence and harm taxonomies
Designed for real-world implementation
Selected capstones may be presented at a Global Policy Forum.
Graduates become part of an international policy community of practice linked to Project Catalyst and the Christchurch Call ecosystem. This network supports continued peer exchange, collaboration, and engagement with emerging policy debates related to TFGBV and violent extremism.
These are additional engagement opportunities beyond the core training:
The Catalyst Forum is an ongoing policy platform that connects participants to experts, emerging evidence, and peer exchange across the Project Catalyst community.
The Global Policy Forum is a high-level international convening where selected participants can present capstone work, engage with senior policymakers, and participate in advanced executive sessions.
Together, they extend learning beyond the programme and support a lasting community of practice.
Catalyst refers to the broader initiative supported by the Christchurch Call Foundation focused on strengthening global policy responses to harmful online dynamics, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence and violent extremism. The initiative builds on the Christchurch Call, a multistakeholder commitment by governments, tech platforms, and civil society to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online and promote a free, open, and secure internet.
The Hertie School is a leading public policy school in Berlin, Germany, specialising in governance, international affairs, data science for public policy, and public administration. It offers a range of graduate and executive education programmes designed to prepare leaders for complex policy challenges and strengthen governance at national, regional, and global levels. The School combines interdisciplinary research, practice-oriented teaching, and global networks to equip policymakers, practitioners, and decision-makers with evidence-based skills and insights.
The VOX-Pol Institute is a research and insight organisation focused on understanding and responding to online extremism and associated harms. It conducts evidence-based research, provides actionable analysis, and offers training and expert briefings that inform policy and practice on radicalisation, extremist narratives, platform dynamics, and digital ecosystems. VOX-Pol’s work connects academic rigour with real-world policymaking challenges, making it a key partner in shaping responses to hybrid online harms.
