Leadership in Society 5.0

A new open eLearning course from ASEF

Discover what it means to lead in a world where technology and society are increasingly interconnected. This new open course brings together expert insights from the ASEF Young Leaders Summit and introduces the foundations of Society 5.0 and the kinds of leadership needed to shape it in ethical, inclusive, and sustainable ways

Learn at your own pace through expert sessions, discussion forums, and quizzes.

Introduction

Between 2023 and 2025, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) organised the ASEF Young Leaders Summit (ASEFYLS) around the theme of Leadership in Society 5.0. Across these editions, the programme invited young people, practitioners, and experts to explore how leadership must evolve in response to a more digitally integrated and human-centred society.

Society 5.0 is a concept from Japan that describes “a human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space.” ASEF used this idea as a framework to examine how young leaders can prepare for an ethical, sustainable, inclusive, and digital future.

About the course

This open eLearning course compiles sessions from ASEFYLS on the topic of Leadership in Society 5.0 and makes them accessible to a wider audience. It offers a structured introduction to the concept of Society 5.0 and explores what it takes to lead in this new phase of society.

Through the course, learners will engage with expert perspectives, reflect on emerging societal challenges, and build a stronger understanding of leadership in a rapidly changing world. The content is designed for anyone interested in youth leadership, technology, inclusion, ethics, and social transformation.

What you’ll find

• Expert-led sessions drawn from ASEFYLS editions focused on Leadership in Society 5.0.

• An introduction to the foundations and key themes of Society 5.0.

• Reflections on leadership that is ethical, inclusive, and sustainable in a technology-shaped future.

• Discussion forums where participants can exchange insights and continue the conversation with fellow learners.

• Quizzes at the end of each section to help reinforce learning.

Who it’s for

This course is for students, young professionals, educators, youth practitioners, and anyone curious about the future of leadership in a changing society. It is especially relevant for those interested in how technology, values, and human-centred approaches can come together to address complex social challenges.

You can create an account on our eLearning Platform here to access the course!

Any questions, please contact us at asefyls@asef.org