Admissions have opened for this year’s Saltire Fellowship, a scheme that aims to fast-track Scotland’s next generation of business leaders and enable them to learn in an international setting.

The programme includes a period of work and study at the world-renowned Babson College in Boston, America, a visit to China, and training and work placements at key companies in Scotland, with the opportunity to work on major projects, network with business leaders and meet employers.

Applications for the eight month fellowship, run by the Saltire Foundation, are open to businessmen and women of all ages who are able to prove that they have gained appropriate work experience and have a commitment to career development.

Places cost £23,600, which includes flights and accommodation, with bursaries available to offset the costs for some participants.

Amina Nabi, a Saltire Fellow in 2010, is now the non-executive director of innovation at the Glasgow company FreeFlow Global, which makes hi-tech bikes. She says her time with the programme has made an important contribution to her career development. “The Saltire Foundation has significantly contributed to my focus, personal development and ability to think globally,” she says. “I also have an unparalleled peer network of Saltire Fellows who all have to same drive and determination to drive change with innovative ideas and enterprise solutions for the Scottish community and the world at large.”

Applications for the Saltire Fellowship close on January 9 2012 www.saltirefoundation.com.