The African Leadership University (ALU), has opened its Kigali Learning Hub, Rwanda. It succeeds two others that were previously established in Kampala, Uganda, and Nairobi, Kenya.
Learning hubs across Africa will be established as part of the ALU’s five-year strategy, which was announced last year. This will help to educate a new generation of entrepreneurs and ethical leaders for Africa.
The new strategy focuses on increasing accessibility, directing students towards missions rather than majors, as well as allowing them to learn by doing.
Fred Swaniker, founder of ALU, stated that learning hubs would allow students to learn in their own communities and to interact with real-world problems.
“The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led to the creation of the hub model. Online learning was found to be less effective and lonely when it comes to student engagement. He stated that we needed something that was COVID-proof so students could interact with their peers at least in small groups.
Swaniker says they were designed to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and community building within close proximity to the communities students are expected to serve through their missions.
ALU’s five year strategy for Africa includes the establishment of hubs.
Poor infrastructure is one of Africa’s biggest challenges in the education sector. Young leaders can access infrastructure here at a lower price than when they travel from their mother campuses in Rwanda or Mauritius,” he said. He also said that they have the opportunity of engaging with local industry experts and visiting professors.
Veda, the CEO of African Leadership University, said that the new model will allow us to optimize for learner-centricity and peer learning. We are confident in our ability to prepare our students for the real-world by empowering them with their learning, bringing closer to the systems they want to make a difference, and distributing our pan African community throughout Africa.
At the launch ceremony
A select group ALU students is currently participating with Design Hub Kampala in a 3-month experiential learning program.
A second group of ALU students will participate in a unique immersive program in Silicon Valley, California in collaboration with the Carnegie Foundation.
“I’m very excited about going to Silicon Valley and I hope to network with the world’s biggest pool of entrepreneurs during my stay,” said Kelly Jessica Hirwa, a second-year student at ALU.
“At first we didn’t understand how this works but now we know this is just another space for us to be closer to our missions and easily access the internet and other learning materials. This will also give value to our degrees since we’re equipped with outside classroom experience,” she added.
ALU admits students to spend four months at mother campuses where they will take in-person classes. Students then return to their country/cities to continue their program online or at hubs. ALU plans to create multiple hubs in refugee camps and rural areas of each country to improve education accessibility. Students will be able access any hub on the continent.
Learning hubs are COVID-proof
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Source: rnewtimes