Applications are now open for the 2026 UNU-IAS Global Leadership Training Programme for Sustainable Development in Africa!

Ednah Carrick December 8, 2025

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Closing Date: 21 December 2025

Applications are now open for the 2026 UNU-IAS Global Leadership Training Programme for Sustainable Development in Africa!

Are you a Master’s or PhD student interested in sustainable development in Africa? Join UNU-IAS Global Leadership Training Programme for Sustainable Development in Africa!

Gain insights from leading African scholars on topics such as governance, public management and social innovation
Develop practical skills in strategic planning and community mobilization tailored to Africa’s unique development challenges
Build a network of professionals and peers committed to sustainability

Global Leadership Training Programme for Sustainable Development in Africa

Equipping future global leaders with skills and strategies to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs in Africa. Applications for the 2026 programme are now open.

This intensive certificate course is designed for postgraduate students in the field of international development and sustainability with an interest in Africa. It is conducted by UNU-IAS in collaboration with New York University and the University of Johannesburg. The course will provide an opportunity to learn from African leaders about innovative leadership, democracy, civic engagement and public policy. It includes lectures, workshops and activities developed by scholars and practitioners in a range of fields (e.g., health, education, technology, engineering, environmental studies, governance, law/human rights) from the public and private sectors across Africa.

A variety of online teaching modalities and resources will enable participants to consider diverse leadership approaches and strategies to strengthen community and civil society engagement, advance human rights, and contribute to sustainable development across the continent. Participants who successfully complete the programme will be awarded a certificate.

Language

This programme will be conducted in English.

Eligibility

Postgraduate students enrolled in master’s and doctoral programmes who are interested in international cooperation and the SDGs in Africa.

Schedule

The sessions will be conducted online from 9 January to 6 February 2026 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 17:00–19:00 in Tokyo (JST/UCT+9) and 10:00–12:00 in South Africa (SAST/UCT+2).

Learning Outcomes

The goals for the programme are:

Create opportunities to engage with African leaders across fields and disciplines (health, education, environment, governance, technology, human rights, etc.) to learn from their leadership skills and understand the strategies they employ to promote sustainable development initiatives, particularly the SDGs.
Build a network of Asian and African development practitioners (faculty, researchers, staff and graduate students) and facilitate collaboration between organizations on both continents to advance progress on the SDGs and key research priorities.
Create learning opportunities for all participants to discuss best practices in governance, community mobilization, public management and social innovation, assess their relevance in a range of African contexts and apply as appropriate.
Build agenda setting, strategic planning and community engagement skills to foster ethical, relevant and context-specific development practices, while advancing each participant’s professional learning objectives and addressing key development planning needs.

Expected Speakers

GLTP Coordinator: Carol Ann Spreen (Professor, New York University, USA)
GLTP Coordinator: Salim Vally (Professor, University of Johannesburg, South Africa)
Tshilidzi Marwala (Rector, UNU; Under-Secretary-General of the UN)
Philip Osano (Chief Operating Officer, CIFOR-ICRAF, Kenya)
Prof. Natasha Shivji (Tanzania) and Hon. Hanif Vally (South Africa)
Prof. Faisal Garba and Yao Graham (Ghana)
Prof. Hibist Kasa (Ethiopia)

Background

Since 2013 UNU-IAS has implemented the Global Leadership Training Programme in Africa (GLTP) with support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT). Designed to provide Japanese postgraduate students with opportunities to conduct field research in Africa, it has been redeveloped in 2021 as an online training course to enhance understanding of diverse issues in Africa from global and local perspectives.