Creating African Conservation Leaders

African Leadership University

The African Leadership University (ALU) School of Wildlife Conservation (SOWC), founded in 2016, exists to ensure the sustainable economic development of the African continent. We aim to transform African conservation into an investable economic opportunity. We provide education in the business of wildlife conservation and its best practice, to undergraduates, professionals pursuing the MBA at the ALU School of Business, and managers, professionals, and policy-makers, working in areas related to conservation and the business of conservation.

We do this through the unique, mission-driven learning model of the African Leadership University. We teach students the "business of conservation", with an emphasis on "learning through doing" and conducting cutting edge research focused on African wildlife and blue economies. At present, SOWC is the only institution working at scale across Africa, to generate evidence-based insights into the wildlife and blue economies, and to advise national governments from a wildlife economy, blue economy and circular economy policy perspective.

The Levine Family Foundation grant is part of the broader Conservation Leadership Fund, set-up at ALU under SOWC, and will be utilised to offer financial assistance to deserving candidates as follows:

1. Financial aid support to applicants from marine conservation organisations across Africa to undertake the MBA with specialisation in conservation, or a professional development course targeted towards people working in marine conservation, or aspects related to the blue economy. Both programs are designed to create African conservation leaders equipped with the necessary skills to manage successful conservation organisations.

2. Financial assistance to offer immersive on-site learning experiences with successful marine conservation organisations, for excellent and high performing candidates, to ensure that students gain real life hands-on experience of work. We want our students to be challenged and get their “hands dirty”, even as they continue their online learning journey. Supported by mentors and expert marine conservationists, our top MBA and professional development candidates will be provided with great opportunities for marine related capstone projects and topics that address specific areas of need within the African marine conservation sector.