Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

The University of Texas at Austin has hosted a Leadership in Business Institute for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders since its launch in 2014. The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), empowers young African leaders through academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities and local community engagement.  YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across the African continent. 

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and with the health, safety and well-being of Fellows and Partners as the highest priority, the U.S. Department of State is planning a virtual Fellowship for 2021. While remaining in their home countries, Fellows will participate in virtual Leadership Institutes, which will include leadership training, networking, mentoring and professional development.

During the six weeks of UT Austin’s Leadership in Business Institute, 25 emerging leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa are immersed in a world-class Business and Leadership Institute developed in collaboration with the McCombs School of Business. This dynamic and holistic program design increases the fellows’ business acumen to address the complex issues facing the continent with the expressed goal of shaping the future of Africa – and the world.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX.  The University of Texas at Austin is a sub-grantee of IREX and is implementing a Leadership Institute as a part of the Fellowship. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit mandelawashingtonfellowship.org and join the conversation at #YALI2021.