For too long, the conservation space has been dominated by inefficiency and waste. Consequently, we are now facing an extinction crisis that is the most extreme our planet has ever witnessed. As a direct result of human activity, damage to the natural environment has reached unprecedented levels and, if we are to save ourselves from disaster, new models for managing the natural capital of planet earth are required. The business of conservation is about creating and maintaining economic incentives for the sustainable utilisation of wild resources and removing economic incentives which drive unsustainable use. It is about finding ways for conservation to become an opportunity for economic and social development, where natural capital is sustained or grown even as we attend to the needs of human beings.
Christophe Nsengiyumva The Linkage Between Wildlife, Governance, and Economic Growth in Africa Introduction … Wildlife resources are reliable sources of
The African Leadership University’s School of Wildlife Conservation opens the first marine hub in Kenya to enable the next generation
Debate I A debate on whether or not the UK should ban the importation of hunting trophies The much-anticipated launch
Lara Dendy Young I am Lara Dendy Young, Co-Founder of Conservation Club, based in Cape Town South Africa. As a
Why consider a Career in Conservation? By Deborah Oluwagbeminiyi Akintayo I was a young Nigerian girl in Lagos. Tired and
Ecovironment Tackles Plastic Pollution Through Commercializing Plastic Bricks And Tiles In Sierra Leone. “I grew up in the Bumeh Slum-
Supporting young leaders at the African Leadership University: Critically important is our support to all ALU students undertaking degree courses. Through the school we aim to expose as many future African leaders as possible to conservation, with the expectation that a significant subset of these leaders will focus on conservation as their life’s mission and ultimately engage in conservation efforts on the continent. For those who choose missions focused on the conservation space we support them with consistent high quality expertise and mentoring, access to high quality information, regular guest speaker sessions from experts across Africa and other parts of the world as well as impactful internship opportunities from our wide network of conservation partners.
We deliver a Conservation MBA (currently in redevelopment to be relaunched in early 2023) and run a suite of executive development courses focused on leadership and various aspects of cutting edge conservation. We have become a hub for the wildlife economy of Africa through our world class Research programme. We also deliver the world renowned Business of Conservation Conference (BCC) once annually in Kigali, and regularly support innovation accelerators for people with new ideas about how to transform the conservation space.
We are on a mission to create the next generation of entrepreneurial African conservation leaders who we know will thrive in the booming green economy that is emerging across the continent. From carbon markets, to green financing and protected area management, we have the ability to support student choices and passions across a wide range of different areas. If you want to live and learn at the cutting edge of modern education, then join us at the School of Wildlife Conservation.
We look forward to welcoming you.
The aim of our research is to gather data and information to illustrate the value of wildlife to economies and through this to encourage investment in this important economic asset. The research process will also highlight data gaps and encourage the collection of data related to wildlife economies in order to better understand the vast contribution of wildlife resources to national economies.
We offer an individually tailored undergraduate program, a BA in Global Challenges with a specialization in conservation, to empower students to drive innovative solutions to Africa’s conservation challenges.
The MBA for Conservation Leaders combines world-class business education with cutting-edge training in leadership and conservation management. It prepares mid-career conservation leaders for the next stage of their careers.
We convene a wide array of stakeholders to promote best practices, strengthen networks, and collectively tackle the challenges of conservation. The first of these was the 2018 BCC which hosted 300 leaders from conservation, ecotourism, politics, conservation philanthropy and investors.
The School develops and delivers Executive Development courses to mid-career professionals designed to upskill or provide new skills in various areas that are critical to the business of conservation, as well as supply leadership training. The programs also provide a platform for participants to expand their professional networks across the African continent and beyond, opening new opportunities for collaboration with conservation peers
A citizen of Ghana, Fred Swaniker grew up in Botswana and Zimbabwe, both countries blessed with wildlife. However, like the majority of his peers, his family could never afford to visit the high-end game reserves in these countries. He vividly remembers during his college years in the United States that his peers would ask him if he had seen a lion or an elephant. He would uncomfortably respond that he had indeed seen such animals–but in a zoo! It was only when Fred returned to Africa–this time to South Africa–that he had the opportunity to visit the Kruger National Park. He was immediately awestruck by the wildlife and breathtaking landscapes he experienced in the bush, and vowed that he would find a way to ensure that future generations of Africans would also be able enjoy such incredible experiences. He also realized that unless Africa’s wildlife became an ‘African asset’–something that all Africans–not only wealthy foreign tourists could see the benefits of–African communities would have no incentives to conserve habitat and wildlife. Years later, when Fred founded African Leadership University, he saw it as a vehicle to address the ‘Grand Challenges’ and ‘Great Opportunities’ that Africa would encounter over the next 50 years. The conservation of Africa’s wildlife was high on his list of African opportunities and Fred envisioned a school within the university that would develop leaders for conservation. But his wish would remain a dream until he reconnected with his longtime friend, financial backer, and philanthropist Jennifer Oppenheimer in mid-2016. As it turned out, Jennifer had been thinking along the same lines as Fred.
In memoriam of Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer
A seed funder for African Leadership University, the late Jennifer (Fern) W. Oppenheimer was instrumental in the establishment of the pan-African university in 2013. Three years later–in mid 2016–Jennifer approached the University’s founder, Fred Swaniker, with an idea to create a new generation of African leaders who would lead efforts to safeguard Africa’s natural resources and wildlife. Her vision, shared by ALU, was to ensure that Africa’s wildlife becomes a truly valuable ‘asset’ that is enjoyed by Africans and the world, and that contributes to the sustainable development of Africa. Jennifer subsequently provided seed funding to enable the establishment of the ALU School of Wildlife Conservation.
The ALU School of Wildlife Conservation is the first of its kind on the continent, dedicated to growing the next generation of world class conservation leaders in Africa.
The continent needs home grown African leaders to spearhead new and innovative approaches in the business of conservation.
Bumbogo, Kigali Innovation City, Next to Azam, Kigali, Rwanda
Phone: +250 784 650 219
sowc@alueducation.com
