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The challenge vs.
the solution

The Challenge

Africa’s public service practitioners grapple with a unique set of challenges, each particular to their portfolios.  While Africa's public sector leaders have done much work to improve policy environments in Africa, much more still needs to be done to reach implementation and public service delivery targets that meet the needs of their citizens.

Public sector leaders are the front line of implementation and can be empowered to better serve their citizens – with a subtle shift in mindset and the relevant tools and products.

The Solution

Digital tools, products and technologies can assist African governments to achieve their vision for public service delivery. The CRA partners with governments to show public sector leaders the significance of adopting product management practices and how they will radically transform the way public services are developed.

Through our innovative programmes, the Center capacitates public sector representatives to be agents of social change by having an impact on the way they view the operation of public services; developing leaders who can implement a vision of excellence for Africa.

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ABOUT

The Public Sector
Fellowship

This is the inaugural initiative under the CRA, and is specifically tailored to provide training for mid-to-senior leaders within the Public Sector.

The programme is for leaders with significant influence in the implementation of public projects, and is designed to empower participants to deeply understand the needs of their citizens; create social services that adequately meet those needs, and use the principles of product thinking to consistently provide those services at scale. 

Admitted fellows join a community of practice dedicated to driving digital transformation within the public sector. The program consists of two distinct phases, beginning with a comprehensive 12-month training program.

Structured 12-month

During this intensive 12-month period, fellows undergo a rigorous process that emphasizes the acquisition of new skills and the cultivation of a service-oriented mindset, tailored to meet the evolving needs of the citizens.

Lifelong Learning

Phase 2 of the program signifies a lifelong commitment to continuous learning and the practical application of lessons learned during phase 1 to enhance service delivery. This period focuses on providing ongoing support and resources to fellows as they execute their projects within the public sector. Fellows continue to receive guidance and assistance throughout their journey, enabling them to effectively implement their initiatives and make tangible improvements in service delivery.

As part of the programme, public sector leaders will gain critical leadership skills and insight into the benefits of digital technologies and their potential to increase quality of life, ease of doing business, citizen and investor satisfaction and economic growth.

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Challenging Leaders to Get The Job Done

This fellowship programme is not a typical senior leadership development course; it’s about building an implementation community of leaders who are focused on solving the needs of the citizens. The programme focuses more on sharing practical knowledge than it does on exchanging theoretical knowledge. Fellows are equipped with the product management mindset  to advance service delivery.

User-centered vs solution-centered

—selected fellows will be required to work on projects throughout the fellowship and show results for their accomplishments.

Problem-solving as an iterative affair

—the outcome is not a one-time goal, it is a continuous upwards cycle. Utilize agility and greater focus in learning more about the customer’s needs and master predictive problem-solving.

Outcomes are greater than outputs

 —the end game is not the implemented solution. Track towards the desired outcome which is always the overarching impact of the solution to the user.

The 12-month Fellowship Offers

The CRA plays a crucial role in cultivating a citizen-centric mindset and fostering the development of solutions tailored to meet the needs of the citizens. To achieve this, we actively engage in six core program pillars that form the foundation of our approach.

1

Skills
Workshops

Tailored training in customer-centric thinking and leadership aimed at unlearning outdated methods and relearning the core skills to drive effective execution in the public sector.

2

Intensives

In-person facilitated sessions held each quarter; sessions focus on sharing experiences, learnings and assessing impact within the group.

3

Peer Group
Discussions

 Peer review mechanisms to drive accountability, foster the sharing of best practices and build a community of diverse public sector leaders

4

Coaching
Sessions

Regular, structured coaching sessions with executive leadership coaches to provide guidance on issues of personal and professional development.

5

Mentorship

Led by experienced product coaches who are leading the implementation of user-centered solutions.

6

Results
Showcase

Periodic presentations to peers, programme staff, ministry/agency stakeholders, the presidency, the media and other external guests.

The fellowship is thoughtfully designed to empower participants to solve real-world problems, ideate projects that provide solutions. It provides a platform for individuals to tackle pressing issues, explore impactful solutions, and foster a collaborative environment that promotes successful execution of their projects.

Intensive 1

Identify the problem – “fall in love with the problem” you are solving in the public sector.

Intensive 2

Testing & validating the solution. Collect early stage data from prototype/ MVP from rollout.

Intensive 3

Improving MVP based on feedback and analysis of collected data. Roll out MVP to bigger target audience.

Intensive 4

Product/service (solution) launched on a larger scale with more users. Collect feedback & keep improving.

Intensive 5

Summarize progress of the public sector project into a case study and showcase.

**Indicative host locations for progress immersives in 2023-2024 based on the nationality composition of admitted fellows.

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Meet the
Facilitators

Chidi Afulezi

Chidi Afulezi is a product guy, creative, teacher, and digital operator, and entrepreneur with a day job as Managing Principal of redKola Digital, a product and digital transformation company. He is also a Managing Partner at theZVG—a communications products agency and consultancy.

As an educator, he serves as Head Faculty for Product, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the ALU School of Business, and as a Product Management instructor at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, and at General Assembly.

Prior to embarking on his entrepreneurial path, Chidi served in an assortment of product executive roles at AT&T, Sony Music, Time Warner, culminating as Director of Product Management, Mobile and Connected Devices for Turner Broadcasting.

Dr. Ruwayne Kock

Dr Ruwayne Kock is an award winning organisational psychologist who works as a practitioner and academic across industries, levels and geographies. He has extensive global experience in leadership development, talent management, executive coaching, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). 

Dr Kock holds a Doctorate in Commerce in the field of industrial and organisational psychology from the College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg. 

He serves as Head of Faculty for Leadership at the African Leadership University School of Business

Community

Hear from our
Fellows

Developing solutions that reflect local development and social service priorities

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10 Sep
Case Study

Rwanda: Pioneering e-Procurement in Africa

Keeping the procurement process simple and cost efficient is a major challenge that every government faces. Despite best efforts, the public procurement process is often lengthy, complex, and...
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African Leadership University (ALU) is an organization under the African Leadership Group. We belong to a lifelong ecosystem for developing African leaders.

Our mission is to develop ethical, entrepreneurial and innovation leaders who will lead the transformation of the African continent.

We believe Africa has the potential to be the go-to source for talent and leaders to drive the continent’s development.

We have two undergraduate institutions in Mauritius and Rwanda. Our post-graduate institutions include a Business School and a School of Wildlife Conservation.

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Contact Us

  • Bumbogo, Kigali Innovation City, Next to Azam,Kigali, Rwanda
  • cra@alueducation.com

Thank you for your interest in applying for the ALU Public Sector Fellowship.

Our current application cycle for the next class is closed. If you would like to be notified about future applications,

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