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Scholarships at Oxford University for Africa’s senior public servants
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has opened applications for the second class of its AIG Public Leaders Programme offered in partnership with the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
Application for the programme, which opened on the 27th of January 2022, is targeted at exceptional leaders working in the public sector across Africa with a minimum of seven-years of active service in the sector and occupying a directorate level position.
The Foundation, created by Nigerian investor and philanthropist, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, also disclosed that scholarships will be awarded to 100 African public servants for the 2022 cycle of the Public Leaders Programme.
Aig-Imoukhuede, who serves as chairman of the Foundation, said the mission is to transform public sector delivery in Africa by building capacity in the public sector workforce.
He further emphasised that the programme offers public servants across Africa a unique opportunity to access a world class training programme that will enhance their professional skill set and leadership abilities and empower them to be more effective in their roles.
“It gives us enormous pleasure to be able to offer scholarships to exceptional public sector leaders who are committed to building a better Africa,” he stressed.
Ngaire Woods, dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, said; “We are delighted to see the AIG Public Leaders Programme run again after such a successful first year as part of our long-standing partnership with the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation.”
The Blavatnik School, he explained, specially designs executive programmes for public leaders to ensure that participants learn from world-renowned scholars, outstanding practitioners, and from one another, taking into account the current context for public sector leadership in Africa and the challenges of an increasingly complex and dynamic world.
Recounting her experience, Ada Phil-Ugochukwu, a programme alumna and assistant director/head of policy and strategy at the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate in Imo State, Nigeria, she said was deeply engaged, interrogating both personal and professional assumptions across a wide range of public service subjects.
“Participating in the public leaders programme was a priceless opportunity to improve my professional skill set and the services I deliver to the public,” she said.
Olufesobi Bright, an alumnus and deputy chief planning officer at the National Petroleum Investment Management Services in Lagos, said taking tough decisions in challenging times is part of the public service job.
Bright noted that the public leaders programme enabled him to develop a clearer view on how to approach complex problems and make decisions that meet stakeholder expectations without compromising his integrity.
“It was a privilege to be tutored by world-class experts from the University of Oxford,” he added.
Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, executive vice-chair of the Foundation said the programme is an investment not only in the individuals who are selected to participate in the programme but also an investment in our continent, in line with our vision to close the gap between Africa and the rest of the world.
“Our commitment to the improvement of the public sector across Africa means that this year, applications are invited from all African countries,” she noted.
The programme comprises seven weeks of world-class training led by an excellent faculty from the University of Oxford, who through a blend of online sessions and classroom discussions, simulations, real-world exercises, and group work, provide participants with an unparalleled opportunity to develop the conceptual frameworks and practical tools they need to meet the challenges of today’s rapidly changing and complex world.
