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African Leadership Centre
School of Global Affairs

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Who we are

We explore issues of peace, leadership, development and security. Together with our partners, we seek to inform and influence debate, teaching and learning, as well as policy discourses in both Africa and globally.

We run several master’s and highly competitive fellowship programmes, bringing in talent from across several continents. We hope and believe that our students go on to become the next generation of academics and decision-makers, committed to engendering peace and development in society. To this end, we have trained over 100 African scholars from 22 African countries since 2005, for both academic and policy-oriented careers.

Over the years, we have also attracted some of the most influential African and global thought leaders, diplomats, military personnel, politicians and civil society leaders to lecture and interact with our students.

We have a semi-autonomous research and training sister centre in Nairobi, Kenya. We work closely with that team to deliver joint teaching and research programmes. The African Leadership Centre (ALC) Nairobi also have their own distinct roles, purposes and programmes.

Our commitments

We place great value on effective leadership. Although not exclusively African in our research coverage or student intake, we are nevertheless committed to developing future generations of African leaders.

We train and mentor young people with the potential to lead and enable innovative change in their communities and regions. In turn, we are building the capacity of the communities, institutions and organisations in which they live and work.

Our programmes teach specific leadership and transformational skills. By acting as a forum for transformative discourse on peace, security and development in Africa, we engage our students and researchers in the practical analysis of approaches to security and development.

 

Our partners

We work with international organisations, universities and research / training institutions across the world. We continue to strengthen our global partnerships and demonstrate our commitment to sharing learning and expertise on global challenges. The results have seen an exchange of knowledge and human resources, at both the student and researcher levels. 

Each year, we co-host Africa Week with our partners, which celebrates research, education and outreach activities on Africa. We also work with leaders in the fields of peace, security and development, as part of our Practice of Leadership programme, which aims to expose our students, fellows and researchers to real-world experiences.

Read more about our partnership activities.

Our history

Our Centre grew out of a programme with the Conflict, Security and Development Group (CSDG) in the Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy at King's. In 2005, the Peace and Security Fellowship for African Women was introduced as an initial step in mentoring and knowledge building for Africans.

In 2007, the CSDG worked with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to develop a second fellowship (and mentoring) programme, designed to support African regional organisations, specifically for young African men and women who received MA degrees from King’s. These fellows were subsequently attached to regional organisations.

A third programme, also degree-awarding, was established in 2009, which aimed to develop capacity within African universities.

Discover ALC Nairobi

Our sister centre, the ALC Nairobi was established in 2020 as an educational trust under Kenyan law and in partnership with King's and the University of Nairobi.

The Centre is semi-autonomous, delivering its own well-defined research and training programmes on Africa. Whilst we at King’s focus on training students on leadership, security and development issues across the Global South, the ALC Nairobi has a distinct agenda, aiming to transform the African continent.

Our fellowship programmes in both Nairobi and London have trained over 100 African scholars for both academic and policy oriented careers.

Developing future generations of African leaders

Professor 'Funmi Olonisakin, co-founder of the ALC, speaks about one our visits to Nigeria, when we connected with local Nigerians through music.

This is one example of our commitment to develop future generations of African leaders, inspiring them to make positive changes for a better future.

Listen to ALC Radio

ALC Pan-African Radio is a public interest radio with a core focus on peace, security and leadership in Africa. It serves audiences across Africa and in the Diaspora.

Programmes broadcasted include discussions on leadership dimensions and responses, as well as all shades of African opinion.

ALC radio

Discover the African Leadership Centre

News and events from the King's Global Institutes

In line with the university’s wider equality, diversity and inclusion statement, the Centre is committed to the provision of equality of opportunity and the recognition and promotion of diversity for all of our students, staff and visitors.

We aim to nurture a collegial, mutually supportive and committed culture among staff, students and visitors. We are committed to providing and promoting an environment in which all people can learn, work and interact freely without fear of discrimination, prejudice or harassment.

We are committed to creating and sustaining a diverse work and learning environment. All students and staff are treated equitably and are not accorded less favourable treatment because of age, marital/civil partnership status, sex, disability, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, family circumstances, religious or political beliefs and transgender status.

The Centre is also committed to enhancing the work-life balance of all staff in relation to caring responsibilities and other issues affecting well-being.