Creating African Conservation Leaders

African Leadership University

The African Leadership University (ALU) School of Wildlife Conservation (SOWC), founded in 2016, exists to ensure the sustainable economic development of the African continent. We aim to transform African conservation into an investable economic opportunity. We provide education in the business of wildlife conservation and its best practice, to undergraduates, professionals pursuing the MBA at the ALU School of Business, and managers, professionals, and policy-makers, working in areas related to conservation and the business of conservation.

We do this through the unique, mission-driven learning model of the African Leadership University. We teach students the "business of conservation", with an emphasis on "learning through doing" and conducting cutting edge research focused on African wildlife economies. At present, SOWC is the only institution working at scale across Africa, to generate evidence-based insights into the wildlife economy and to advise national governments from a wildlife economy and circular economy policy perspective.

The Levine Family Foundation grant will be part of the broader Conservation Leadership Fund, set-up at ALU under SOWC, and will be utilised to cover fees and costs associated with internships and exchange programmes for deserving candidates as follows:

1. Bursaries and financial aid support to students from marine conservation organisations across Africa, to undertake either an undergraduate degree, the MBA with specialisation in conservation, or a professional development course.

2. Internships and hubs exchange programmes, for undergraduate students taking a conservation focused degree. Student performance during this period will be formally assessed as part of the degree.