ISAR launches Masters in Leadership!

There is a critical need in Africa today for excellence in leadership! One only needs to scan the pages of the newspapers of Africa’s capitol cities to discover how acute the need is. Article after article exposes the corruption, ineptitude, and hubris that characterizes our political, economic, and religious leadership. The resulting human suffering created by the greed and dysfunctionality of leaders is staggering. Bad leaders inflict great evil on men, women and children, e.g. "Scores face starvation as leaders bicker" (Standard, 09-02-09). As the biblical wise man wrote: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan."

There is a critical need in Africa today for excellence in leadership!

Africa International University has launched a new degree programme to begin to address this situation. On 26th January a cohort of 16 remarkable students, all of them experienced leaders, began a one week intensive residency. The lectures, classroom discussions and interactions were intense, practical, grounded in real life experience, and rooted in God’s Word. This process will be repeated two times each year for three years. The outcome will be the granting of a Masters degree in Organizational Leadership for the 16 executives/learners who began the journey together.

The objective of the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership degree program is to provide an interactive educational experience which results in qualitative change in the leader’s life, relationships, and leadership practices. It focuses on the specific needs and issues facing Christian leaders in organizations.

Some topics addressed by the MA Program are servant leadership, wise stewardship of human resources, financial management, assessment of the cultural and economic realities of the region where the leader serves, and strategic management in a world that is in constant change. All of the MA courses are taught and written from a Biblical perspective.

program Distinctives:

This program is a strategic partnership between AIU and Development Associates International. Students can continue working in their full-time positions while pursuing their studies because the program is a blended program with a significant distance education component. The MA Program emphasizes interactive learning, problem solving, peer mentoring and application of principles to everyday leadership.

Although the residency component of the learning experience is only one week in length, the members of the cohort continue their learning activities for the entire six months between residencies. Courses are conducted using the appropriate distance education curricular formats. Dialogue with faculty/ mentors will be occurring by various means (including interactive teaching, e-mail, telephone and fax).

Faculty/ Mentors are responsible for coaching and facilitating the dialogue with their cohort group, both individually and collectively, during each course period. Students have practical projects where they apply course content to their current leadership role, and teach it to others. Written assignments are also required.

Additional cohorts are being formed and any person currently in a leadership position who desires to become a more effective and skillful leader is welcome to apply for admission. (Applicants must have a university degree.) Interested persons can contact christine.mutua@negst.edu

As they returned to their places of service, members of the first cohort made the following comments:

"We ad a beautiful launch…there were 5 different nationalities in our cohort and we each brought a wealth of experience that enriched the group experience."

"This programme is an answer to my prayer…It has opened up my mind. I feel like a changed person…like I’m converted."

"it is so revealing…it is even revealing my weaknesses as a leader."

"This particular cohort has a range of experience and a depth of experience that is going to make it very exciting…"

"The first few days have been really stimulating…"

"What makes it really unique and pertinent for the African context at this time is that it’s about Christ-centered leadership…"

"It’s exciting to be among a group of leaders dedicated to transforming society…"

Because the needs of the expanding Christian movement on the African continent are so complex, leadership for churches and Christian institutions must have the highest level of training. The Masters degree in Organizational Leadership is dedicated to the development of excellence in leadership in order to empower Christians to become the major force in the development of African nations.

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