Founded in 2014 by Jonathan Cook, a former director of Gordon Institute of Business Science, and Rebecca Harrison, a social entrepreneur and foreign correspondent, African Management Institute (AMI) is a truly modern learning organization. Its blended approach of experiential learning and online classroom resources allows students to gain entrepreneurship skills and business savviness at their own speed and according to their particular needs. AMI runs twelve programs of varying lengths and skill levels, including a management training institute for larger companies, business-development-support programs for SMEs and a youth leadership program. Its Survive to Thrive program is aimed at helping small businesses affected by major disruptions in their markets. The programs are low-cost or fully sponsored by a third party, and the technology-forward approach makes them accessible to both early-stage entrepreneurs and more established companies. “They’re not just learning theory outside of the workplace but, more importantly, skills to use inside the workplace,” says Diederik Wokke, country manager for AMI in Rwanda. “No matter where you are in your career or in your business, you’ll always be able to identify areas where you might be lagging behind and our programs can help you improve.”  

AMI’s teaching model is based on best-in-class research on adult learning: 70 percent hands-on experience, 20 percent learning skills and 10 percent theory. Examples of hands-on learning include picking up bookkeeping or developing customer service skills. Typically, entrepreneurs who take part in the program meet for an in-person orientation and then continue to learn through an online platform as they build their business, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused the program to adapt and go fully online. Diederik says, “A real advantage is that we had a lot of experience before this all started. It was quite an easy shift, because it was not like we needed to go from full classroom model to an online model. That helped us to pivot very quickly.”

Be curious.
The most important thing we’re looking for is curiosity, and tied into that is an intrinsic motivation to learn. 

Have internet access.
It doesn’t need to be an amazing high-speed connection, but reliable access is a practical requirement.

Be willing to experiment in the workplace.
You need to be willing to experiment and take your learning into the workplace. It’s not just about learning great theory, but also about being willing to make the changes in your everyday life. 

Be collaborative.
We place a strong emphasis on peer learning and working together on solutions. If you’re willing to talk about issues, you’re going to get a lot out of our programs. 

Students per year: 1,500

‍

africanmanagers.org

Main photo by African Management Institute