PfAL Events

Every year, The Programme for African Leadership build an ever changing programme of events focused on leadership development and networking. These include workshops, speakers sessions, and social events. The schedule changes year to year, but PfALers can expect the following:

PfAL Welcome Event​

The PfAL Welcome Event marks the beginning of the year for the leadership programme. It brings together our cohort, FLIA leadership, and key stakeholders to connect with our young leaders.

Ubuntu Café​

PfAL hosts the Ubuntu Café twice a year. It is a celebration of African thought and culture. It offers an ever-changing opportunity for the public, staff, and partners to engage with Africa, PfAL, and connect with one another.​

PfAL has been an inspiring forum to challenge myself and other enthusiastic young Africans to learn from each other.

Leadership Workshops​

The leadership workshops build on organisational psychology and concepts of positive African leadership to spark debate around leadership and its ethical dilemmas. Students are encouraged to think critically about collaboration, practical leadership, and the diverse forms leadership takes across the world. The value of Ubuntu is central to these workshops. The principle of “I am because we are” fosters an ethos of inclusive, collaborative leadership. It guides programme discussions on what effective leadership means across different cultural and social contexts.​

Africa2050 Workshops and Debate​

The Africa2050 workshops and debate explore how Africa can leverage its opportunities and navigate its challenges to shape a better future. The two core sessions focus on Africa’s shifting geopolitical landscape, understanding country risk and how to assess it, and mapping the flow of capital across regions. The debate enables PfALers to apply their knowledge and demonstrate contextual understanding.​

Dissertation Workshops ​

These workshops are designed as a supplementary resource to build understanding, boost confidence, and equip students with the knowledge needed to start and complete their dissertations successfully. The sessions cover dissertation structure, common pitfalls, and include Q&A segments to offer tailored guidance.​

Inter-University Africa Debates​

The Inter-University Africa Debates are Oxford-style debates on key African themes featuring teams from universities across the UK. They promote fresh perspectives and discourse while developing participants’ critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills.​

Unleash Africa Projects​

The Unleash Africa Projects offer students an opportunity to design feasible, Africa-centred solutions—products or services—to real-world challenges on the continent, with the goal of pitching a viable social venture. Aligned with the African Union’s youth priority areas, the initiative helps students develop project management, problem-solving, entrepreneurial, and communication skills, with the potential to secure funding to bring their vision to life.