IE University announces the inaugural cohort of its Gurus and Griots fellowship program
IE University has announced the inaugural cohort of its premier Gurus and Griots fellowship program. The program is an academic accelerator hosted by the IE Africa Center that puts African and Afro-descendent leaders front and center as educators and representatives of IE University.
The fellowship for African and Afro-descendent leaders in business, policy, and academia will address global challenges and help develop and showcase the unique perspectives of the Fellows, incorporating their work into the IE University ecosystem.
The program, which will run through December 2021, merges the realms of practice and academia. It derives its name from the use of the word gurus to denote those influential ideas or theories in business, and griots, a West African term for storytellers, poets, and musicians, known to carry a wealth of tradition.
As Gurus and Griots actively weaves African and diasporic perspectives into course materials and initiatives across the institution, Fellows will serve as high-profile representatives of the university, developing academic content, and receive priority consideration for positions as adjunct professors in IE University’s degree-granting programs. Additionally, the cohort will form an advisory panel who will be influential in reimagining ways of learning and thinking about business and public affairs through an African and Afro-diasporic lens.
“At the IE Africa Center, where we consider Africa both a continent and a people, our mission is to shine a light on African solutions to global challenges. With the launch of Gurus and Griots, we are inviting African and Afro-descendent leaders to share their experience and expertise with a worldwide community of learners, dreamers, and doers.” said Felicia Appenteng, Chair, IE Africa Center.
“We are a global university that values not only equity but also practicality. Intertwining the insights and accomplishments of African and Afro-descendant experts and academics into the heart of educational experience is not only our responsibility as educators but an opportunity to advance a new model of learning,” said IE University President Santiago Iñiguez.
“At the School of Global and Public Affairs we believe in a truly global world recognizing the uniqueness and importance of each region,” said Susana Malcorra Dean of the IE School of Global and Public Affairs. “We join Gurus & Griots to better understand Africa's challenges and opportunities and, most importantly, to dive into the creativity and energy of its people in finding solutions.”
