Welcome to IAI
Our Mission & Expertise
The INSEAD Africa Initiative (IAI) marks another step in INSEAD’s long and rich relationship with Africa. As Africa progresses on its journey of economic, societal and environmental progress, Business is playing a key role in driving that transition. The Africa Initiative aims to develop and disseminate the best of business thought leadership, teaching and research on this vast and diverse continent of 54 countries, great linguistic and cultural heritage, unique values and natural resources, and incredible ingenuity and flair for innovation. We believe that business has tremendous potential to be a force for good in Africa, aided by leaders who value social impact and are committed to the UN Sustainability Development Goals to drive these positive changes.
We believe that sound business education will be the engine for creating such leaders. With a core mission to bring together people, cultures and ideas to develop responsible leaders who transform business and society, INSEAD has a crucial role to play. Our faculty already conduct research and teaching on management practices on the continent, and our alumni, both in Africa itself and around the globe, will help us enhance our engagement with Africa.
Our Aims
- Enhancing learning about Africa, its people, environment, businesses and innovations, through knowledge creation and dissemination at INSEAD.
- Enhancing INSEAD’s contribution to Africa’s education, business and policy environment through sharing educational best practices and creating a vibrant community for interaction.
4 Pillars of INSEAD Africa Initiative
-
African Fellows program
- Academic and Executive fellows
- African business scholars visit campus for 6 m - 1 year
- Continued engagement and relationship pre and post visit
- Opportunity for faculty recruiting
- Career development and bi-directional learning
-
Africa focused pedagogical and teaching material
- Research on management, social and economic development in Africa with focus on entrepreneurship, business model innovation, DEI issues
- Cases and other pedagogical material to bring African business stories of success and failure into mainstream business education
-
Annual events to disseminate research and scholarly outputs
Annual flagship conference and smaller events to:
- Learn from African business and government leaders
- Disseminate faculty research relevant to Africa
- Engage with alumni & external collaborators
-
Enabling Stronger Student Recruiting from Africa & Enriching Student Career Opportunities in Africa
- Create additional opportunities for bringing African students and executives to INSEAD
- Support student recruitment into Africa-based organizations
- Serve as Institutional Partner for the Africa Business Club student & alumni chapters
African Fellows program
- Academic and Executive fellows
- African business scholars visit campus for 6 m - 1 year
- Continued engagement and relationship pre and post visit
- Opportunity for faculty recruiting
- Career development and bi-directional learning
Africa focused pedagogical and teaching material
- Research on management, social and economic development in Africa with focus on entrepreneurship, business model innovation, DEI issues
- Cases and other pedagogical material to bring African business stories of success and failure into mainstream business education
Annual events to disseminate research and scholarly outputs
Annual flagship conference and smaller events to:
- Learn from African business and government leaders
- Disseminate faculty research relevant to Africa
- Engage with alumni & external collaborators
Enabling Stronger Student Recruiting from Africa & Enriching Student Career Opportunities in Africa
- Create additional opportunities for bringing African students and executives to INSEAD
- Support student recruitment into Africa-based organizations
- Serve as Institutional Partner for the Africa Business Club student & alumni chapters
In the Spotlight
Success Story: INSEAD - The business school for the world heads to Rwanda (EDP Programme)
A 5-day Executive Development Programme on "Valuation & Risk Management in Banking" held from April 25-29, 2022 in Rwanda for the first time, has received great success with positive response. An event hosted by Kigali International Finance Centre in partnership with INSEAD, The Rwanda's Bankers' Association, The Rwanda's Development Bank (RDB) and The Brussels-Africa Hub.
Catch the highlights on this video here. Video credit to our partner Mouctar Bah of the Brussels-Africa Hub for this video production.

Empowering Africa's Social Enterprises for Lasting Change

Africa Thought Leadership

New Pathways To Meet Africa's Challenges

How Africa Can Embrace Venture Capital

Africa CEO Forum

INSEAD pre-Africa CEO Forum Thought Leadership Roundtable

"How Sharing Risks Can Save Lives"

In Conversation with Lucy Quist

GBSN-INSEAD Africa Faculty Fellowship Program

"Why sharing patents for COVID-19 medicines is not enough"

New Variants Show Why the World Urgently Needs Vaccine Equity.

INSEAD Africa Initiative's LinkedIn page is LIVE now.

Past Event, 17 November 2021, 12:25 EST; 18:25 CET. Building Sustainable Humanitarian Supply Chains.

How Africa Could Astonish the World.

Past Event: Allyship In and Beyond the MBA

Past Event: An in-dept discussion on how technology has helped Babylon Health democratise healthcare in Rwanda.

Past Event: Global Leaders Series for Africa: Brookings Institution Report: "Foresight Africa: Top priorities for the continent 2020-2030"

Podcast: Why business can be a force for good in SA
Research & Activities

Unjani Clinics: Meeting the Need for Scale Through Social Franchising

Inventory Policies for Pharmaceutical Distribution in Zambia: Improving Availability and Access Equity

Praesens Care's Mobile Laboratories: An Innovative Service for Diagnostic Testing in Africa
National Drug Stockout Risks and the Global Fund Disbursement Process for Procurement
Destructive and Transformational Leadership in Africa
INSEAD - A Business School for the World. A report by Forbes Africa.
Invest Africa Insights: Shaping Africa's Future Leaders
Investing in Africa
The Impact of Inventory Management on Stock-Outs of Essential Drugs in Sub-Saharan Africa: Secondary Analysis of a Field Experiment in Zambia
A Bridge for the Knowledge Gap
Chinese Investment in Africa: Avenues for Academic Scholarship
The Big Question: Upwardly Mobile: What Role Should Technology Play in Africa's Development?
Case Studies

Developing African-Focused Case Studies for Impact in Teaching and Learning

Goodlife: Profit with Purpose

Access Afya Scaling Services and Segments for Healthcare in Kenya

Diatropix: Creating a Sustainable Rapid Diagnostic Test Manufacturing Platform in Africa

Should Kazuria Produce Vaccines Locally with Unizima’s Support? Vaccine Manufacturing Capacity in Africa

Turning the Tide in Mozambique: Developing Gender Inclusion at a Major Logistics Hub

How Sharing Risks Can Save Lives

MBA case study: fixing pharma in Gabon -

The Journey to Universal Health Coverage: Learning from Kenya's Pilot Programmes

En Classe: Aligning Incentives in the Public School System across Democratic Republic of Congo

Transsion Mobile: Deep Blue Ocean in Africa

The AAK Kolo Nafaso Programme: Securing an Alternative Shea Supply Chain

Sustaining the Mission: Strategic Options to Scale Unjani Clinics NPC by 2030

ACTIS' Pan-Regional Payments Platform: Private Equity Buy-and-build Strategy in Middle East & Africa

Trevor Field and the PlayPump

Shoe Manufacturer Stepping into High-Pace Markets: Bottom of the Pyramid Strategy for Clarks in Africa

Rice from Africa for Africa: Duxton Asset Management and its Investment in Tanzanian Rice Farming
INSEAD Africa Programmes
Thought Leadership
INSEAD Knowledge (Africa Focus)

Empowering Africa's Social Enterprises for Lasting Change

New Pathways to Meet Africa's Challenges

How Africa Can Embrace Venture Capital

Africa doesn’t have a choice between economic growth and protecting the environment: how they can go hand in hand

Insights From India on Expanding Global Vaccine Production

How to Boost Health Product Supplies in Developing Regions

How Local Innovation Can Drive the Global Development Agenda

Solving Grand Societal Challenges Through Creative Organisation Design

Confronting Climate Change in Africa.

The Role INSEAD Alumni Are Playing To Advance The Gender Initiative in Africa.

Empowering Public Health Leaders in Africa Published by Luk Van Wassenhove, INSEAD and Paul Lalvani, Empower School of Health

Are Our Supply Chains Ready for the Next Global Health Crisis?

Lessons in Sustainable Change Management: #deCOALonize Kenya.

New Variants Show Why the World Urgently Needs Vaccine Equity.

Improving Women's Access to Mobile Family Planning Services.

When the Problem Isn't the Problem.

Harnessing AI for Healthcare in Rwanda.

How Africa Could Astonish the World.

Harnessing Solar Energy in Rwanda.

Africa's Drone Medical Delivery Service Saves Lives in Lockdown.

The Powerful Leadership of African Women.

Three Keys to Creating Prosperity in Africa.

What Firms Can Learn from NGOs in Africa.

Market Segmentation at the Bottom of the Pyramid

The "Africa" Framework for Start-ups in Tough Places.

How Women Are Changing the World.

China's Africa Policy: A Matter of Development.
Podcasts

INSEAD Africa Initiative Podcast Series

In Conversation with Lucy Quist

In Conversation with Nabila Aguele

In Conversation with Dominique Lecossois

In Conversation with Colin Coleman

In Conversation with Andrey Bogdanov
Past Events

11th Annual INSEAD Africa Business Conference

How African Businesses Can Grown on the African Continent

Africa CEO Forum

INSEAD pre-Africa CEO Summit Thought Leadership Roundtable

Building Healthcare Supply Chains to Support Regional Production on the African Continent

ADIS24 (African Diaspora Investment Symposium)

Africa Club: Understanding Africa Series

Global Health Supply Chain Summit in Kenya

INSEAD Africa Initiative and Lagos Business School: Exploring Collaboration to Enhance Research & Teaching

OECD EMnet Business Meeting on Africa: Africa as the New Investment Frontier

Leading Inclusively for Sustainable Growth

How Sharing Risks Can Save Lives

South Africa/Singapore Youth Dialogue

Africa Amplified: Redefining Leadership, Creativity, and Impact across Industries

South Africa Women Month Celebration

East Africa Faculty Learning Trip

Strathmore University Visit to Asia Campus

ESG: Driving Positive Change in Africa

How can Africa bolster its Resilience in the face of mounting Geopolitical pressures?

Climate Change - Impact on Africa

U.S-Africa Business Summit 2022 - "Health Supply Chains in Africa" on July 22, 2022

Ellevate Leadership Program: "Leading with Authenticity"

Africa to the World: The Entrepreneurial Energy and Innovation of the Continent

Connect Africa - An insight into Agriculture on the African Continent

Women and Responsible Management Innovations in Africa's Supply Chains
Global Community

LSE Africa Summit 2024

26th Africa Business Conference at HBS

How to Build Your Topline in Africa

2023 INSEAD Africa/Women Initiative: Zakike Women Leadership Program
