ESMT Berlin launches program in Africa to enhance graduate employability

Industry Immersion Program is six-month pilot program with 30 African graduates focusing on business readiness

  • Program launch coincides with G20 Africa Partnership conference in Berlin
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ESMT Berlin and the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) have launched the Industry Immersion Program (IIP) to prepare African graduates to transition from an academic environment to an applied industry setting. The six-month IIP includes two academic modules to build business readiness skills as well as a 12-week internship with industry partners across Africa. Professors from ESMT faculty will be teaching pro bono, covering areas such as organizational behavior, corporate strategy, finance, and accounting. The pilot program has received funding support from the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The program starts with 30 master’s graduates. The launch of the IIP will coincide with the “G20 Africa Partnership – Investing in a Common Future,” held on June 12-13 in Berlin and hosted by the German Federal Ministry of Finance, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Deutsche Bundesbank.

On July 3, the first class of mathematically trained Master of Science graduates from eleven countries across Africa such as Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal, among others, will start the first module in Cape Town, South Africa. On average, the participating students are in their early 20s. Internships will begin in South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, and Kenya in mid-August.

The initiators of the IIP, ESMT Founding Dean Wulff Plinke and Associate Dean Nick Barniville, will present the program during the G20 Africa Partnership conference. Facilitating high-level dialogues between G20 and African decision makers, the conference is a central project of Germany’s G20 presidency. High-ranking representatives from civil society, the private sector, and both G20 and African states will discuss opportunities and contributions for sustainable investment and employment promotion.

“The IIP is a pilot program to tackle the issue of youth unemployment in Africa, where many young graduates lack the necessary skills for industry. The program supports the best African talent and provides a clear incentive for entrepreneurship,” commented Prof. Plinke.

About ESMT Berlin

ESMT Berlin was founded by 25 leading global companies and institutions. The international business school offers a full-time MBA, an executive MBA, a master’s in management, as well as open enrollment and customized executive education programs. ESMT focuses on three main topics: leadership and social responsibility, European competitiveness, and the management of technology. ESMT faculty publishes in top academic journals. Additionally, the business school provides an interdisciplinary platform for discourse between politics, business, and academia.

The business school is based in Berlin, Germany, with Schloss Gracht as an additional location near Cologne. ESMT is a private business school with the right to grant PhDs and is accredited by the German state, AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, and FIBAA. www.esmt.org