Introducing YALI Expert Exchange

Photo by Meagan Doll / UW-Madison.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), brings 700 leaders from across the African continent to US universities for leadership training, academic sessions, and community engagement. This summer, UW-Madison will again host 25 of these outstanding leaders for a public management institute beginning in June.

The African Studies Program is excited to announce a new component of our Mandela Washington Fellowship programming: YALI Expert Exchange.

Once a week for the duration of the institute, Mandela Washington Fellows and local leaders will gather for roundtable discussions on realities and solutions to global challenges. Topics of discussion will range from human rights monitoring to maternal welfare to the role of the private sector in public services, with each roundtable featuring Fellows’ and local leaders’ particular areas of expertise.

Each Expert Exchange will be open to the public and include an audience Q&A. Two roundtables will take place typically on Tuesday mornings, with a break for refreshments and networking between each roundtable.

For a full list of dates and topics, see below. Each link includes further details about time, location, and topics of discussion.

Tuesday, June 26: Local to Global Governance

Roundtable 1: Global Problem, Global Solution? The Role of Global Institutions in Addressing Climate Change

Roundtable 2: Local Problem, Local Solution? Innovations in Rural Development

Friday, July 6: Human Rights

Roundtable 1: Health as a Human Right

Roundtable 2: Human Rights Monitoring: Strategies and Challenges

Tuesday, July 10: Public & Private Partnerships

Roundtable 1: Journalists Under Duress: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships

Roundtable 2: Privatizing Education: Partnership or Paternalism?

Tuesday, July 17: Global Health & Wellness

Roundtable 1:  Can the Private Sector Improve Access and Delivery of Healthcare?

Roundtable 2: Maternal & Child Welfare: Challenges, Opportunities and Innovations

Tuesday, July 24: Diversity, Inclusion & Vulnerable Populations

Roundtable 1 – Education for All: Engaging Persons with Disabilities and Other Minority Populations

Roundtable 2: Youth for Tomorrow: Engaging Young People in Civic Engagement and Workforce Development