In her quest to curb Africa’s development challenges and brain drain, the Lagos Business School (LBS) has opened applications for the Young Talents Programme (YTP), designed to mentor young leaders and empower Nigeria’s next generation of talents.
Chris Ogbechie, the dean of Lagos Business School, made this known when he disclosed that one of the biggest challenges Africa is facing in terms of its development includes a lack of executive capacity and brain drain.
“At Lagos Business School, we started a programme called the Young Talents Programme aimed at bringing smart, brilliant Nigerians, spending some time with them, and seeing how we can transform them into responsible leaders.
We provide the kind of skills they do not learn in the university that will enable them to fit in properly into different parts of the economy, which include the private sector, public sector, and even academia,” he said.
Tayo Otubanjo, a professor of marketing at the Lagos Business School, speaking on the Management Scholarship Academy (MSA) part of the programme described it as an academy of young scholars that are brought together into LBS.
“They spend two years with us, and then we put the institution behind them, and we help them secure fully funded PhD admissions at top universities around the world.
“The idea of the MSA programme essentially is that they will go to top universities abroad and complete their Ph.D, and if they choose to return to Nigeria, we are happy to employ them as faculty,” he said.
Opens applications for the 2024 Young Talents Programme
The primary objective of engaging with these talented young graduates is to expose them to a world-class institution and shortlist suitable candidates for the LBS Management Scholarship Academy.
LBS will also welcome candidates who could become future administrative staff and, ultimately, faculty members. This programme would help the school build a pipeline of bright academics for the African continent.
“The two-day scholarship-based programme includes career, leadership, and entrepreneurship seminars, action learning projects, mentorship sessions led by LBS faculty, as well as networking opportunities with industry experts and YTP alumni.
Participants will fully immerse themselves in the school’s culture and values while gaining invaluable practical experience that will enable them to make their mark on Nigeria’s professional and ethical business management landscape,” the statement reads in part.
Eligibility
Interested candidates are not expected to be above 30 years old at the time of application, and the programme is open to both first-degree and postgraduate graduates, as well as students currently enrolled in a Master’s degree.
Moreover, candidates must have graduated with a first-class or second-class upper. Previous participants of YTP are not eligible to apply again. Additionally, candidates are required to make a one-minute video of themselves, highlighting how his or her educational background, leadership experiences, and work experience (if applicable) have prepared them for the Young Talents Programme.
The application entry closes on Sunday, May 26, 2024.
