The month of October was an eventful month for the Shaping Futures Academy Programme that began with the application for Shaping Futures Academy 2025 opening on 1 October 2024. We continue to receive applications from mid-career professionals from participating African and European countries.
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These mid-career professionals work on issues relevant for sustainable development and governance in various sectors, particularly civil society, academia and think tanks, public administration, as well as business and media work.
In the midst of planning and organising the intensive selection process, part of the team accompanied our 2024 Cohort to Accra, Ghana for the second in-person phase (the first having taken place in Bonn in June). In the second in-person phase two modules were planned: Leadership Module II (14 – 18 October) and Citizenship and Democracy (21 October – 1 November).
The first leadership module, that took place in Bonn, was an introduction into different leadership theories, diversity or acquiring skills such as conflict management. In the second module, facilitated once again by NELA (Next Economy Lab), participants focussed on developing their personal leadership path. For inspiration, the participants visited local leaders in Accra.
In the second week of their stay in Ghana, participants delved into the Citizenship and Democracy module (designed and organised by our partners, Ghana Center for Democratic Development, CDD-Ghana), which offered participants a comprehensive exploration of the development and challenges of democracy across the African continent. CDD Ghana designed an exciting module that included a mix of lectures, panel discussions, excursions, project work and assignments, etc.
The module examined Africa’s political history, focusing on the democratic wave of the 1990s after the fall of authoritarian regimes. Participants explored debates on the suitability of democracy for Africa amid development challenges and authoritarian alternatives. It also provided a critical assessment of the ‚democracy versus development‘ debate, questioning which approach better supports Africa’s development needs.
The module examined Africa’s political history, particularly the democratic wave of the 1990s that followed the fall of authoritarian regimes. It introduced the participants to debates surrounding the suitability of democracy for Africa, particularly in the face of development challenges and authoritarian alternatives. It also provided a critical assessment of the ‚democracy versus development‘ debate, exploring whether democracy or authoritarianism is more conducive to Africa’s development needs. IDOS researchers from the department „Transformation of political (dis-)order“, Dr Julia Leininger and Dr Daniel Nowack, helped participants navigate this debate through the Contested Democracy Lab that they facilitated.
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Other key sessions examined the impact of majoritarianism and its challenges in Africa’s diverse societies, the evolving concept of citizenship shaped by colonial legacies, and how digital technologies are transforming civic activism and political participation across the continent. Throughout, CDD Ghana facilitators and presenters encouraged participants to critically engage with these themes and explore their relevance through country-specific examples, group discussions and social media advocacy strategies.
Last but not least, we advanced knowledge cooperation in our programme this month when ten Shaping Futures Programme alumni, along with ten Managing Global Governance (MGG) alumni, jointly attended the Hamburg Sustainable Conference (HSC) early October. After introductions and a get-together session, the Shaping Futures Programme and MGG alumni met with the Minister of Environment of Hamburg in a pre-conference meeting on 6 October. The alumni then participated in a variety of HSC’s sessions on 7 and 8 October. This was an excellent opportunity to broaden their networks and ideas on sustainability, some of which are captured in blogs (see e.g. here) and in a Policy Brief on sustainability and youth that will be published soon.
