As The Director of Canary Islands Business School I had the chance to participate at  the Africa Connect Conference organized by the Association of African Business Schools.

This annual event gathered over 100 participants from all over the African Continent as well as major European institutions such as Bocconi Business School from Italy, Montpellier Business School from France, MCI from Austria, and the Canary Islands Business School.  The venue was the Gimpa campus, a top African school that is led by one of the most charismatic figures in the African business education landscape, Dr. Samuel Bonsu, Rector at GIMPA.

The Conference was launched under the theme Are Business Schools Relevant in Africa?  During 3 days (17-19th may) top researchers and academics from African Buisness School discussed key issues. 

As Director of the Canary Islands Business School I had the chance to share a panel with Siegfried Walch on the topic of  “African Technology Landscapes”.

International educational events such as Africa Connect are a great opportunity for Business Schools to exchange and share ideas, as well as to learn from each other.

We are proud to be a small part of the Association of African Business Schools, the most promising business education organization in the globe, led by amazing leaders such as Jon Foster Peddley, Head of Henley Business School in South Africa and the fantastic Lana Elramy, Director of the Association of African Business Schools.

We, as business schools have the obligation to play an important role in the development of a functional market that provides chances to the African youth at a time that there is a clear mismatch in a job african market that creates 3 million annual jobs to and average of 12 million job market entrants. 

Business Schools should be a part of the solution of the present global challenges: a climate emergency and a pressing need for social equality.

Kind regards,

José Ignacio Zabaleta,