The AFRIKA KOMMT! fellowship programme 2019/2021 for Future Leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa (Fully Funded to Germany)

Application Deadline: January 11th 2019

19 leading German enterprises founded the initiative AFRIKA KOMMT! in the year 2008 – the very first joint-initiative for capacity building by German industry. After the success of the first six programme intakes and the seventh AFRIKA KOMMT! intake still in process, the eighth AFRIKA KOMMT! intake will follow on seamlessly with the application phase starting 27 November 2018.

Win-win situation: benefits for both sides
At the heart of the AFRIKA KOMMT! fellowship programme is an eight-months practical training in a leading German enterprise benefiting both, fellows and partner companies – a classic win-win situation:
The programme fellows benefit through

• gaining first-hand practical experience in a leading German enterprise
• being exposed to leadership concepts and management techniques in practice
• becoming acquainted with working processes and business culture in German enterprises
• extending their international management competencies
• initiating networks of cooperation partners between Sub-Saharan Africa and German companies

The partner companies benefit through

• establishing networks of cooperation and trust in promising future markets in Sub-Saharan Africa
• extending their experience with the working and business culture in Sub-Saharan Africa
• improving their knowledge about cultures, markets, countries etc. in Sub-Saharan Africa
  After six completed programme years, a significant number of the participants now work in the branch office of their respective partner company in Africa.

Key elements of AFRIKA KOMMT!

Financed by the German partner companies, the capacity development programme AFRIKA KOMMT! consists of the following key components:
1. One-month individual German language preparation course
2. One-year stay in Germany comprising of:

• Two-months intensive German language course
• Eight-months internship in a German partner company
• Three one-week training modules on international management and leadership competencies
• One-week study tour in Germany on relevant subjects, e.g. “Digital Change”
• Weekend seminars on cultural and social subjects organised by the Robert Bosch Stiftung in Stuttgart and the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius in Hamburg
• Cultural weekend activities organised by GIZ

3. Transfer phase after the stay in Germany with integration into the AFRIKA KOMMT! Alumni Network and its regional Alumni Clubs
4. Refresher course in Germany or Africa, approx. 6-12 months after the stay in Germany, offering the former fellows to extend their networks with other alumni and to mutually benefit from their experiences.

Eligibility

Candidates need to fulfil the following formal eligibility requirements:

• University degree in a relevant subject (please see individual company profiles below)
• Postgraduate degree (e.g. MBA) is an advantage
• Two to five years of relevant work experience
• Excellent English language skills
• Basic knowledge of the German language is an advantage
• Not older than 35 years and physically fit
• Female candidates are welcome

Candidate profiles

The AFRIKA KOMMT! fellowship programme aims at highly qualified, self-driven young professionals and junior executives from Sub-Saharan Africa with several years of hands-on work experience, strong leadership qualities and a very high level of commitment and dedication.
Besides the specific technical expertise relevant to the partner company, the programme requires candidates to have the following set of general skills and attributes:
Language and communication skills:

• Excellent English skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• High willingness to learn German
  Professional skills:
• High leadership potential
• Strong self-motivation and self-starter mentality
• High level of dedication, commitment and target-orientation
• Strong capacity for teamwork
  Personal attributes:
• High level of enthusiasm, flexibility and resilience
• Outstanding intercultural competencies
• Ability to adapt to new environments quickly

Benefits:

The AFRIKA KOMMT! fellowship programme includes:
Language course

• An individual German language course before departure to Germany
• An intensive German language course in Germany including fees, accommodation and living allowance

Travelling expenses – Flights, Visa, etc.

• Visa for Germany for one year
• Roundtrip airfare from your home town to Germany and back
• Travel to refresher course and back
• Programme-related travelling expenses in Germany
  Monthly living allowance during the theoretical phase
• Monthly living allowance of € 750,- (August, September and October 2019; July 2020)
• One-off relocation fee of € 1.000,- for settling back into the home countries
• Monthly salary during the internship in the companies of approx. € 1.500,- gross

Important note:

The monthly allowance of € 750,- and the salary ensures an adequate standard of living in Germany. However, the amount is not sufficient to provide financial support for families or relatives and for this reason, they cannot accompany the fellow to Germany. Additionally, the participants have to make arrangements to ensure the subsistence of their families in their home countries during their participation in the programme.

Accommodation

•  Accommodation during all stages of the programme in Germany (including internet allowance, electricity, water and other charges)
  Insurance
• Health, accident and liability insurance
  Trainings
• International management training courses
• Study tour and weekend seminars in Germany
  Alumni activities
• Refresher course in Germany or Africa, including management training
  Alumni networking activities
  Certificate
  AFRIKA KOMMT! is a practice-oriented fellowship programme. Fellows will receive two certificates. One official certificate upon successful completion of the programme with a detailed description of the specific contents and components of the training and one official certificate by the partner company upon successful completion of the internship.
  In addition, fellows will receive a certificate by the Academy for International Cooperation of GIZ GmbH by successful completion of the professional training in the tool “International Competence

Four steps to apply for AFRIKA KOMMT!
Recommendation: Please apply as soon as possible and not at the very end of the application period as the expected high number of applications might cause technical delays.

Four steps to apply

If you want to apply for the eighth AFRIKA KOMMT! intake from 2019-2021, please make sure you follow the four steps listed below:

• Step 1: Check the general candidate requirements – do you fit the criteria?
• Step 2: Check the available placements and required profiles of the seventh intake of AFRIKA KOMMT! 2019-2021 – Please remember you are applying for the programme in general, not for a specific placement.
• Step 3: Visit https://www.afrika-kommt.de/ and fill in the application form in English.
• Step 4: Submit your application BEFORE 11.01.2019, 23.59h CET – applications submitted after this date cannot be considered.

Application submitted – what happens next?

• You will be informed within approx. 8-12 weeks after the official end of the application period, if your application has been successful. If so, you will receive an invitation to a 2-days assessment center in Nairobi, Kenya, which will take place from 01.04.2019 – 18.04.2019.
• The assessment center includes a number of tasks, group activities and presentations and serves as a basis for the final decision. The results of the assessment center will be communicated in May and June 2019 – successful candidates will then receive the invitation to Germany for one year!

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the AFRIKA KOMMT! fellowship programme 2019/2021