Solving global or even national-level problems is never easy, but what if these challenges ultimately boiled down to a lack of leadership? And if developing the next generation of leaders is then the answer, how can countries go about doing this? Patrick Awuah’s solution was to found a university in his home country of Ghana. He is the Founder and President of Ashesi University, a private, not-for-profit institution that has quickly gained a reputation for innovation and quality education in Ghana. Patrick holds bachelor degrees in Engineering and Economics from Swarthmore College; an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business; and honorary doctorates from Swarthmore College, Babson College, and the University of Waterloo. He has been on various "best of" lists, named by Fortune magazine as among the world's top 50 leaders, and won many prestigious awards for his contributions and work, including the John McNulty Prize, the WISE Prize, and the MacArthur fellowship or the MacArthur "genius" award. His 2007 TED talk on leadership and his vision for Ashesi University has been viewed almost 2 million times.
In this conversation with Patrick, we travel from his childhood in Ghana to his time at Swarthmore College in the U.S. as an international student and his eventual journey back home to put his experience and learning to work to train the next generation of African youth and leaders. Patrick’s work is also one example of how former international students to the U.S. have gone back to their home countries and have been inspired to set up universities that draw upon the American liberal arts model.
Episode Themes:
How Patrick’s time at Swarthmore College in the U.S. was transformative and how it impacted his views on education and leadership
Important lessons that Patrick took away from his corporate sector stint at Microsoft, and how he applied them to education
Why the question of transformation in Africa is a question about leadership, and how the rise of Asian economies like Singapore inspired Patrick's vision for Ghana
Can we re-frame brain-drain as a win-win situation and can student migration play a role in preserving global talent?
The impact that numerous awards and recognition have had on Ashesi University and on Patrick’s work
Lessons Patrick learned when founding Ashesi University and his advice and tips for future university founders
Resources from this episode:
Follow Patrick on Twitter and LinkedIn
Other Resources:
My book: America Calling: A Foreign Student in a Country of Possibility
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