FAQ About the Hub Strategy

Background

From its inception, ALU’s model has focused on experiential learning where our students had the opportunity to take 4 months of internships every year. In this new model, we have expanded our approach to experiential learning by adopting the 70-20-10 system where 70% of our student’s learning is done by getting hands-on experience in their chosen field of study, interviewing with experts in their field, attending conferences, doing internships, working on projects tied to their missions, etc. In order to make this experience worthwhile for our students, we want them to see the world as their campus. This means that they are not limited to their campus space but they get to move around from Timbuktu to Madagascar, and wherever they can effectively focus on their mission/project while building and strengthening their network with students and employers.

The hubs are therefore not ALU campuses but a safe space where our students can connect with each other for peer work, projects, or individual work while maintaining a student community. These hubs will provide a safe space with reliable electricity and internet connection to make it logistically easier for students to gather. These hubs will have vibrant self-run communities of students that will organize activities according to their needs and preferences.

What is the hub's strategy?

Answer: Learning from a community of peers is a cornerstone of our new model. Even though communities do not necessarily have to be tied to a physical space, we will be deploying a series of hubs in different cities in Africa to make it logistically easier for students to gather and organize events. The hubs' strategy is to support our students and provide them with safe spaces to do their schoolwork while also creating opportunities as they go around the world working on their missions and making impactful connections. They are not a core part of the new model but a support system for our students to have a great experiential learning experience.

How can I best use the hubs?

Answer: The hubs can be used as working spaces for all personal and group/peer work. They will provide good internet connectivity and space for group discussions. Some of them will also serve as spaces for coaching sessions and masterclasses with visiting lecturers and experts in various fields who will be visiting periodically to engage with our students.

Is there a hub in city x?

Answer: Hubs will gradually be deployed in different cities in Africa, particularly those which have a high density of students (Nairobi, Lagos, Accra). Our first hubs will open their doors in term 1 2022, and we will continue deploying throughout the year.

How does my scholarship work in a hub?

Answer: All students on scholarship will receive a Scholar Success Package(lumpsum financial support to cover essential needs )when they return to their home communities to continue with their studies.

Can I study from any hub?

Answer: Yes, you can study from any of the ALU hubs in various cities. Note that the cost of living in a particular city will vary so you need to consider this before moving to that city.

Will there be hubs in Rwanda and Mauritius since these are where your campuses are located?

Answer: Our Rwanda campus will be a hub. As we expand on our hub locations we might include hubs in cities where our campuses are located so that students can have safe spaces to study when their time on campus is over.

Can you tell me more about the hub in Silicon Valley?

Answer: Yes! We are thrilled to announce that our first hub will be in Silicon Valley with the Carnegie Foundation. Please find the press release here and a link to social media 

How will ALU enhance the student's experience with their diverse peers while they are learning from their home countries and hubs?

Answer: The main objective for bringing our students to campus for the start of their ALU journey is for them to experience ALU’s diverse student community while building on networking and other opportunities.  Though students will continue studying from home countries and from hubs at various locations, that initial bond with their Pan African and local peers would have been established from day one. They also get to connect with the wider ALU student community through numerous cross-campus events as well as their daily interactions in the hubs.

What technology/infrastructure is currently in place to ensure that students remain fully engaged while studying remotely?

Answer: ALU has established a learning technologies ecosystem to enable our new learning model. The core platform will enable students to engage with their learning, including exploring, reflecting on, and establishing their missions, and engaging in self-directed learning by developing learning contracts featuring multiple types of learning content.

The learning technologies ecosystem is designed to encourage learning, collaboration, and community even at a distance.