The Leadership Centre

The University of Kwazulu-Natal Leadership Centre was established in 1998. The Centre aligns its activities with leadership for contextual strategic competitiveness at all levels of civil and corporate society. Activities currently include post-graduate programmes as well as seminars, short courses and customized programmes for industry, government and other sectors. New innovative leadership learning experiences are envisaged for 2009.

The Centre operates from its base in Durban, and has developed learning sites in organisations requiring to work in partnership with the Centre using their own premises.

Leadership Centre Vision

The Leadership Centre of the University of KwaZulu-Natal works with the private, public and NGO sectors to develop and promote democratic leadership for the development, improvement and advancement of Africa and its institutions.

Leadership Centre Mission

As an institution in and of Africa, the mission of the Leadership Centre is to promote systemic change in the private and public institutions and in civil society in Africa. The Centre does this through an engagement with individuals and organisations so as to develop agents and institutions that are committed to positive change and sustainable development in Africa.

Learning Approach

The Leadership Centre adopts the approach that, to develop effective change leaders in and for Africa, it is essential that there should be a deep awareness of the opportunities and potential that exists in the continent. As a counterpoint to this, it is also essential that there is an awareness of the issues, complexities and other the factors that inhibit progress and development.

These may be local factors, or global factors. Global institutions and their policy frameworks and the rationale that drives their approaches to Africa are important.

So also are the local conflicts and struggles that form part of the experiences of the communities and institutions of the continent. Leadership solutions to African issues will not be found outside Africa or without an understanding of that which enables or inhibits. Nor will leadership solutions be effective if conceived in contexts that differ from those experienced in Africa.

The Leadership Centre uses an interactive and experiential process that facilitates cross-disciplinary and cross-functional learning. The programmes are built on a foundation of ongoing professional development based on systems thinking, action research and service learning where holistic understanding of complex environments is encouraged. Learning, innovation, creativity and change are continuously emphasised as cornerstones of sustainable leadership practice.

Faculty from the Centre in conjunction with leading experts, researchers and consultants in the field are used to develop and present material. Our approach is to work and grow with organisations and institutions and their people as they seek to grow and develop themselves.