38 Fellows from 20 Countries: the Largest Social Innovation Management Class ever!

July 2020 marked a new beginning in Amani Institute’s program offering across the world. Our global Post-raduate Certificate in Social Innovation Management (SIM) was launched fully online, with the largest class ever.

After we made the announcement in April, we received over 250 applications from professionals across the world. The program kick-started on the 20th of July. We launched a cohort of 38 people from 20 countries – spanning from Alaska, in North America, to the Philippines, in Asia, through South America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. 

The SIM program, in its traditional blended format, has a three-month immersion phase in our three centers in Bengaluru (India), Nairobi (Kenya) and São Paulo (Brazil). When the Covid-19 pandemic began spreading and lockdowns were extended indefinitely across the world, we saw it as a sign to start thinking of a safe, viable and equally effective way to offer the program to global audiences without losing a year of impact. We went back to the drawing board and within two months, designed a fully online Social Innovation Management program that retained all the immersive and experiential elements of our curriculum and made room for more innovations.

Our global experience in working remotely combined with our online platforms for learning and community engagement helped make this a swift and effective transition. Going online also meant that we were able to offer the program at a reduced cost. Our fully online solution wasn’t just a migration of existing content into a digital platform. Our programs team spent weeks carefully re-designing every element of the Post -Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation Management to make sure it is conducive to online learning.

One of the main features of Amani Institute’s methodology is the practical application of skills through apprenticeships and work assignments. To make sure we don’t lose out on this critical element, we tied up with our network of globally renowned social impact organizations and designed remote working projects for our new cohort members.

With the spirit and skills of innovation, crisis management and reinventing in our DNA, we are glad to offer our award-winning program notwithstanding the pandemic and a global exchange opportunity in spite of restrictions to travel. The world needs changemakers who collaborate across borders to solve global challenges!

Meet our fellows: you can read their bios here.
Stay tuned on the next edition of our flagship program: updates here.