Each year, ALA identifies exceptional young African leaders with a strong sense of purpose, between the ages of 15 – 18 years old, for our flagship pre-university two-year Diploma Program.
Following a rigorous selection process, we admit up to 130 students into each cohort and we are excited to present some of our young trailblazers’ stories through our video series: Learn With Leaders Like.

The campaign aims to highlight the extraordinary potential that each ALA student possesses and how our pan-African community empowers each changemaker with the confidence to navigate and excel in an increasingly complex world.
Meet Tunisian student Nour Abida ’19 who shares with us how she found that the Diploma Program extends beyond academic theory and creates an environment where students can develop new skills.
“I was able to hone in on my writing skills in the Writing & Rhetoric class and I really enjoyed the Internal Relations class offered to first-year students,” she says.
Nour welcomes the fact that ALA continues to challenge her. Through unparalleled educator support, she was able to create a study guide for the Pan-African parliament. “The ALA curriculum is very loaded if you choose rigorous classes but it’s also an opportunity to go beyond your limits.”
At ALA, Nour was selected to participate in the prestigious Georgetown University’s Model United Nations alongside five ALA peers in Qatar. Her experience affirmed her plans to develop efficient and resilient public health systems in Africa, specifically for people living in rural areas and conflict zones.
WATCH Nour’s video to learn more about how ALA can inspire you to go beyond your boundaries.
ALA continues to accelerate these leaders throughout their lives, with connections to careers and networks of people and capital that will enable their dreams of transformational change.
Tell us about an exceptional young leader between the ages of 15-18 who has demonstrated incredible leadership potential in your community and they will receive a personalized invitation to apply to the ALA Two-Year Diploma Program.