Empowering Future Leaders at the Epik Summer Academy
The Epik Summer Academy is set to make a grand return from June 25 to 29, 2026, in Lunja Village, Agadir, following a successful inaugural edition. This year, the academy will welcome an impressive cohort of 200 participants from over 20 African countries, who will engage in five days of intensive learning, networking, and collaboration, focusing on the critical themes of leadership and human capital development. The initiative is spearheaded by the pan-African organization EPIK Leaders, which is dedicated to fostering leadership skills and transforming the capabilities of young Africans. Targeting students, young entrepreneurs, and community leaders, the academy aims to cultivate a new generation of leaders equipped to tackle the continent's economic, social, and technological challenges.
Exploring the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Leadership
This year’s theme, "Next-Gen Africa: The Artificial Intelligence Playbook for Leadership," places artificial intelligence (AI) at the forefront of discussions. Participants will have the opportunity to delve into high-level panels, such as "The Code of Tomorrow: Can African Youth Build the Next AI Revolution?" and "The Infinite Game: Performance and Well-being in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." These sessions are designed to explore the opportunities presented by disruptive technologies and their potential impact on governance, innovation, and development models across Africa. Staying true to its 'Learning By Doing' approach, the Epik Summer Academy will feature an intensive program that combines training, practical exercises, and collective intelligence. Participants will engage in modules covering project management, team leadership, and impactful communication, with opportunities for certification from prestigious international academic institutions, including Harvard and Oxford.
Moreover, the program will include a personal development component through the Innermetrix psychometric assessment titled "Decoding You," aimed at helping participants gain a deeper understanding of their behaviors, motivations, and performance drivers. A hackathon focused on artificial intelligence will also be a highlight of the event, allowing participants to design and prototype innovative solutions that they will present to a jury after a 360-minute session.
Beyond training, the academy seeks to foster sustainable pan-African networks through cohesion and networking activities that bring together youth from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. Dr. Nizar Chaari, the founder of Epik Leaders, emphasizes the importance of democratizing access to leadership training across the continent, stating, "Leadership training programs in Africa are currently artisanal, benefiting a select few elite individuals rather than a generation. This is exactly what Epik Leaders aims to change with initiatives like the Epik Summer Academy." Walid Reddani, the national coordinator of Epik Leaders Morocco, echoes this sentiment, highlighting the academy's practical approach where participants leave equipped with skills and the capability to take action.
The Epik Summer Academy is part of a broader strategy to expand the Epik Leaders ecosystem in Morocco. The organization relies on a network of university clubs established throughout the country. Developed during the national Welcome Fest tour, which saw the creation of 100 student leadership clubs within 45 days, these spaces aim to transform campuses into vibrant laboratories for civic engagement, innovation, and skills development.
As reported by lematin.ma.
