The African Leadership Centre (ALC) has officially opened applications for its 2026/2027 Associate Fellowship in Peace, Security and Development, offering African students an opportunity to pursue postgraduate study and leadership training at King's College London.
The fellowship program is linked to the MSc Global Leadership and Peacebuilding at King’s College London and is aimed at young Africans pursuing careers in leadership, peacebuilding, security, governance, and development. Applications for the program close on 24 May 2026 at 23:59 East Africa Time.
According to the official call for applications released by the African Leadership Centre, the fellowship combines academic learning, mentorship, policy engagement, and practical leadership development.
Established in 2010, the African Leadership Centre said the program is part of its mission to develop transformative African leaders capable of addressing challenges facing the continent.
“The ALC seeks to build an inter-generational community of transformative leaders producing cutting edge knowledge that serves as a catalyst for a new peace, security and development agenda in Africa,”
the Centre stated in the official fellowship announcement.
The fellowship is available to African students applying for the MSc Global Leadership and Peacebuilding program beginning in September 2026. Successful applicants will study full-time in London while participating in a specially designed mentoring and leadership program coordinated by the African Leadership Centre.
According to the program description, selected fellows will receive a bursary covering 25 percent of tuition fees for the MSc program at King’s College London, alongside an additional £5,000 contribution toward living expenses in London.
The Centre explained that the fellowship goes beyond traditional academic study by integrating mentorship, simulation exercises, peer learning, institutional visits, and policy engagement.
“This fellowship combines rigorous academic research, impactful writing, and policy analysis on leadership, security, and development issues,”
the program description states.
The fellowship also offers successful candidates the opportunity to undertake a paid six-month attachment at a leading African university, regional organization, or center of excellence after completing the MSc program.
According to the African Leadership Centre, the program is specifically designed to expose fellows to pressing leadership and security challenges facing Africa while strengthening African-led approaches to development and peacebuilding.
“The ALC’s programs are guided by a commitment to promoting African-led ideas and processes of change,”
the Centre explained in its fellowship brochure.
Eligibility requirements state that applicants must hold citizenship in an African country and demonstrate strong commitment to values such as integrity, independent thinking, excellence, youth agency, and respect for diversity. Candidates must also show a clear interest in pursuing careers related to peace, security, and development.
The program requires applicants to complete both the King’s College London application process and a separate African Leadership Centre application through its Nairobi portal. Candidates are also expected to submit recommendation letters, a curriculum vitae, and a personal statement explaining their leadership aspirations and desired impact within their communities.
The African Leadership Centre operates from bases in Nairobi and London and has become widely recognized for promoting African-centered scholarship and leadership development in peace and security studies.
In its official program materials, the Centre emphasized its broader vision for the continent:
“The Centre produces and deploys multi-dimensional forms of knowledge, builds an inter-generational community of value driven leaders, and facilitates a catalytic public square to set a new agenda for Africa.”
Education and policy experts say program such as the ALC Associate Fellowship are increasingly important as African countries seek a new generation of leaders capable of addressing conflict, governance challenges, regional instability, climate insecurity, and socio-economic transformation.
The fellowship has already attracted growing interest online among students and young professionals interested in international development, diplomacy, governance, and conflict resolution. Discussions on academic and opportunity forums have reflected strong enthusiasm for programs combining postgraduate study with mentorship and practical leadership training.
According to the African Leadership Centre, fellows who complete the program emerge with advanced academic knowledge, policy analysis skills, mentorship experience, and professional networks connecting them to leading African scholars and practitioners in peace, security, and development.
Development analysts note that the initiative reflects a growing effort to strengthen African-led leadership and knowledge production in global peace and security discussions. Through the Associate Fellowship in Peace, Security and Development, the African Leadership Centre and King’s College London hope to empower a new generation of African leaders equipped to shape policy, governance, and sustainable development across the continent.