The Education Collaborative’s Giving Voice to Values (GVV) Africa has been shortlisted for the Nurturing Values and Ethics Award at the 11e edition of the ‘QS Reimagine Education Awards’ to be held in London, United Kingdom later this year. Announcing the nomination to The Education Collaborative, Barak Cerff, senior product manager and vice-chair of QS Reimagine Education Awards, mentioned that the 2024 QS Reimagine Education Awards received over 1,300 submissions across 18 award categories. The first round of evaluations, conducted by more than 800 international judges, was highly competitive, with an exceptional array of innovative projects. ‘Your achievement is truly inspiring as your project, GVV Africa, ranks in the top 25%, securing a spot on the 2024 Shortlist!’, he added.
QS, Quacquarelli Symonds, the organizer of the awards, is a higher education network that offers data, expertise, and solutions to the higher education sector across the globe. As part of its work, the organization curates the QS Reimagine Education Awards to honor pedagogical approaches that boost learning outcomes and employability. The award, in its 11e year, will recognize and celebrate deserving organizations and initiatives across 18 award categories.
The Education Collaborative submitted an application for the Giving Voice to Values (GVV) Africa program to the Nurturing Values and Ethics award category. Giving Voice to Values Africa is a suite of interactive online courses designed to teach skills in ethical action. Curricula and cases draw on the experiences of professionals, leaders, and students working and learning in Africa, the ethical challenges they face, and how they have found creative ways to speak up when faced with a values conflict. GVV Africa also offers a Train-the-Trainer program that seeks to create champions of ethical action across institutions and organizations.
A year since its inception, GVV Africa has impacted over 300 individuals, ranging from students to professionals and leaders. Eyram Bleboo, the program administrator, commented on the introduction of this innovative program to some learners for the first time. “Out of all the learners who have completed GVV Africa, most have indicated that they have gained the confidence to speak up in situations of values conflict, and institutions have aspired to adopt this learning framework to practicalize the actions people take in ethical dilemmas,” she added.
As part of preparations to submit an entry to the awards, Eyram worked closely with the lead of the program, Dr Rebecca Awuah, through an iterative process. Together, they compiled the course content, drafted responses for the application submission, proofread numerous times, put together a SWOT analysis, and shared collected data and insights on how the course has made an impact.
Reflecting on the entire submission process, an elated Eyram added, “After the submission, we received the wonderful news that GVV Africa has been shortlisted for the Nurturing Values and Ethics Award, with our project ranking in the top 25%, thereby securing a spot on the 2024 Shortlist!
We are grateful to all ambassadors, case writers, and our dedicated facilitators of the GVV Africa program. We are ever more inspired to serve you and your communities in championing ethical action and driving change concerning ethics and leadership on our continent.”
