About
The GENTE Scholars Program is an educational initiative designed to strengthen and increase access to training opportunities for young adults in Equatorial Guinea by:
- Establishing and funding graduate education pathways at U.S.-based universities
- Providing vocational training scholarships for aspiring craftspeople
- Generating virtual opportunities for undergraduate students
- Building the technical capacity of in-country vocational training sites
- Offering one- to three-year teaching fellowships in Equatorial Guinea for students who complete their graduate degree programs or certificates
- Designing professional development modules and resources to ensure long-term success
Together, these objectives will provide more avenues for students to complete accredited coursework, bolster linkages to the international research community, and supply universities in Equatorial Guinea with new cohorts of highly trained faculty.
GENTE will equip a cadre of young Equatoguineans with U.S.-based training in English as a second language and accredited university coursework, with opportunities to pursue MS, MBA, or doctoral degrees at consortium universities.
In partnership with trade schools in Equatorial Guinea, the Scholars Program will build the instructional and technical capacity of in-country training sites, as well as provide scholarships for skilled craftspeople.
The consortium will pilot and launch an online STEM program in Spanish for undergraduate students enrolled in Equatorial Guinea's higher education institutions.
Scholars will benefit from a structured professional development program with resources dedicated to preparing them for university faculty positions or careers in environmental stewardship.
Equatorial Guinea is home to a large and growing youth population. Young people are the change agents of the future, yet many lack the skills and training necessary to succeed in the workforce. University, professional, and vocational training in Equatorial Guinea fall short of international standards. These educational institutions face a range of challenges from chronic underfunding and limited English instruction to shortages in qualified faculty and classroom facilities. Only the wealthiest students can go abroad to learn English and complete an accredited university education. A history of isolation as Africa’s only Spanish-speaking country further narrows opportunities for academic collaboration across regional and international networks. Increasing access to education will change this dynamic by empowering a new generation of leaders to address these systemic gaps.