On 15 January 2025, President Paul Kagame welcomed a delegation of MBA students from the Wharton School to Urugwiro Village in Kigali. The students, who had come as part of a modular course entitled ‘Conflict, Leadership, and Change: Lessons from Rwanda’, were guided by professors Katherine Klein and Eric Kacou as they immersed themselves in the Rwandan experience.  

This moment of exchange, at the crossroads between academic teaching and reality on the ground, offered rich lessons on leadership and transformation. The students, from one of the world's most prestigious business schools, were not there simply for a theoretical course. Their meeting with President Kagame allowed them to hear first-hand how Rwanda, after the genocide of 1994, rose again with a clear vision and strong values. The President spoke of resilience, unity, and above all, a shared responsibility: to build a sustainable future together.

‘What we have achieved has not been easy,’ he said, encouraging the students to reflect on what they can learn from this journey. ‘But with vision and sound principles, it is possible to turn even the most difficult circumstances into opportunities.’

Prior to this meeting, the delegation had already had a glimpse behind the scenes of Rwandan development during a visit to the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Jean-Guy Afrika, its CEO, shared with them the strategies that have made Rwanda an economic model in Africa. He highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships and bold policies to accelerate growth.

These discussions helped to place Rwanda's role in a wider context, where governance and innovation intersect to create a dynamic ecosystem. As Eric Kacou pointed out, ‘Rwanda is not just a country that is getting back on its feet. It is a living laboratory of what is possible when enlightened leadership meets collective resilience’.

This study tour is much more than a series of conferences or institutional visits. It reflects a method of learning that is deeply rooted in people. For the students, it is an opportunity to see in action concepts that they usually explore in the classroom: transformational leadership, collaboration between the public and private sectors, and innovation for the common good, in particular the climate transition.  

The presence of AETS, represented by its senior partner Éric Kacou, goes beyond traditional education. It brings its expertise in leadership training and encourages the study of transformational models such as Rwanda.

In this way, the initiative illustrates a successful collaboration between academia, policy-makers and business to inspire and develop global leaders. Rwanda, with its history and achievements, continues to serve as a living laboratory for studying how strong values, enlightened leadership and strategic governance can transform a nation, paving the way for inclusive and sustainable development.