By HER staff reporter
Representatives from 12 countries, including Ethiopia, gathered in Nairobi for a regional hospitality and tourism event aimed at strengthening links between training institutions, employers and governments to improve young people’s access to jobs.
The Future Leaders Challenge Eastern Africa, held on October 26–27, brought together 30 educational institutions alongside industry leaders and government representatives. Organisers described it as the largest Eastern African edition of the event to date.
The gathering combined a student competition with industry workshops, hotel visits and a recruitment fair, seeking to connect classroom learning with the practical demands of hospitality and tourism businesses.
Hosted under the patronage of Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, the event also provided a forum for education leaders and employers to discuss skills gaps and how training programmes could better prepare graduates for work.
“Young people need more than qualifications. They need opportunities to connect with industry, share their perspectives and become part of the conversations shaping their future,” said Hubert Ummels, founder of the Future Leaders Platform.
“By bringing education, industry and government together, we are building the relationships that turn talent into opportunity.”
Student teams presented proposals for the future of hospitality and tourism directly to industry leaders, receiving feedback and opportunities to build professional connections.
Workshops featured experts from Trianum, Accor, Diversey and Radisson, while visits to Nairobi Serena Hotel, Mövenpick Hotel, Sarova Stanley Hotel and Radisson Blu Hotel gave participants a closer look at hotel operations. A student recruitment fair brought employers and prospective recruits together for career discussions.
The event also advanced the work of the School Directors Alliance Eastern Africa, which connects education leaders with industry and government representatives to improve the quality and relevance of hospitality and tourism education.
For the first time, the alliance’s programme included a joint panel featuring representatives from all three sectors. Discussions focused on addressing skills gaps, strengthening alignment between education and industry, and improving preparation for employment.
Maasai Mara University won the Future Leaders Challenge Eastern Africa 2026, with Boma International Hospitality College and the Technical University of Kenya completing an all-Kenyan final three. The organisers did not specify the order of the other two finalists.
Beyond Kenya and Ethiopia, the regional edition welcomed participants from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Dr Esther Munyiri, country manager for Future Leaders Platform Eastern Africa, said stronger relationships between educational institutions and employers were central to creating opportunities for young people.
“Across Eastern Africa, we have enormous talent and potential. Our shared responsibility is to ensure that young people have the skills, exposure and connections they need to succeed,” she said.
“What we have achieved in Nairobi goes beyond bringing 12 countries together. We have strengthened relationships between institutions and industry that can lead to meaningful opportunities for future talent across the region.”
The Future Leaders Platform said its wider objective is to translate regional collaboration into opportunities for skills development, employment and entrepreneurship. Its initiatives include the Future Leaders Challenge, Craft & Culture Challenge and School Directors Alliance, which connect education, industry, government and young people.
