Discover the SET Africa – University of Cambridge Capacity Development Programme, a distinguished executive learning experience designed to strengthen leadership, policy, and strategic decision-making in a rapidly evolving global environment.
Programme Overview Video
The SET Africa – University of Cambridge Capacity Development Programme, a specialised executive training experience featuring five core modules in:
Module 1: Global Policy & Economic Development (August 9 – 15, 2026)
Objective: Equip participants’ capacity to analyse global economic systems, evaluate the implications of policy choices, and formulate development policies that advance inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth within diverse contexts.
Topics Covered:
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- Foundations of Global Policy and Economic Development
- Policy Frameworks for Sustainable Development
- Governance, Institutions, and Development Effectiveness
- Globalisation, Regional Integration, and Geopolitics
- Evidence-Based Policymaking and Economic Analysis
Module 2: Financial Planning & Analysis (August 16 – 22, 2026)
Objective: Develop participants’ expertise in financial planning, analysis, and decision-making, enabling them to interpret financial data, optimise resource allocation, manage risks, and provide strategic insights driving performance.
Topics Covered:
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- Principles of Corporate Financial Management
- Budgeting and Resource Allocation
- Forecasting Techniques and Financial Modelling
- Cost Analysis and Decision-Making
- Capital Planning and Investment Appraisal and Decision-making
- Risk Management in Financial Planning
Module 3: Project Management for International Development (July 19 – 25, 2026)
Objective: Develop participants’ ability to plan, manage, and evaluate international development projects using evidence-based strategies, participatory methods, and sustainable practices.
Topics Covered:
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- Data, Evidence, Knowledge Reproduction and Power in International Development
- Participation and Social Power
- Activity Planning and Budgeting
- Exit Strategies and Ethics
Module 4: Sustainability Policy Development ( July 26 – August 1, 2026)
Objective: Equip participants with the knowledge and skills to design, implement, and evaluate strategies and policies that promote sustainable social, economic, and environmental outcomes.
Topics Covered:
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- Introduction to Sustainable Strategy and Policy
- Evidence-Based Policy and Strategic Planning
- Integrating Social, Economic, and Environmental Dimensions
- Sustainability, Governance, Leadership, and Accountability
- Stakeholder Engagement and Collaborative Policy Design
Module 5: Critical Thinking for Policy Leadership ( August 2 – 8, 2026)
Objective: Equip participants with analytical depth, logical reasoning, and evaluate skills required to assess policy options, challenge assumptions, and communicate evidence-informed decisions with clarity and precision.
Topics Covered:
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- Foundations of Critical Thinking in Policy
- Cognitive Biases and Policy Pitfalls
- Critical Interpretation of Data and Forecasts
- Evaluating Policy Options with Analytical Rigour
Additional Modules:
Module 6: Sustainable Finance
Objective: It analyses the initiatives on finance for sustainability within countries and at the global scale. It seeks to equip participants with rigorous analytical tools to understand the economic and political constraints faced by countries in securing and channelling finance towards sustainable development.
Topics Covered:
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- Sustainable Finance and Institutional Frameworks
- Economic Sociology of Money and Behavioural Finance
- Climate Finance Models: Green Bonds, Carbon Credits, Biodiversity Finance
- DFIs and Multilateral Financial Institutions
- Environmental Justice, Equity, and Responsibility in Finance
Module 7: International Relations & the Global Economy
Objective: It analyses these processes by understanding institutional structures and attendant power relations that produce uneven development across the regions of the world.
Topics Covered:
- Global governance institutions and the market economy
- The regulation of global trade, value, and supply chains
- Global Development: past, present, and post
- Financial markets and the global economy
- Crises, pandemics, and wars
Module 8: Understanding Artificial Intelligence
Objective: It also aims to help policymakers design adequate regulatory and governance tools needed for the responsible design and deployment of AI in key systems with a country-specific focus.
Topics Covered:
- AI Ethics, Responsibility, and Organisational Governance
- Human-Centric AI Design and Rights-Based Approaches
- Deepfakes, Disinformation, and Media Integrity
- Data Governance, Digital Sovereignty & Social Equity in AI
Module 9: Adaptive Leadership & Strategy
Objective: To reinforce a systems-thinking approach to economic decision-making. Participants explore how to critically interpret and apply diverse economic frameworks while leveraging behavioural insight, corporate systems, and sustainability principles.
Topics Covered:
- Decision-Making through Institutional, Political, and Social Lenses
- Values-Driven Leadership in African Economic Governance
- Risk Planning under Uncertainty
- Institutional Continuity, Performance Systems, and Knowledge Transfer
Module 10: Adaptive Innovation & Inclusive Policy
Objective: To explore the critical intersection of social cohesion, inclusive policy design, and adaptive innovation. Participants will interrogate how trust, participation, and institutional learning shape development outcomes, and how to cultivate agile mindsets that respond to dynamic, often fragile, contexts.
Topics Covered:
- Conflict Sensitivity and Policy Influence in Polarised Contexts
- Prototyping, Feedback Loops, and Iterative Programme Design
- Participatory Systems of Development and Economic Inclusion
- Systems Innovation in Resource-Constrained Public Institutions
Module 11: Measuring Impact Through Evaluation
Objective: It encourages participants to adopt a critical, contextualised lens when designing and interpreting impact assessments. Grounded in a systems-thinking approach, the module equips learners to identify causality, learn from interventions, and apply findings to improve future policies.
Topics Covered:
- From Outputs to Outcomes: Building the Theory of Change
- Mixed Methods Approaches in Complex Environments
- Adaptive Evaluation Strategies in Policy Cycles
- Communicating Impact to Stakeholders and Decision-Makers
Our programme offers a unique opportunity for executives, managers, and policymakers to experience the Cambridge approach to learning through instructor-led sessions, case studies, assessments, and an immersive residential experience.
The next cohort runs from July 19th to August 22nd, 2026, with full residential options, personalised coaching, tailored corporate incentives, and certification from a University of Cambridge College.
Registration for the 2026 cohort is now open!
Deadline for registration is on 20th February, 2026.
