From artificial intelligence and mental health to sustainable leadership and African storytelling, TEDxALCHE brought fresh perspectives and bold ideas to the stage in Mauritius.
On October 5, 2026, the African Leadership College of Higher Education (ALCHE) hosted its first TEDx event, TEDxALCHE: What’s Next?, at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis.
Bringing together students, entrepreneurs, academics and industry leaders, the event explored how emerging technologies, cultural heritage and new approaches to leadership are shaping our future.
Rethinking Leadership for the Future
What does it take to build something that lasts?
At ALCHE, we believe leadership goes beyond individual achievement. Effective leaders create opportunities for others, strengthen institutions and build solutions that can endure long after their involvement.
This vision was central to TEDxALCHE’s conversations on sustainable leadership, featuring Sidee Dlamini, CEO of African Leadership University, Jason Delorie, Managing Director and Partner at La Plage Factory, and Nassima Sadar-Gravier, Founder and CEO of AfroClimate.
Drawing on experiences across education, entrepreneurship and climate innovation, the speakers brought perspectives on the challenges of building organizations, navigating change and balancing immediate priorities with long-term goals.
These conversations reinforced a principle central to ALCHE’s approach to education: developing leaders who can make informed decisions, mobilize people and resources, and build institutions and enterprises that contribute to Africa’s long-term development.
Finding Our Humanity in the Age of AI
According to Stanford University’s 2026 AI Index Report, four in five university students now use generative AI, highlighting just how quickly the technology is becoming part of everyday learning.
But as AI becomes more capable, how do we ensure that human creativity, judgment and connection remain at the center of progress?
This question was central to TEDxALCHE’s exploration of mental health and digital transformation, featuring Dr. Stephen Naicken, Academic Director at ALCHE, and Jeremy Ruiters, Dean of ALCHE.
The conversation explored the opportunities AI presents alongside the importance of protecting mental well-being, strengthening critical thinking and maintaining meaningful human relationships in an increasingly digital world.
For ALCHE, preparing students for this future means embracing emerging technologies while developing the distinctly human capabilities needed to use them wisely. The next generation of leaders must be equipped not only to work with AI, but to question its limitations, make independent decisions and ensure innovation serves people.
Looking Back to Move Forward
What does progress look like when we refuse to leave our histories behind?
At TEDxALCHE, conversations about legacy and innovation challenged the idea that building the future means starting from scratch. Africa’s histories, cultural knowledge and creative traditions are not simply things to preserve. They can also become foundations for new ideas, technologies and industries.
Speakers included Dr. Nikhita Obeegadoo, a literary scholar at the University of Chicago, and Stéphan Gua, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Intercontinental Slavery Museum, bringing perspectives on the role of literature, history and collective memory in shaping how societies understand themselves.
ALCHE student Gabrielle Emem Harry, an award-winning speculative fiction writer and cultural strategist, brought a new generation’s perspective to the stage.
“There are no facts about the future. The stories we tell today decide what becomes true tomorrow,” she said, highlighting the power of storytelling to imagine possibilities beyond our present realities.
For ALCHE, these conversations speak to a larger ambition: empowering young Africans to shape progress on their own terms, drawing on the richness of their heritage while challenging the assumptions that limit what the continent can become.
A TEDx Stage Built by Students
ALCHE students weren’t just part of the audience. They helped make the event happen.
Over several months, the Student Life team, Student Representative Council and student volunteers worked together to bring the institution’s first TEDx event to life.
From coordinating speakers and welcoming guests to supporting event logistics, students played an active role in creating a platform for ideas and conversations that extended far beyond campus.
The event also showcased the power of collaboration between students, faculty and staff, with contributions from across the ALCHE community.
For ALCHE, hosting its first TEDx event marked an important milestone in connecting students with thinkers, innovators and leaders shaping conversations across Mauritius and beyond.
And while the talks offered different perspectives on what lies ahead, they shared one underlying message: the future isn’t something we simply wait for. It’s something we help create.
The future belongs to those ready to question, create and lead.
Explore ALCHE’s programs and discover how you can turn your ideas into impact.
