Global Innovation Race 2024

Kigali, Rwanda

Experience the country’s capital, a hub for technology and innovation across Africa

Program OverviewLearningWhat’s IncludedExperience RwandaCertificationTestimonialsNext Steps
GIR - Kigali

Experience Africa in

Kigali, Rwanda

Join us in Kigali, the bustling capital of Rwanda and hub for technology and innovation across Africa, to explore innovation where social impact and continental transformation meet.

Explore themes of social impact, ethics, and emerging technology. Students will learn from industry experts while unlocking the power of cutting-edge technologies to design solutions that will shape the future.

Location: Kigali, Rwanda
For Ages: 13-17
Duration: 11-days
Accommodation: TBD
Price: $6,900 USD  (Teachers Attend Free! 5 students minimum) + Airfare
Dates: July 07-17, 2024

(Scholarships available for school groups. Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:10)

Digital Media Academy | STEAM Education
Digital Media Academy and the Rwanda Ministry of ICT and Innovation partner to welcome global youth to Rwanda. Here you’ll have the chance to gain first-hand experience of how innovation can drive positive change and make a real impact in today’s world.
Republic of Rwanda Ministry of ICT and Innovation

Here students will

  • Move out of your comfort zone, learning social thinking and networking skills as you learn to collaborate with diverse cultures and build trust and safety in groups.

  • Get real-world experience using design thinking to create a human-centered solution to a pressing world problem and bring your idea to life with the guidance of mentors and industry experts.

  • Learn how to think like an entrepreneur to create compelling, sustainable value as an innovator and how to effectively communicate the value of your ideas through storytelling.

  • Work in groups of 4-5 to create a Public Display of Learning to be shared in our FutureTech Showcase and a Film Reel of your group’s journey to be screened in the final GIR Film Festival.

  • Leave inspired, with an international network of lifelong friends and fellow innovators.

What’s Included

We take care of everything from when you land in Kigali until your departure.

  • Pre-program materials to prepare you for Global Innovation Race

  • Hands-on design challenge designed by Stanford Educators and taught by industry experts

  • Networking with students from all over the world

  • Accommodation, breakfast and dinner, activities, excursions, tech tours, and trips to local attractions

  • Maximum of 4-5 students per group

  • 20+ hours tuition/week

  • Inspirational tech connections program, including workshops and excursions to local tech companies

  • Optional excursions to national parks, museums, gorilla trekking, and more

  • One year membership to Digital Media Academy’s Global Youth Innovator Forum

  • Formal closing ceremony with Global Innovator Certificate

Get Started

You’ll learn through hands-on, immersive experiences…

Group Projects
Seminars
Seminars
Workshops
Workshops
Guest Speakers
Guest Speakers
Educational Trips
Educational Trips

Experience Rwanda,
Land of a Thousand Hills

Global Innovation Race 2024 takes place in the vibrant city of Kigali, Rwanda, a leading tech hub nestled just south of the Equator, within Africa’s beating heart.

Rwanda owes the nickname ‘Le pays des Mille Collines’, or the ‘Land of a Thousand Hills’, to its beautiful landscape. It is one of Africa’s most biodiverse regions and a sanctuary of unique rainforest species found nowhere else. The extraordinarily beautiful, small country is home to more than one third of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, who live in the high-altitude cloud forests of the iconic Virunga Massif.

GIR participants will dive into Rwanda’s culture, including traditional Intore dancing, basketry, and Umuganda. You will Explore local innovation centers, learn from technology and ethics pioneers, and delve into Rwanda’s history. You’ll see first-hand the nation’s resilience and commitment to peace education, drawing essential lessons for the future from its impactful past.

Join Global Innovation Race and experience Africa at its best!

 

 

 

Become a Global Innovator

In addition to receiving a Global Innovator micro-credential from Digital Media Academy, Global Innovation Race participants will receive a one-year membership to the Global Youth Innovator Forum, an online membership community that provides students with opportunities to continue learning, collaborating, and innovating.

Global Innovation Certificate Sample
Global Youth Innovator Forum

Global Youth Innovator Forum

Members attend sessions on topics related to emerging technologies, innovation, entrepreneurship, and global challenges. Led by Stanford educators, mentors, and industry experts, these sessions allow students to network and learn.

Members apply their collaboration skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems and create innovative solutions. These challenges are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Members join a multi-national community where they can strengthen their connections with fellow Global Innovation Race participants, meet students from other cohorts, and collaborate to share their ideas, feedback, and support.
“I participated in the Global Innovation Race 2023. The race was well-organized, and the project team took care of every detail, diligently following up on the activities performed by our students. They displayed a remarkable level of innovation and uniqueness in the way they engaged students with cutting-edge technology. GIR was about winning and failing together, as it encouraged our students to collaborate as a team in finding solutions to societal challenges.“
Celestin NZEYIMANA

Celestin NZEYIMANA
2023 Chaparone, Rwanda Coding Academy

“The experience was both enlightening and fun. The event provided insights into cutting-edge technologies, emerging trends, and innovative solutions being developed across different industries. I gained valuable knowledge and practical tips that I can apply to my own projects and work. What I’ll remember the most is the people I met. The connections and friendships forged during the Global Innovation Race were truly special, and I feel grateful for the new perspectives and ideas.”
Sonia Akimana

Sonia Akimana
2023 Chaparone, Rwanda Coding Academy

Start preparing for an amazing summer today!

Start your journey by submitting a free, non-binding application and one of our GIR Experience Managers will get in touch to answer any questions you may have and guide you through the booking process, including details on our program campuses, how to select the right location, and what to expect when you arrive.

What alumni are saying…

I attended [2023] Global Innovation Race, met with people from around the globe, and learned a ton. The whole program was well organized, and it is something I can definitely recommend. It was my first time working with Digital Media Academy but I love it already!

Yvan Sugira
Student from Rwanda

I like that we got to meet a lot of different people from other countries because you see a lot of different things that are different in their culture and in yours. Some of the people I worked with were very logical thinking and some others let their creativity flow. I learned how to socialize with people and how to use AI effectively to solve some problems.

Amara
Student from Switzerland

It was absolutely wonderful academic program centered around humanity. The focus of the future is not on AI, but on humans. Specifically, how humans interact, care, and relate to each other and the world is what we ultimately focused on. It was not just about design, not just about technology, not just about efficiency, but about human ideals and virtues that connect us together. I like this program a lot.

Jason Tong
Student from Beijing

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