Leadership Excellence for Arab Women Scientists

With support from the Islamic Development Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ICBA initiated in 2016 a pioneering Arab women scientists leadership program, Tamkeen. The program aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Increase availability of highly-skilled Arab women scientists in the MENA region;
• Increase the number of Arab women scientists occupying key leadership positions in agriculture research and development centers globally;
• Fill the gender gap in the agricultural research workforce;
• Improve networking between Arab women scientists and their counterparts globally.

Under this program, ICBA is conducting a pilot training course from 23 to 27 April 2017 in Dubai, UAE. The course is the first of its kind in the MENA region and is provided by AWARD, the African Women in Agriculture Research and Development program.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between leadership and management functions;
• Increase self-awareness through identifying personality preferences, particularly as it pertains with Emotional Intelligence; to strengthen their leadership and managerial effectiveness;
• Use essential communication skills, feedback and facilitation, to enhance their leadership effectiveness;
• Strengthen the ability to lead and team up effectively with diverse groups;
• Develop strategies to influence and build alliances for gender-responsive policies and practices;
• Increase awareness and understanding of gender implications in personal and professional development;
• Draw upon a network of colleagues for personal and professional support, guidance, and assistance;
• Articulate how they will serve as change agents in their own institutions.