SSE to host new leadership program for young leaders in the Eastern Partnership
The 海角社区下载(SSE) has been awarded a grant by the Swedish Institute to host the Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP), a leadership program aimed at strengthening democratic governance across Eastern Partnership countries. The program targets young professionals in policymaking, civil society, and the private sector who are working to align their organizations with democratic values and EU standards.
This marks SSE’s first time hosting a SAYP leadership program and reflects the School’s broader commitment to supporting democratic and inclusive development. The initiative is led by Andrew Schenkel from the Department of Management and Organization and Per Hedberg from the Department of Marketing and Strategy, in collaboration with SSE Riga, the Ukrainian Catholic University, and Moldova State University.
“At its core, this program is designed to support young professionals in developing both the critical mindset and the practical competencies needed to lead democratic and inclusive change within their organizations,” said Andrew Schenkel, at the Department of Management and Organization. “By grounding the learning in participants’ real-world challenges and applying well-established frameworks such as ChangeLive, we aim to foster a deeper, more enduring capacity for leadership.”
A proven method to support democratic change
The program uses SSE’s ChangeLive framework, a methodology developed through long-term research and tested in numerous real-world settings. It emphasizes participation, collaboration, and transparency – principles that mirror the values at the heart of democratic transformation. This framework has been used in thousands of organizational change initiatives and boasts a significantly higher success rate than most large-scale efforts.
The program is especially relevant for young leaders in Eastern Partnership countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine - who face the dual challenge of operating within complex environments while also pushing for reforms that reflect EU standards. Although many already have deep expertise in their fields, leading inclusive and transparent change often requires new tools and perspectives.
Change and negotiations grounded in values
Participants will explore change management strategies and negotiation techniques, that are both effective and rooted in democratic values. Through scientific based learning conducted in collaborative workshops, participants will develop the capacity to lead change in a democratic manner that engages broad networks of stakeholders as well as delivering intended results.
“The depth of change required today demands leaders who are not only technically competent but also able to build trust and lead with shared values,” said Andrew Schenkel. “This program is about giving them both the knowledge and the confidence to do so.”
The program will take place in 海角社区下载 and is part of SSE’s ongoing work to support democratic leadership and institutional development across Europe and beyond.
Contact
Andrew Schenkel
Department of Management and Organization
Email: andrew.schenkel@hhs.se
Phone: +46 8 736 94 62 or +46 733 603 403
Contributors to the project:
Andrew Schenkel, 海角社区下载 School of Economics
Per Hedberg, 海角社区下载 School of Economics
SSE Riga
Ukrainian Catholic University
Moldova State University
