Latin America Leadership Program

The Global Competitiveness Leadership (GCL) program is a unique academic and experiential leadership development program developed by Georgetown University's Latin America Leadership Program (LALP), that aims to provide a new generation of emerging change agents with the essential tools and a significant regional network to promote competitiveness, progress and comprehensive development in the Latin American region. The GCL program is one of the annual programs of Georgetown University's Latin America Leadership Program (LALP).

LALP awards generous scholarships to young leaders to participate in this intensive non-degree executive education leadership program at Georgetown University. The program selects highly qualified candidates throughout the region to become the future agents of change in Latin America and the Caribbean. Since its inception in 2007, GCL has fostered a dynamic, close-knit network of innovative leaders promoting positive regional transformation. At the end of the program, graduates join the GCL alumni network to continue collaborating to promote the common good, promoting good practices and interregional initiatives across the different generations, sectors, and countries of the LALP programs and between Georgetown University and Latin America and the Caribbean.

What distinguishes GCL from other executive programs is its regional approach to leadership in action, as participants must develop a project with impact in the region, whether in the social, private, or public sector, to carry out in their countries of origin. origin. The implementation of these projects results in a multiplier effect, which amplifies the impact of the GCL program throughout the region.

Study objectives
1. Identify the benefits that the GCL program and the GCL alumni network have had for the professional and personal development of its alumni.
2. Find out how the GCL program has contributed to the development of alumni projects and the impact on the region.
3. Map alumni professional careers and their most relevant milestones.

Methodology

Information collection instrument

An online survey was carried out through the Qualtrics system. It corresponds to a self-administered questionnaire with 91 questions that are asked in the same order and in the same way to all the people surveyed. It consists of open-response questions, but they are mostly closed multiple-choice questions. It reveals objective information (facts, achievements) and subjective information (opinions or perceptions).

In the pre-nomadic field phase, nómade reviewed the instrument designed by the LALP team, led by Cristina Ruiz, with the support of Michael Guarino, the researcher Paloma Bernal Turnes, and the board of the GCL Alumni network. Carina Silva and Gustavo Rodriguez.

The final revised survey that LALP created in Qualtrics was disseminated by LALP via Constant Contact and individual emails to GCL alumni of all cohorts (2007-2023); The field was filmed between August 24 and October 7, 2023.

Analysis techniques

For all dimensions of interest, it is proposed to carry out a descriptive analysis according to cut-off variables that can provide relevant information.

The trajectories are approached from the retrospective analysis of key events in the professional and educational lives of individuals, questions are asked about the present and the past on these topics, and their evolution is analyzed.

The perception of the benefits of the program is revealed mainly by applying questions on a Likert scale, where the respondent can position themselves according to their degree of agreement with key phrases that describe the goals of use of the program.

Main Findings

2007-2023 GCL alumni respondents seem to rate their experience in the program and its network highly and are considered active in impact projects, seeking growth in knowledge and professional responsibilities. The great regional diversity of the program is significant and highlighted, both in the alumni's origin and place of residence and in the location of their impact projects.

A total of 256 responses were obtained, representing 43% of the alumni of the cohorts between 2007 and 2023.

• Both at the level of the program and the alumni network, the evaluations collected are largely favorable and positive. GCL is seen as a source of knowledge, resources and inputs that largely serve as motivational factors so that alumni can design and effectively manage their projects. In this framework, it is highlighted that the GCL has made it possible to enhance the personal and professional development of alumni both at the network level and at the regional level.​
• The great regional diversity that appears in all the aspects analyzed stands out: origin and place of residence of the alumni and location of projects, both GCL projects and those in which the respondents currently work. More than 20 Latin American countries are represented in this survey in all dimensions. This aspect represents a great richness of the program to preserve and highlight, both at the time of teaching the courses and the work developed subsequently with the alumni network.
• It is confirmed that the alumni who participated in this study perceive themselves as having a proactive attitude and actions and are systematically active in impact projects, seeking growth in knowledge and professional responsibilities.
• The GCL has the virtue of opening training and professional opportunities within and outside Latin American borders. It should be noted that despite the place of residence, the location of alumni impact projects continues to be concentrated in the region.
• The alumni are still very active in impact projects today and have generally participated in other impact projects in addition to their GCL project. Education is the most present topic in current projects and the original GCL project, followed by those linked to Gender, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• GCL projects are primarily implemented after their design. Of those that were implemented, almost half remain active today, and a third were replicated to other territories. For almost 9 out of 10 respondents, the GCL project was a background or inspiration for other projects.
• Alumni maintain active communications with each other regularly and focus on staying in touch and updated about the region. Notably, several respondents added the friendship and personal ties that were created with other alumni as a fundamental reason for their communications, especially within the same cohort.
• In general, almost all respondents have participated in some activity as an alumni. The type of participation is more concentrated in activities such as local interviewers of candidates or attendees at meetings or events.

"These results highlight Georgetown University's continued commitment to developing impactful leaders in the region. The GCL program emerges as a catalyst for positive change, generating impact networks that transcend borders and consolidating its position as a reference in leadership development in Latin America and the Caribbean" - nómade consulting

LALP greatly appreciates the time and commitment of all the GCL alumni who responded to the survey and congratulates the winners of the registration fee drawing for the 2023 GCL Alumni Reunion in Monterrey.

For those who wish to review the study, you can view the summary infographic here. In Spanish.

Additional news about this study at nómade.