{
  "id": 15619795,
  "title": "GLIDA launches in Accra to bridge gap between academic learning and workplace skills",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/glida-launches-in-accra-to-bridge-gap-between-academic-learning-and",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T15:06:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/glida-launches-in-accra-to-bridge-gap-between-academic-learning-and-workplace-skills/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Global Leadership, Innovation and Development Academy (GLIDA) has been inaugurated in Accra to bridge the gap between traditional academic education and the essential skills demanded in the professional world. At the opening ceremony held at the High Commission of Malaysia on October 16, 2026, GLIDA's Founder and President, Riffath-Yakub Abubakar, emphasized the academy's mission to address the disconnect between conventional education and the competencies needed for success in leadership, entrepreneurship, diplomacy, innovation, governance, and development.\n\nAbubakar revealed that the idea for GLIDA had been in the works since 2018, undergoing a rigorous development process through extensive research, consultations, mentorship, and interactions with professionals from various sectors. \"Our findings revealed a stark contrast between the knowledge imparted in traditional classrooms and the practical skills required for thriving in leadership roles, corporate management, entrepreneurship, diplomacy, innovation, governance, and development,\" he stated.\n\nAccording to Abubakar, professionals frequently find themselves taking on tasks such as managing organizations, negotiating partnerships, directing projects, and influencing policies without having received formal training in these areas. He pointed out that such skills were typically acquired through on-the-job experience, executive workshops, professional certifications, and mentorship. GLIDA aims to bridge this gap by offering structured training programs and certifications that make these critical competencies more accessible.\n\nThe academy's programs are designed for a diverse audience, including business executives, corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, start-ups, public sector leaders, development practitioners, aspiring diplomats, and innovators. Abubakar highlighted that the training at GLIDA would integrate classroom learning with hands-on experience, industry exposure, and professional networking, enabling participants to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges across multiple sectors. He stressed that GLIDA is intended to complement the existing educational landscape rather than compete with it and called for partnerships with universities, governments, industry leaders, and development organizations.\n\nAbubakar concluded by expressing the belief that the future lies in collaboration, not competition, underscoring GLIDA's commitment to fostering a holistic approach to professional development.",
  "summary": "The Global Leadership, Innovation and Development Academy (GLIDA) has been launched in Accra to equip professionals with practical skills in leadership, entrepreneurship, diplomacy, innovation and governance.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}