THE TIME IS NOW - GGU LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 2026 AT BBIS

The Girls Gearing Up Leadership Academy (GGU) returned to BBIS for the sixth time this summer, bringing together 52 girls from 26 countries for a week of leadership, learning and cross-cultural connection under the theme “The Time Is Now”.

This year’s theme centred on a powerful idea: meaningful change doesn’t have to wait for the future. It can begin when young women recognise the power they already have to lead and take action today.

Throughout the week at BBIS, participants explored their individual strengths, developed their leadership skills and learned from one another’s perspectives and experiences. An important part of the programme was turning reflection into action: each girl developed a personal action plan addressing a challenge in her own community.

The GGU Leadership Academy also created opportunities to connect with women from a wide range of professions and explore leadership in practice.

Highlights included:

• A mega mentoring afternoon with 50 inspirational women from diverse professional fields. Each participant was paired one-on-one with a mentor before coming together to share key insights and reflections. The GGU Leadership Academy was especially pleased to welcome three mentors from the BBIS team and parent community.
• Visits to Google, Microsoft, DKB and Design Hotels, where participants joined workshops, interviewed female team members and explored how organisations and individuals can respond to real-world challenges. During one workshop, the girls even prototyped their own apps designed to address social issues.
• A boat ride through Berlin, generously sponsored by DKB, offering another opportunity to experience and connect with the city.
• The annual Cultural Exchange Night, where every participant shared something from her own culture, creating an evening of learning, celebration and connection.
• Uchi from Malawi and Hajiba from Morocco joining the facilitator team and bringing new perspectives and experience to the Berlin hub. Uchi previously participated in the GGU mentoring programme in Malawi and returned this year as a facilitator, sharing her journey and giving participants a powerful example of how leadership can continue to grow.
• Three of our own students joining this year’s programme, representing BBIS while also serving as campus ambassadors and helping visiting participants feel at home at BBIS and in Berlin.

The week was made possible by the commitment of the GGU team, facilitators, mentors, partner organisations and the many people who welcomed and supported the participants throughout the programme. We were proud to provide a home for this international community at BBIS and delighted to see our own students, team members and parents contribute to the experience.

At the heart of this year’s Academy was the understanding that leadership begins with action. When one young woman takes a step towards change in her community, she can encourage others to do the same - creating connections and a growing network of changemakers working towards a more inclusive, connected and sustainable future.

The Girls Gearing Up International Leadership Academy is an empowerment programme for girls aged 13 to 17. Through its annual summer academy and year-round activities, GGU supports young women in developing leadership skills, building meaningful connections across cultures and turning their ideas into action.