Common Purpose is returning to Harvard University in January 2015 to deliver a Global Leader Experience. The programme will assemble 100 students from at least 25 countries and give participants the chance to learn from each other, and build the cross-cultural relationships necessary to become global leaders in the future. Global Leader Experiences have so far run in major cities such as Johannesburg, Mumbai, and London. The programme is now returning to Boston for the second time.

2014 alumni Dominic Akandwanaho attended one of the top schools in Uganda and is now a neurobiology major at Harvard University with a passion to impact change in global public health. We caught up with Dominic to find out what he took away from the previous Global Leader Experience in Boston.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about innovation especially in the healthcare industry. I believe that a lot can be achieved especially in resource poor countries if doctors, government officials and businesses started thinking differently about the challenges that currently face the healthcare sector.

I think it is most crucial right now to figure out ways to mobilise cooperation between the many players in the industry so as to achieve better results - train better doctors, compensate them better, sensitise the public - the list can go on an on.

What did you take away from the Global Leader Experience?

The Common Purpose programme helped reaffirm my interest in problem solving and innovative thinking. I loved sharing my ideas and also hearing what my peers thought about the several topics we discussed. Most times I realised that their thinking was different from mine and I believe this is the heart of innovation - a diversity of perspectives.

Since participating in this programme, I have sought out and joined social innovation and entrepreneurship groups on my campus and this has been very rewarding.

What was your favorite part of the programme?

I loved meeting with leaders in the Boston community. It was fascinating to hear their perspectives about the companies and organisations they lead and also the ways they are using innovation to achieve better results. And I love that I now have a global network of leaders I can connect with

Common Purpose is running Global Leader Experiences in the 50 Magnet Cities of the world. A Magnet City has students from over 100 countries studying in it. So that students don't just graduate as Economists and Engineers. They are also networked, responsible, global leaders with Cultural Intelligence.