The AIM TeaM Energy Center for Bridging Leadership was established as an endowed institution in 2004, with the vision of "a society without divides." The Center has been working towards this vision by developing leaders, primarily through the cultivation, in both theory and practice, of the Bridging Leadership Framework as an appropriate and effective leadership approach for addressing societal divides in Mindanao, the Philippines, and the Asian region.

 

Instead of capacity building that focuses on a linear transfer of knowledge and technical skills, the Center advocates a generative approach that also learns from its own capacity-building programs. Adopting a “grounded theory” mindset, the Center makes use of leadership frameworks, tools, and concepts that are enriched through the experiences of leaders. In addition, the Center is involved in Partnership Development and Advocacy, which supports the cycle between Capacity-Building and Action Research. Focal themes include engagement strategies, change management, public-private engagements, human resource management, and organizational development.

 

To date, seventy-five (75) Bridging Leaders from five (5) cohorts have been developed under the Center’s flagship fellowship programs whose aim is to reinforce clusters of Bridging Leaders in areas of need. Fellows from local government, military, NGOs, media and business were equipped with skills and tools on multi-stakeholder processes, rapid area assessment, dialogue, negotiation, and partnership building to responsively work towards social equity for peace-building and national development.

 

Under the leadership of Professor Manuel De Vera as Executive Director, the TeaM Energy Center for Bridging Leadership identified four strategic areas to focus on from 2014-2018. The Center’s programs will be clustered around the themes of human security in the context of conflict issues and disaster response and rehabilitation, good governance for local chief executives (mayors and governors), youth and women empowerment, and enabling drivers of enterprise.