ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Patrick Awuah - University founder
After working at Microsoft for almost a decade, Patrick Awuah returned home to Ghana and cofounded Ashesi University, a small liberal arts college that aims to educate Africa's next generation of leaders. Its first class of students graduated in 2006.

Why you should listen

Patrick Awuah left Ghana as a teenager to attend Swarthmore College in the United States, then stayed on to build a career at Microsoft in Seattle. In returning to his home country, he has made a commitment to educating young people in critical thinking and ethical service, values he believes are crucial for the nation-building that lies ahead.

Founded in 2002, his Ashesi University is already charting a new course in African education, with its high-tech facilities, innovative academic program and emphasis on leadership. It seems more than fitting that ashesi means "beginning" in Akan, one of Ghana's native languages.

Patrikc Awuah is an alumnus of the TED Fellows program, having attended TEDGlobal 2007 in Arusha, Tanzania, and TED2009 in Long Beach, California. Find out more about the TED Fellows program. He is also a 2015 MacArthur Fellow.

More profile about the speaker
Patrick Awuah | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2007

Patrick Awuah: How to educate leaders? Liberal arts

帕特里克·阿瓦谈领袖型人才的培养

Filmed:
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帕特里克·阿瓦用实践表明文理学院的博雅教育对于培养真正的领袖人才是至关重要的。
- University founder
After working at Microsoft for almost a decade, Patrick Awuah returned home to Ghana and cofounded Ashesi University, a small liberal arts college that aims to educate Africa's next generation of leaders. Its first class of students graduated in 2006. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:26
Like many许多 of you here, I am trying to contribute有助于
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像在座的很多人一样,我一直在不懈地
00:31
towards a renaissance再生 in Africa非洲.
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为实现非洲的复兴而努力。
00:34
The question of transformation转型 in Africa非洲
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非洲要实现转型的
00:36
really is a question of leadership领导.
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关键是领导力。
00:38
Africa非洲 can only be transformed改造 by enlightened开明 leaders领导者.
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只有开明的领导者才能改变非洲。
00:43
And it is my contention争夺 that the manner方式 in which哪一个
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我的论点是,
00:45
we educate教育 our leaders领导者 is fundamental基本的
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我们教育培养领袖型人才的模式是
00:49
to progress进展 on this continent大陆.
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这个大陆进步的基础。
00:53
I want to tell you some stories故事 that explain说明 my view视图.
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我想给你们讲一些故事,来解释我的观点。
00:58
We all heard听说 about the importance重要性 of stories故事 yesterday昨天.
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我们昨天都听说了故事的重要性。
01:02
An American美国 friend朋友 of mine this year volunteered自告奋勇 as a nurse护士 in Ghana加纳,
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我的一个美国朋友,今年,到加纳去做一名志愿护士。
01:07
and in a period of three months个月 she came来了 to a conclusion结论
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3个月后,她得出一个
01:10
about the state of leadership领导 in Africa非洲
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我用了十多年的时间才明白的
01:13
that had taken采取 me over a decade to reach达到.
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关于非洲的领袖人才的状态的结论。
01:16
Twice两次 she was involved参与 in surgeries手术
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有两次,她参与的手术过程中
01:19
where they lost丢失 power功率 at the hospital醫院.
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医院停电了,
01:24
The emergency generators发电机 did not start开始.
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紧急发电机没有启动,
01:27
There was not a flashlight手电筒, not a lantern灯笼, not a candle蜡烛 --
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也没有手电筒,没有手提灯,甚至连一支蜡烛都没有。
01:32
pitch沥青 black黑色.
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漆黑一片!
01:33
The patient's耐心 cut open打开, twice两次.
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两次都是患者的开刀伤口还打开在的时候。
01:38
The first time it was a C-section剖腹产.
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第一次是剖腹产。
01:42
Thankfully感激地, baby宝宝 was out -- mother母亲 and child儿童 survived幸存.
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谢天谢地,幸好婴儿当时已经出来了,后来母子平安。
01:47
The second第二 time was a procedure程序 that involved参与 local本地 anesthesia麻醉.
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第二次手术包括局部麻醉,
01:52
Anesthetic麻药 wears穿 off. The patient患者 feels感觉 pain疼痛.
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停电的时候麻醉逐渐消失,患者感到疼痛。
01:55
He's crying哭了. He's screaming尖叫. He's praying祈祷.
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他哭喊,尖叫,祈祷。
02:00
Pitch沥青 black黑色. Not a candle蜡烛, not a flashlight手电筒.
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漆黑一片!没有蜡烛,没有手电筒!
02:06
And that hospital醫院 could have afforded提供 flashlights手电筒.
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而其实那个医院应该是可以提供手电筒的,
02:10
They could have afforded提供 to purchase采购 these things, but they didn't.
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他们有那个钱去买这些东西,但是他们没有。
02:14
And it happened发生 twice两次.
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而且这种现象发生了两次。
02:16
Another另一个 time, she watched看着 in horror恐怖 as nurses护士 watched看着 a patient患者 die
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另外一次,她无比惊恐地和护士们一起眼睁睁地看着一个病人死去,
02:22
because they refused拒绝 to give her oxygen that they had.
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因为他们拒绝给病人输氧气,而医院是有氧气的。
02:28
And so three months个月 later后来,
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因此,3个月后,
02:30
just before she returned to the United联合的 States状态,
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就在她回美国前,
02:33
nurses护士 in Accra阿克拉 go on strike罢工.
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阿克拉医院的护士举行罢工。
02:35
And her recommendation建议 is
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她的建议是,
02:38
take this opportunity机会 to fire everyone大家, start开始 all over again.
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抓住这个机会把所有人解雇,从头再来。
02:42
Start开始 all over again.
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从头再来!
02:44
Now what does this have to do with leadership领导?
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那么,这个故事和领导力有什么关系?
02:49
You see, the folks乡亲 at the ministry of health健康,
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你知道吗,这些错误来自于卫生部,
02:54
the hospital醫院 administrators管理员, the doctors医生, the nurses护士 --
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医院的管理人员,医生,和护士——
03:00
they are among其中 just five percent百分 of their peers同行
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而他们是同龄人中的百分之五的精英,
03:04
who get an education教育 after secondary次要 school学校.
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只有他们接受了中学以上的教育。
03:08
They are the elite原种. They are our leaders领导者.
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他们是中流砥柱,是我们的领导者。
03:12
Their decisions决定, their actions行动 matter.
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他们的决定和行为都举足轻重。
03:15
And when they fail失败, a nation国家 literally按照字面 suffers患有.
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如果他们不行,整个民族,不夸张地说,都受连累。
03:20
So when I speak说话 of leadership领导,
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因此我所说的领导力,
03:22
I'm not talking about just political政治 leaders领导者.
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并不是只局限于政界领袖。
03:26
We've我们已经 heard听说 a lot about that.
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那些东西我们已经听得太多了,
03:28
I'm talking about the elite原种.
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我说的是社会精英层人才,
03:32
Those who've谁一直 been trained熟练,
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那些接受了教育的人,
03:34
whose谁的 job工作 it is to be the guardians监护人 of their society社会.
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那些应该以社会督导为职业的人。
03:39
The lawyers律师, the judges法官, the policemen警察, the doctors医生,
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律师,法官,警察,医生,
03:43
the engineers工程师, the civil国内 servants公务员 --
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工程师,公务员……
03:47
those are the leaders领导者.
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他们都是领导,
03:49
And we need to train培养 them right.
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我们应该正确地培养他们。
03:52
Now, my first pointed and memorable难忘 experience经验 with leadership领导 in Ghana加纳
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关于在加纳的领导力问题,我第一次难忘的经历
03:58
occurred发生 when I was 16 years年份 old.
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发生在我16岁的时候。
04:00
We had just had a military军事 coup政变,
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那时候我们国家刚刚发生了军事政变,
04:02
and soldiers士兵 were pervasive无处不在 in our society社会.
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社会上到处都是士兵。
04:05
They were a pervasive无处不在 presence存在.
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到处都是。
04:07
And one day I go to the airport飞机场 to meet遇到 my father父亲,
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一天我去机场去接我爸爸,
04:10
and as I walk步行 up this grassy绿色的 slope from the car汽车 park公园
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我正从停车场沿着草坡
04:13
to the terminal终奌站 building建造,
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向航站楼走,
04:16
I'm stopped停止 by two soldiers士兵 wielding挥舞 AK-AK-47 assault突击 weapons武器.
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两个拿着AK-47机关枪的士兵拦住了我,
04:21
And they asked me to join加入 a crowd人群 of people
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他们命令我加入一群人
04:25
that were running赛跑 up and down this embankment.
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在堤坝上跑上跑下。
04:29
Why? Because the path路径 I had taken采取 was considered考虑 out of bounds界限.
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为什么?因为我刚才走的路是禁止入内的。
04:35
No sign标志 to this effect影响.
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而其实并没有禁止入内的标志。
04:38
Now, I was 16. I was very worried担心 about
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那时我16岁,很担心
04:42
what my peers同行 at school学校 might威力 think
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学校的同学会笑话我,
04:44
if they saw me running赛跑 up and down this hill爬坡道.
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如果他们看到我在山坡上跑上跑下。
04:46
I was especially特别 concerned关心 of what the girls女孩 might威力 think.
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我尤其担心女孩儿们会怎么想。
04:51
And so I started开始 to argue争论 with these men男人.
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于是我和这些士兵争执。
04:53
It was a little reckless鲁莽, but you know, I was 16.
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那确实有点鲁莽,但是,你知道,我才16岁。
04:55
I got lucky幸运.
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我很幸运。
04:57
A Ghana加纳 Airways航空公司 pilot飞行员 falls下降 into the same相同 predicament困境.
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一个加纳航空的飞行员也陷入了同样的困境。
05:01
Because of his uniform制服 they speak说话 to him differently不同,
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因为他穿着飞行员制服,那些士兵对他说话的态度有点不一样,
05:03
and they explain说明 to him that they're just following以下 orders命令.
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还向他解释他们只是执行命令。
05:06
So he takes their radio无线电, talks会谈 to their boss老板,
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所以飞行员拿过他们的对讲机,跟他们的上司讲话,
05:09
and gets得到 us all released发布.
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然后我们都被释放了。
05:11
What lessons教训 would you take from an experience经验 like this?
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你从类似这种经历当中能领悟到什么?
05:14
Several一些, for me.
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对我来说,我领悟到下面几点:
05:16
Leadership领导 matters事项. Those men男人 are following以下
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领导才能很重要。那些士兵们是在遵从
05:19
the orders命令 of a superior优越 officer.
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一个上级官员的命令。
05:23
I learned学到了 something about courage勇气.
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我还学会了要有勇气。
05:25
It was important重要 not to look at those guns枪炮.
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不被那些枪吓倒是很重要的。
05:29
And I also learned学到了 that it can be helpful有帮助 to think about girls女孩.
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而且我还懂得了想一想女孩儿也是有帮助的。
05:33
(Laughter笑声)
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(观众笑)
05:35
So a few少数 years年份 after this event事件, I leave离开 Ghana加纳 on a scholarship奖学金
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后来,这件事的几年后,我拿到奖学金离开加纳
05:41
to go to Swarthmore斯沃斯莫尔 College学院 for my education教育.
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去斯沃斯莫尔(Swarthmore)文理学院接受教育,
05:44
It was a breath呼吸 of fresh新鲜 air空气.
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真是耳目一新。
05:47
You know, the faculty学院 there didn't want us to memorize记忆 information信息
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你知道,那里的教员不让我们去死记硬背,
05:52
and repeat重复 back to them as I was used to back in Ghana加纳.
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不像以前我在加纳所习惯的一样。
05:56
They wanted us to think critically危重.
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他们培养我们有辨析批判性地思考,
05:58
They wanted us to be analytical分析.
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教我们养成分析的习惯。
06:00
They wanted us to be concerned关心 about social社会 issues问题.
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他们希望我们关心社会问题。
06:04
In my economics经济学 classes I got high marks分数
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我的经济学课程得了高分,
06:07
for my understanding理解 of basic基本 economics经济学.
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因为我对经济学基础的理解。
06:10
But I learned学到了 something more profound深刻 than that,
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但是我学会了比那更意义深远的东西:
06:13
which哪一个 is that the leaders领导者 -- the managers经理 of Ghana's加纳 economy经济 --
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那些领导,加纳经济的管理者,
06:20
were making制造 breathtakingly惊人的 bad decisions决定
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做的令人震惊的错误的决定
06:23
that had brought our economy经济 to the brink边缘 of collapse坍方.
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使我们的经济走到了崩溃的边缘。
06:27
And so here was this lesson again -- leadership领导 matters事项.
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所以现在又回到了前面的这个教训——领导能力是重要的。
06:30
It matters事项 a great deal合同.
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它真的是非常重要。
06:33
But I didn't really fully充分 understand理解 what had happened发生 to me at Swarthmore斯沃斯莫尔.
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但是我并不能真正充分地理解斯沃斯莫尔学院对我的影响。
06:37
I had an inkling暗示,
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我只有一个模糊的概念,
06:40
but I didn't fully充分 realize实现 it until直到 I went out into the workplace职场
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直到我走出校园去工作才充分意识到。
06:44
and I went to work at Microsoft微软 Corporation公司.
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我去的是微软公司,
06:48
And I was part部分 of this team球队 -- this thinking思维, learning学习 team球队
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成为了团队的一份子——一个不断思考和学习着的团队,
06:53
whose谁的 job工作 it was to design设计 and implement实行 new software软件
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我们的工作就是设计和编程,
06:58
that created创建 value in the world世界.
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在全世界都创造着价值。
07:01
And it was brilliant辉煌 to be part部分 of this team球队.
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成为这个团队的一员是非常棒的,
07:04
It was brilliant辉煌.
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这个团队非常杰出。
07:06
And I realized实现 just what had happened发生 to me at Swarthmore斯沃斯莫尔,
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我这才明白了斯沃斯莫尔学院给了我什么,
07:10
this transformation转型 --
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这个教育改变了我,它让我能够
07:12
the ability能力 to confront面对 problems问题, complex复杂 problems问题,
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去挑战问题,复杂的问题,
07:17
and to design设计 solutions解决方案 to those problems问题.
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去设计方案来解决问题。
07:20
The ability能力 to create创建 is the most empowering授权 thing
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创造能力是对于个人而言
07:24
that can happen发生 to an individual个人.
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最能赋予人力量的。
07:26
And I was part部分 of that.
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我当时成为了其中的一部分。
07:29
Now, while I was at Microsoft微软, the annual全年 revenues收入 of that company公司
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当我在微软的时候,公司的年收入
07:34
grew成长 larger than the GDPGDP of the Republic共和国 of Ghana加纳.
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增长到比整个加纳共和国的GDP还高。
07:39
And by the way, it's continued继续 to.
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并且,顺便说一句,微软的年收入一直在持续增长,
07:42
The gap间隙 has widened加宽 since以来 I left.
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从我离开微软后,这个差距更大了。
07:46
Now, I've already已经 spoken about one of the reasons原因 why this has occurred发生.
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其实,我刚才已经说了为什么会产生这样的现象的一个原因。
07:50
I mean, it's the people there who are so hardworking用功,
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我的意思是,是因为在微软工作的人们非常勤奋,
07:53
persistent一贯, creative创作的, empowered授权.
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坚持不懈,有创造力,能发挥自己的能力。
07:59
But there were also some external外部 factors因素:
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但是也有一些外部因素,比如:
08:02
free自由 markets市场, the rule规则 of law, infrastructure基础设施.
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自由市场,法律治国,基础设施。
08:07
These things were provided提供 by institutions机构
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这些东西都是由社会制度提供的,
08:11
run by the people that I call leaders领导者.
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是我称之为“领导”的人们在运行着这个制度体系。
08:15
And those leaders领导者 did not emerge出现 spontaneously自发.
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那些领导不是自然自发产生的,
08:18
Somebody trained熟练 them to do the work that they do.
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而是有人培养了他们做现在的工作的。
08:23
Now, while I was at Microsoft微软, this funny滑稽 thing happened发生.
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当我还在微软的时候,有意思,
08:25
I became成为 a parent.
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我成为了父亲。
08:27
And for the first time, Africa非洲 mattered要紧 more to me than ever before.
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第一次,非洲比以前对我来说更重要了,
08:32
Because I realized实现 that the state of the African非洲人 continent大陆
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因为我意识到非洲大陆的状态
08:36
would matter to my children孩子 and their children孩子.
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将影响到我的孩子和他们的孩子。
08:40
That the state of the world世界 -- the state of the world世界
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我意识到全世界的状态
08:46
depends依靠 on what's happening事件 to Africa非洲,
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也取决于非洲在发生什么,
08:51
as far as my kids孩子 would be concerned关心.
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至少对于我的孩子是这样的。
08:53
And at this time, when I was going through通过
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当时我正在经历
08:57
what I call my "pre-mid-life预中年 crisis危机,"
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我自称的“近中年危机”,
09:01
Africa非洲 was a mess食堂.
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非洲也混乱一片。
09:03
Somalia索马里 had disintegrated解体 into anarchy无政府状态.
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索马里已经陷入了无政府状态,
09:05
Rwanda卢旺达 was in the throes阵痛 of this genocidal种族灭绝 war战争.
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卢旺达在种族灭绝的战争中苦苦挣扎。
09:09
And it seemed似乎 to me that that was the wrong错误 direction方向,
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我认为那是错误的发展方向,
09:11
and I needed需要 to be back helping帮助.
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我应该回去帮助非洲。
09:14
I couldn't不能 just stay in Seattle西雅图 and raise提高 my kids孩子
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我不能只是呆在西雅图抚养我的孩子,
09:18
in an upper-middle中等偏上 class neighborhood邻里 and feel good about it.
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住在中上阶级的社区里沾沾自喜。
09:22
This was not the world世界 that I'd want my children孩子 to grow增长 up in.
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我不想让我的孩子在这样的世界中成长。
09:28
So I decided决定 to get engaged订婚, and the first thing that I did
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所以我决定行动起来,我做的第一件事
09:32
was to come back to Ghana加纳 and talk with a lot of people
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是回到加纳和许多人谈话,
09:36
and really try to understand理解 what the real真实 issues问题 were.
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努力去了解真正的问题在哪里。
09:40
And three things kept不停 coming未来 up for every一切 problem问题:
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对于任何问题,三个东西总是浮现出来:
09:45
corruption腐败, weak institutions机构
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腐败,脆弱的制度,
09:48
and the people who run them -- the leaders领导者.
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还有运行制度的人——领导们。
09:52
Now, I was a little scared害怕
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那么,我有一点害怕,
09:54
because when you see those three problems问题,
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因为当你想到那三个问题,
09:56
they seem似乎 really hard to deal合同 with.
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他们看起来非常难处理。
09:59
And they might威力 say, "Look, don't even try."
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他们很可能会说:算了吧,试都不要试。
10:01
But, for me, I asked the question,
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但是,对我而言,我问了这个问题:
10:04
"Well, where are these leaders领导者 coming未来 from?
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“那么,这些领导是从哪里来的?
10:08
What is it about Ghana加纳 that produces产生 leaders领导者
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加纳是怎样制造出那些
10:12
that are unethical不道德的 or unable无法 to solve解决 problems问题?"
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不道德的不能解决问题的领导者的?
10:16
So I went to look at what was happening事件 in our educational教育性 system系统.
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所以我去看看在教育系统里面到底在发生着什么。
10:19
And it was the same相同 -- learning学习 by rote死记硬背 --
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我发现,从小学到研究生院校都是一样:
10:21
from primary school学校 through通过 graduate毕业 school学校.
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死记硬背,
10:25
Very little emphasis重点 on ethics伦理,
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不重视伦理道德。
10:30
and the typical典型 graduate毕业
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你知道吧,加纳的大学出来的典型毕业生
10:34
from a university大学 in Ghana加纳 has a stronger sense
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自我感觉享受特权是应该的,
10:38
of entitlement权利 than a sense of responsibility责任.
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而缺乏对社会负责任的态度。
10:42
This is wrong错误.
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这是不对的。
10:44
So I decided决定 to engage从事 this particular特定 problem问题.
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于是我决定针对这个具体的问题来着手。
10:49
Because it seems似乎 to me that every一切 society社会, every一切 society社会,
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因为在我看来,每个社会
10:55
must必须 be very intentional故意的 about how it trains火车 its leaders领导者.
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必须非常认真地规划怎样来培训它的领袖型人才,
10:59
And Ghana加纳 was not paying付款 enough足够 attention注意.
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而加纳并没有给予足够的重视。
11:02
And this is true真正 across横过 sub-Saharan撒哈拉以南 Africa非洲, actually其实.
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实际上,整个撒哈拉以南的非洲都是这样。
11:09
So this is what I'm doing now.
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这就是我正在做的事。
11:11
I'm trying to bring带来 the experience经验 that I had at Swarthmore斯沃斯莫尔 to Africa非洲.
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我试着把我在斯沃斯莫尔学院体验到的东西带到非洲,
11:18
I wish希望 there was a liberal自由主义的 arts艺术 college学院 in every一切 African非洲人 country国家.
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希望在每个非洲国家都有文理学院。
11:22
I think it would make a huge巨大 difference区别.
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我想这会大大地改变现状。
11:25
And what AshesiAshesi University大学 is trying to do
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阿社思(Ashesi)大学正在努力做的
11:30
is to train培养 a new generation of ethical合乎道德的, entrepreneurial创业 leaders领导者.
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就是训练出一代新的有德行的,企业家式的领导者。
11:37
We're trying to train培养 leaders领导者 of exceptional优秀 integrity廉正,
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我们努力培养非常正直的学生,
11:41
who have the ability能力 to confront面对 the complex复杂 problems问题,
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他们能面对复杂的社会问题,
11:44
ask the right questions问题, and come up with workable可行 solutions解决方案.
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问出正确的问题,然后想出可以实行的措施。
11:49
I'll admit承认 that there are times when it seems似乎 like "Mission任务: Impossible不可能,"
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我承认有时候觉得好像这是一个“不可能完成的任务”,
11:56
but we must必须 believe that these kids孩子 are smart聪明.
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但是我们必须相信这些孩子们是聪明的,
12:00
That if we involve涉及 them in their education教育,
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如果我们针对他们自身特点来展开他们的教育,
12:03
if we have them discuss讨论 the real真实 issues问题 that they confront面对 --
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如果我们让他们讨论需要面对的真正的问题——
12:07
that our whole整个 society社会 confronts面对 --
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我们整个社会都面对的问题——
12:10
and if we give them skills技能 that enable启用 them to engage从事 the real真实 world世界,
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如果我们教授他们技巧使他们能在真实的世界里立足,
12:16
that magic魔法 will happen发生.
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那么奇迹将会发生。
12:21
Now, a month into this project项目, we'd星期三 just started开始 classes.
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深入这个项目一个月后,我们才开始上课。
12:29
And a month into it, I come to the office办公室,
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再一个月后,我来到办公室,
12:32
and I have this email电子邮件 from one of our students学生们.
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收到一个学生的邮件。
12:35
And it said, very simply只是, "I am thinking思维 now."
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信上非常简单地写着“我开始思考了”,
12:40
And he signs迹象 off, "Thank you."
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和签名“谢谢你”。
12:45
It's such这样 a simple简单 statement声明.
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这是多么简单的一个句子。
12:48
But I was moved移动 almost几乎 to tears眼泪
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我几乎感动地流泪,
12:50
because I understood了解 what was happening事件 to this young年轻 man.
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因为我理解这个年轻人正在经历一个怎么样的改变。
12:55
And it is an awesome真棒 thing to be a part部分
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这是非常美妙的事情,能参与到
12:59
of empowering授权 someone有人 in this way.
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以这样的方式来发挥挖掘人的才能的项目中。
13:04
I am thinking思维 now.
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我开始思考了。
13:08
This year we challenged挑战 our students学生们
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今年,我们让学生们
13:12
to craft手艺 an honor荣誉 code themselves他们自己.
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自己起草一个行为准则。
13:15
There's a very vibrant充满活力 debate辩论 going on on campus校园 now
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这引起了一场激烈的争论,现在校园里正在进行,
13:18
over whether是否 they should have an honor荣誉 code,
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关于他们是否应该有一个行为守则,
13:21
and if so, what it should look like.
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如果应该,那它应该是什么样的。
13:24
One of the students学生们 asked a question that just warmed温暖 my heart.
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一个学生问了一个问题,让我感到很温暖。
13:28
Can we create创建 a perfect完善 society社会?
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我们能创造一个完美的社会吗?
13:34
Her understanding理解 that a student-crafted学生制作 honor荣誉 code
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她认为让学生起草的行为规则
13:40
constitutes构成 a reach达到 towards perfection完美 is incredible难以置信.
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构成一个对完美的追求,很令人惊喜。
13:46
Now, we cannot不能 achieve实现 perfection完美,
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虽然我们不能达到完美,
13:48
but if we reach达到 for it, then we can achieve实现 excellence卓越.
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但是如果我们朝那个方向努力,我们就能达到卓越。
13:54
I don't know ultimately最终 what they will do.
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我不知道他们最终会做成什么,
13:56
I don't know whether是否 they will decide决定 to have this honor荣誉 code.
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不知道他们是否决定写这份行为规范。
14:00
But the conversation会话 they're having now --
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但是她们正在进行的讨论——
14:02
about what their good society社会 should look like,
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关于一个他们认为好的社会应该是什么样子,
14:06
what their excellent优秀 society社会 should look like,
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他们认为是卓越的社会应该是什么样子的讨论——
14:09
is a really good thing.
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非常有价值。
14:15
Am I out of time? OK.
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是不是没有时间了?哦,还有时间。
14:21
Now, I just wanted to leave离开 that slide滑动 up
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现在,我暂时停在那张幻灯片上,
14:27
because it's important重要 that we think about it.
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因为它非常重要,值得我们思考。
14:30
I'm very excited兴奋 about the fact事实
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有一件事情是我的得意之举,
14:33
that every一切 student学生 at AshesiAshesi University大学 does community社区 service服务 before they graduate毕业.
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在阿社思大学的每个学生毕业前都要做社区服务。
14:39
That for many许多 of them, it has been a life-altering改变生活 experience经验.
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对于他们多数人而言,那是一次改变一生的经历。
14:44
These young年轻 future未来 leaders领导者 are beginning开始 to understand理解
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这些年轻的未来的领导们逐渐开始理解
14:52
the real真实 business商业 of leadership领导,
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领导力的真谛,
14:54
the real真实 privilege特权 of leadership领导,
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领导者的真正特权,
14:56
which哪一个 is after all to serve服务 humanity人性.
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其实是为人类服务。
15:01
I am even more thrilled高兴 by the fact事实 that least最小 year
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去年,有一件事让我更加有感触:
15:06
our student学生 body身体 elected当选 a woman女人
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我们的学生团体选举了一名女性
15:08
to be the head of Student学生 Government政府.
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作为学生会的主席。
15:12
It's the first time in the history历史 of Ghana加纳
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这在加纳历史上是第一次,
15:15
that a woman女人 has been elected当选 head of Student学生 Government政府
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女性被选举为大学的
15:19
at any university大学.
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学生会主席。
15:22
It says a lot about her.
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这件事情展示了很多关于她,
15:24
It says a lot about the culture文化 that's forming成型 on campus校园.
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关于校园里正在形成的文化。
15:29
It says a lot about her peers同行 who elected当选 her.
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关于选举出她的那些同学们。
15:32
She won韩元 with 75 percent百分 of the vote投票.
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她赢得了百分之75的选票。
15:38
And it gives me a lot of hope希望.
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这件事情也给我很大的希望。
15:41
It turns out that corporate企业 West西 Africa非洲
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后来发现西非公司
15:44
also appreciates赞赏 what's happening事件 with our students学生们.
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也欣赏我们的学生们所经受的训练。
15:48
We've我们已经 graduated毕业 two classes of students学生们 to date日期.
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至今为止,我们已经毕业了两个班级的学生了,
15:52
And every一切 single one of them has been placed放置.
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他们每个人都找到了工作。
15:55
And we're getting得到 great reports报告 back
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我们也从加纳的企业,西非的企业
15:57
from corporate企业 Ghana加纳, corporate企业 West西 Africa非洲,
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得到了很棒的反馈报告。
16:01
and the things that they're most impressed印象深刻 about is work ethic伦理.
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他们印象最深刻的是学生们的职业道德,
16:06
You know, that passion for what they're doing.
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知道吧,他们做事的激情,
16:10
The persistence坚持, their ability能力 to deal合同 with ambiguity歧义,
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坚持不懈,他们解决模糊问题的能力,
16:14
their ability能力 to tackle滑车 problems问题 that they haven't没有 seen看到 before.
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解决全新问题的能力。
16:20
This is good because
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这很棒,因为,你知道吗,
16:24
over the past过去 five years年份, there have been times
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在过去的五年,有很多时候
16:27
when I've felt this is "Mission任务: Impossible不可能."
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我都怀疑这是不可能完成的任务。
16:30
And it's just wonderful精彩 to see these glimmers闪烁
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看到我们以正确地方式培养我们的孩子之后
16:33
of the promise诺言 of what can happen发生 if we train培养 our kids孩子 right.
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所展现的晨曦,真是令人鼓舞。
16:40
I think that the current当前 and future未来 leaders领导者 of Africa非洲
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我认为非洲现在的和将来的领导们
16:44
have an incredible难以置信 opportunity机会
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有这个难得的机遇
16:47
to drive驾驶 a major重大的 renaissance再生 on the continent大陆.
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来实现整个非洲大陆的伟大复兴。
16:50
It's an incredible难以置信 opportunity机会.
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这是一个伟大的机遇。
16:52
There aren't very many许多 more opportunities机会 like this in the world世界.
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世界上像这样的机会没有太多。
16:56
I believe that Africa非洲 has reached到达 an inflection拐点 point
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我相信非洲已经到了一个转折点,
17:04
with a march游行 of democracy民主 and free自由 markets市场 across横过 the continent大陆.
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整个大陆上下都在走向政治民主和自由市场。
17:08
We have reached到达 a moment时刻 from which哪一个 can emerge出现
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我们已经到了这样一个时期,
17:11
a great society社会 within one generation.
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用一代人的时间就能创造出一个伟大的社会。
17:15
It will depend依靠 on inspired启发 leadership领导.
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这将依赖于鼓舞人心的领导力。
17:20
And it is my contention争夺 that the manner方式 in which哪一个 we train培养 our leaders领导者
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我的观点是:我们培养领导人的模式和方法
17:26
will make all the difference区别.
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是创造这个伟大变革的基础。
17:27
Thank you, and God bless保佑.
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谢谢大家,上帝保佑你们。
17:29
(Applause掌声)
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(鼓掌)
Translated by Jane Wang
Reviewed by Gary Wang

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Patrick Awuah - University founder
After working at Microsoft for almost a decade, Patrick Awuah returned home to Ghana and cofounded Ashesi University, a small liberal arts college that aims to educate Africa's next generation of leaders. Its first class of students graduated in 2006.

Why you should listen

Patrick Awuah left Ghana as a teenager to attend Swarthmore College in the United States, then stayed on to build a career at Microsoft in Seattle. In returning to his home country, he has made a commitment to educating young people in critical thinking and ethical service, values he believes are crucial for the nation-building that lies ahead.

Founded in 2002, his Ashesi University is already charting a new course in African education, with its high-tech facilities, innovative academic program and emphasis on leadership. It seems more than fitting that ashesi means "beginning" in Akan, one of Ghana's native languages.

Patrikc Awuah is an alumnus of the TED Fellows program, having attended TEDGlobal 2007 in Arusha, Tanzania, and TED2009 in Long Beach, California. Find out more about the TED Fellows program. He is also a 2015 MacArthur Fellow.

More profile about the speaker
Patrick Awuah | Speaker | TED.com