Leadership programmes

Future Leaders is the first-level leadership programme for our academic staff and professional services colleagues. The four-day programme is a unique opportunity for these staff to develop their leadership skills and networks, widen their sphere of influence and find out how decisions are made across the University.

• Duration: 4 days.
• Audience: The target group for Future Leaders is now grade 7 and above, aligning with Race Equality Charter actions.

If you would like more information, please send an email to futureleaders@essex.ac.uk. If you would like to be considered for a place on this programme you should contact your head of department or head of section for a discussion about your suitability and career aspirations. Participants can only be nominated through their head of department/section and are expected to attend all four sessions which take place in person.

Strategic Leaders is designed to nurture top-level leadership potential and develops leadership and communication skills, strategic thinking and personal networks.

• Duration: 5 and a half days.
• Audience: Staff currently in or about to take on leadership positions, and also those who are seen as having the talent and potential to take on leadership roles in the future.

If you would like more information, please send an email to strategicleaders@essex.ac.uk. If you would like to be considered for a place on this programme you should contact your head of department or head of section for a discussion about your suitability. Participants can only be nominated through their head of department/section and are expected to attend all six sessions which take place in person.

Diversifying Leadership is an externally delivered programme led by Advance HE. This programme addresses how individuals can impact the Higher Education (HE) sector to tackle the well documented under representation of BAME leaders in UK HE institutions.

The programme includes action learning, networking opportunities and workshops.is an externally delivered leadership development programme that is led by Advance HE.

• Duration: 5 days.
• Audience: Early-career academics and professional services staff from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds who are about to take their first steps into a leadership role.
• Application guidance (.docx).
• Application form (.docx).

Please email the Inclusion team if you have any questions.

The Stonewall LGBTQ+ leadership programme is externally delivered by Stonewall and is an intensive two-day residential, which offers opportunity to reflect on how your identity as an LGBTQ+ person has had an impact on your leadership journey.

It will help you understand what it means to be an authentic and inclusive leader. You will also explore how to be a more visible and inclusive leader. It includes opportunities for professional networking with senior LGBTQ+ leaders.

• Duration: 2 days.
• Audience: for senior leaders who identify as LGBTQ+.

Aurora is an externally delivered leadership development programme that is led by Advance HE, bringing together leadership experts and higher education institutions to take positive action to address the under-representation of women in leadership positions in the Higher Education sector.

The programme utilises a self-directed learning approach aided by online resources and mentoring.

• Duration: 5 days.
• Audience: all people who identify as a woman and aspire to be, or are already in, a leadership role.

The Calibre Programme builds on 21st-century thinking of disability leadership to ensure we see more disabled leaders in a variety of positions within the workplace. It has been designed to address the distinct and often subtle barriers disabled staff face in the work place.

Using the Social Model of disability as the basis for the programme enables participants to see disability as a distinctive strength. The programme includes networking opportunities, workshops and graduation.

• Duration: 6 days (includes day for graduation).
• Audience: all disabled staff that aspire to be, or are already in, a leadership role.

The Stonewall Young Leaders programme provides a unique opportunity to explore what it means to be an authentic role model. I

t gives participants the space to reflect on the relationship between their identity as an LGBTQ+ person and their influence in the workplace.

• Duration: 2 days.
• Audience: all people who identify as LGBTQ+ aged 18 to 25.

The University of Essex is a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme and one of the benefits is opportunity for employees to attend Military Leadership Days. The target audience of this programme are people not yet in supervisory or management roles, or those that have recently been promoted.

There are generally 1-2 events per year in the East Anglia region, and spaces are allocated by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) on a first come first served basis. If you are interested to attend a Military Leadership Day, it is recommended that you declare your interest by emailing inclusion@essex.ac.uk so that your name can be considered as soon as the opportunity becomes available.