Led by a team of leadership experts, participants will explore four key areas associated with leadership success: Identity, Impact and Voice; Politics and Influence; Core Leadership Skills; Adaptive Leadership Skills.
Since its launch in 2013 more than 7,000 women from nearly 200 different institutions across the UK and Ireland have participated in Aurora.
Reflecting the challenges we all currently face, Aurora has been re-designed as a fully virtual experience. All Aurora activity will now be delivered online.
Aurora seeks to support women and their institutions to fulfil their leadership potential through thought provoking activities, collaborative problem solving activities and motivating stories supported by inspirational women role models. Participation embeds strong networks of early career women across the sector to share best practice, insights and experiences.
Aurora 2020-21
All 2020-21 cohort activity will run online.
Aurora has had a huge impact for Brunel. It has highlighted our commitment to gender equality and ensuring women have the opportunity to apply for more senior positons in the organisation and that we want them to stay, grow and develop with us. Aurora has helped our participants to maximise their talents and develop leadership skills and acumen. Several have succeeded in advancing their careers, either through promotion or by attaining new leadership roles."Professor Lorraine De Souza, Aurora champion Pro-Vice Chancellor (equality, diversity and staff development), Brunel University London
Who is Aurora for?
Aurora is for women, up to senior lecturer level or the professional services equivalent, working in a university, college or related organisation who would like to develop and explore issues relating to leadership roles and responsibilities. Participants should have the endorsement of their institution (either their Aurora Champion, Human Resource department or line manager) and be committed to developing and enhancing their career.
How does Aurora work?
With cohorts running at a number of locations across the UK and Ireland, the Aurora programme is a mix of development days, action learning sets and self-directed online learning modules. Participants are guided by role models and supported by mentors from your institution.
Participants will be asked to:
- attend the introduction webinar which will introduce the aims and objectives of Aurora as well as the Action Learning Set Groups (this session will be recorded for participants who join Aurora at a later date)
- attend each of the four development days, and the two action learning set days organised by participants in their assigned groups;
- undertake self-directed learning throughout Aurora, aligned with developing interests and where time allows;
- commit to working with a mentor who is provided by their institution;
- be prepared to access leadership opportunities and champion for change.
Aurora 2020-21 cohort dates
All bookings on Aurora must be made through or with the permission of your institutions Aurora Champion. You can find your institution's champion through our Aurora champion directory.
South of England
Intro Webinar: 13 October 2020 (10:00 - 12:00)
Identity, Impact and Voice: 20 October 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 17 November 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 8 December 2020
Core Leadership Skills: 12 January 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 9 February 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 16 March 2021
Identity, Impact and Voice: 20 October 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 17 November 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 8 December 2020
Core Leadership Skills: 12 January 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 9 February 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 16 March 2021
Scotland
Intro Webinar: 3 November 2020 (10:00 - 12:00)
Identity, Impact and Voice: 10 November 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 1 December 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 12 January 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 2 February 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 2 March 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 23 March 2021
Identity, Impact and Voice: 10 November 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 1 December 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 12 January 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 2 February 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 2 March 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 23 March 2021
Ireland
Intro Webinar: 24 November 2020 (10:00 - 12:00)
Identity, Impact and Voice: 1 December 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 19 January 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 9 February 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 9 March 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 20 April 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 11 May 2021
Identity, Impact and Voice: 1 December 2020 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 19 January 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 9 February 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 9 March 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 20 April 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 11 May 2021
Wales and South West England
Intro Webinar: 18 January 2021 (10:00 - 12:00)
Identity, Impact and Voice: 21 January 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 25 February 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 18 March 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 22 April 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 20 May 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 17 June 2021
Identity, Impact and Voice: 21 January 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 25 February 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 18 March 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 22 April 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 20 May 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 17 June 2021
North of England
Intro Webinar: 17 February 2021 (10:00 - 12:00)
Identity, Impact and Voice: 24 February 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 24 March 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 21 April 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 12 May 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 23 June 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 7 July 2021
Identity, Impact and Voice: 24 February 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 24 March 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 21 April 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 12 May 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 23 June 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 7 July 2021
The Midlands
Intro Webinar: 19 March 2021 (10:00 - 12:00)
Identity, Impact and Voice: 26 March 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 7 May 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 21 May 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 11 June 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 2 July 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 16 July 2021
Identity, Impact and Voice: 26 March 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Politics and Influence: 7 May 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 1: 21 May 2021
Core Leadership Skills: 11 June 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Adaptive Leadership Skills: 2 July 2021 (10:00 - 15:00)
Action Learning Set 2: 16 July 2021
Aurora case studies
Aurora and your institution
Institutions are responsible for coordinating Aurora within their organisation, providing mentors for their participants and supporting participants to attend the development days and their action learning sets. In each institution, Aurora is led by an Aurora champion.
Aurora - The Longitundinal Study
Our five-year longitudinal study of Aurora participants tracks the careers and aspirations of women working in higher education.