To celebrate the launch of our new programme and events portfolio for 2022-23 we are offering a 10% early booking discount on Strategic Leadership programme bookings made before 30 September 2022.
The Strategic Leadership Programme will appeal to those with a portfolio which reaches across the institution and who want to exercise their strategic vision to make a meaningful impact in shaping the future direction of the higher education sector through influence and engagement.
The programme is delivered as a blended offer involving both online and in person delivery. It takes a 'systems thinking' approach to considering strategic leadership and is comprised of a mix of theoretical inputs, provocations, speakers, practical exercises, observations and discussions.
The programme is aimed at those in senior roles with a cross-institutional reach. Delegates will work collaboratively over the seven-week programme to problem solve and identify practical solutions to a particular strategic challenge they are facing in their own institutions.
Book your place
Start date: 12 October 2022
Applications close 3 October 2022. (Early booking recommended)
Blended delivery.
Share and celebrate your achievements and learning with digitally-verified badges
Participants of this programme will be recognised by a digital badge award.
Digital badges make it easy for you to share and celebrate your Advance HE learning achievements by adding them to your email signature or including them in your social profiles including Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Your certificates can also be easily downloaded as a pdf.
What participants sayA great programme which has supported me to reflect on my existing leadership skills and style, develop new approaches for the future, and build my overall confidence. The expert facilitation helped us to develop a wonderful cohort - generous, kind and supportive, and I'm confident that we'll stay in touch as an ongoing support network."Catriona Bell, Professor of Learning and Teaching Enhancement, Director of Academic Development and Learning Enhancement, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.
Aims and outcomes
The programme comprises a blend of theoretical inputs, provocations, speakers, practical exercises, observations and discussions and will take a 'systems thinking' approach to considering strategic leadership.
One feature of that approach is that the SLP group itself becomes a 'learning organisation' to which all its members contribute. To that end, your preparation for, and active contribution to, the programme is an important part of its value. The Strategic Leadership Programme is designed to create opportunities to rehearse leadership approaches and is created around its participants: their willingness to engage, to share experiences, and to support each other.
The primary aims of the programme are to:
- build confidence in the power of leadership to change organisations.
- to disrupt complacency about the current operating model of Higher Education with a series of strategic “what if?” questions in order to create new models.
- to challenge concepts of heroic individualised leaders in favour of distributed systems leadership.
- to explore and develop approaches for leading in a complex environment
At the end of the programme, we expect that you will:
- better understand the environment in which your leadership is being enacted.
- have tested tools and approaches for influencing the systems and culture and of your organisation and the behaviour of others within it
- have strengthened your confidence to lead well in situations of uncertainty, complexity and disruption.
- have built a new network of fellow sector leaders who share a common language and understanding of the environment in which you are all working and who are able to provide generous mutual support.
Who is the programme for?
Our Strategic Leadership Programme is designed for those who are faced with a particular strategic challenge that would benefit from collaborative problem solving and practical solutions.
Participants typically hold roles in their organisations that combine leadership of a particular function or academic area with high-level responsibility for one or more issues of a pan-institutional nature (for example internationalisation, student or staff experience, external collaborations, regional or global partnerships).
How is the programme delivered?
The programme is delivered in a hybrid format (comprising virtual and face-to-face elements) with six sessions over the course of two months and consists of an informal introductory networking session, two one-to-one coaching sessions (pre- and post- programme), four full-day modules and a half-day action learning set.
Each of the four modules will include to following elements to help participants consolidate their learning:
- Approximately 2 hours of asynchronous pre- and post-session activities (for example, screencasts, articles, undertaking a self-guided group activity)
- 4.5 hours of synchronous online activity (split across two sessions), with refreshment/lunch breaks and 1.5 hours of asynchronous activity scheduled between these.
- Approximately 30 minutes of post-module reflective activity
Who delivers the programme?
Introductory videos
In this video, co-facilitators Alastair Work and Lisa Sofianos describe the benefits derived from participating in Advance HE’s Strategic Leadership Programme.
In this video, Lisa Sofianos provides an overview of the Strategic Leadership Programme.
In this video, Alastair Work explains the concept of systems thinking which underpins the Strategic Leadership Programme.
Module dates and information
For full details of each of the modules, download our full information sheet.
Introductory networking session
Wednesday 12 October, 17.30 – 18.30
Networking Session designed to provide an opportunity to meet fellow participants and the facilitators in a relaxed and informal online setting and start to engage with the technology.
Networking Session designed to provide an opportunity to meet fellow participants and the facilitators in a relaxed and informal online setting and start to engage with the technology.
Pre-programme coaching session
Tuesday 18 – Thursday 20 October
Participants will have the opportunity to work individually with a coach over two bookable 1.5 hour 121 sessions, one at the start of the programme and another upon completion.
Participants will have the opportunity to work individually with a coach over two bookable 1.5 hour 121 sessions, one at the start of the programme and another upon completion.
Module 1
Monday 7 November 09.30 – 16.00
Engaging with complexity:
What are the trends and challenges coming towards the sector that we need to put back on our radar after Covid-19 has swept all before it? What can organisational psychology tell us about leading in these fast-paced and unstable times?
Engaging with complexity:
What are the trends and challenges coming towards the sector that we need to put back on our radar after Covid-19 has swept all before it? What can organisational psychology tell us about leading in these fast-paced and unstable times?
Module 2
Tuesday 8 November 09.30 – 16.00
Leadership responses:
How can we lead when we don’t yet have the answers? How do we manage the tensions that inevitably arise in complex systems?
Leadership responses:
How can we lead when we don’t yet have the answers? How do we manage the tensions that inevitably arise in complex systems?
Action Learning Set
Thursday 17 November 09.30 – 13.00
A half-day of facilitated group coaching to bring fresh perspectives and inspiration for solutions to your real and intractable leadership challenges.
A half-day of facilitated group coaching to bring fresh perspectives and inspiration for solutions to your real and intractable leadership challenges.
Module 3 (day 1 of residential element)
Tuesday 29 - Wednesday 30 November
Leading complex institutions:
How can we lead higher education strategy better? What can organisational development thinking teach us about enacting change in complex systems? What fresh approaches can we design by re-imagining our institutions?
Leading complex institutions:
How can we lead higher education strategy better? What can organisational development thinking teach us about enacting change in complex systems? What fresh approaches can we design by re-imagining our institutions?
Module 4 (day 2 of residential element)
Tuesday 29 - Wednesday 30 November
Influencing and engaging others:
What can we learn about our influencing technique from individually working with an actor and coach? How can we disrupt cultural comfort zones to get real traction on change?
Influencing and engaging others:
What can we learn about our influencing technique from individually working with an actor and coach? How can we disrupt cultural comfort zones to get real traction on change?
Post-programme coaching session
Weds 7 - Friday 9 December
The second bookable 1.5 hour, 121 session to be taken upon completion of the programme.
The second bookable 1.5 hour, 121 session to be taken upon completion of the programme.
One-to-one coaching
Participants will have the opportunity to work with a coach over two sessions at either end of the programme. One-to-one coaching offers a confidential, non-judgemental, reflective space to consider leadership impact, embed learning, challenge unhelpful mindsets, and try new ideas on for size.
Our facilitators are qualified and experienced in coaching leaders in the higher education sector and will work with you first to design coaching objectives, and then help you work towards achieving them during your sessions. Whether you have benefitted from coaching before, or are new to the process, it is an important opportunity for focused reflection and learning entirely for you and your leadership development in a supportive environment.
What participants sayInspiring, enlightening and challenging in equal parts."Professor Chris Proudman, Head of the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey.
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