Aurora is a leadership ignition journey, inspiring women to achieve their career goals in higher education through a combination of individual and group learning, mentoring and networking.
It is run as a unique partnership bringing together leadership experts, higher education providers, and research institutes to take positive action to address the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in the sector.
Once part of the community, participants continue to enjoy the support and inspiration of fellow Aurorans throughout their leadership journeys and beyond.
Over 13,000 women from the UK, Ireland and most recently Australia (52 participants from six institutions in 2024) have completed the Aurora program. The date for the next Australian cohort will be announced soon.
Register your interest
Register your interest and we'll send you further information on the programme and let you know when the dates are confirmed.
Aurora: leading through action
In this video interview, Dr Joanna Pearce from Edith Cowan University, talks about her experience of taking part in the Australian pilot cohort of Aurora, a leadership ignition journey inspiring women to achieve their career goals in higher education.
The Aurora leadership program introduced me to concepts and practices that align with effective leadership, and provided me the opportunity to practice some of these concepts in hands-on activities. I also met a fabulous group of women from a diverse range of academic disciplines who inspired and encouraged me to keep pursuing success in academia. I highly recommend the Aurora program to others looking to become leaders in their academic institutions. "Caitlin Moore, UWA
An independent longitudinal study shows that women who have taken part in Aurora are more than twice as likely to be promoted. Read the study.
Who is Aurora For?
Aurora is available to women academics (levels B and C) and professional services staff (HEW Level 7 and above) working in a university, college, research institution or related organisation who:
- Would like to develop and explore issues relating to leadership roles and responsibilities.
- May have recently taken on their first leadership role either formal or informal.
- May be looking to shortly progress their career into a leadership role.
The Aurora Leadership Program offers a transformative space for growth, connection, and future-focused leadership. Participants can look forward to:
- Honesty and growth: Aurora encourages participants to be open about their experiences, helping them build on existing knowledge and skills.
- Collaboration and connection: through meaningful interactions, leaders connect, learn from one another, and collaborate on real-world challenges.
- Future-oriented thinking: participants are empowered to reflect on their leadership aspirations and shape their unique leadership journey.
“With its holistic approach, Aurora equips leaders with the tools they need for both personal and professional development, enabling them to lead with confidence and purpose.”Audrey Linton, Aurora International Program Director
Program Delivery Structure
Effective Mentoring for Aurora Mentors
Welcome and Introduction Webinar
Adaptive Leadership
Core Leadership
Action Learning Set 1
Identity, Impact and Voice
Action Learning Set 2
Politics and Influence
Your Future in HE and Graduation
The Impact of Aurora
Since taking part in Aurora in 2022-23
- 42% of participants had gone on to propose new strategies in their institutions.
- 34% had shared learning with colleagues.
- 19% had been promoted to a senior post.
- (Based on data from 297 participants)
From a recent alumnae impact survey:
- 65% of the survey respondents had applied for promotion since completing Aurora, with 83% of those being successful in their applications.
- Also, almost 71% of the survey respondents mentioned that their salary had increased either slightly or significantly since completing Aurora. Most importantly, alumnae agreed that their engagement with Aurora both prompted them to apply for promotion (average score: 3.8/5) and had an impact in the success of their applications (3.8/5).”
Aurora has already helped more than 13,000 women in more than 200 higher education institutions across the UK and Ireland develop their leadership skills and the global community has been extended further in the Middle East and South Africa with a contextualised version of Aurora.
Aurora Australia Facilitators
'Aurora is part of our gender equity strategy': Sir David Bell
Advance HE’s Aurora women’s leadership programme is a key part of the University of Sunderland’s strategy to create a ‘pipeline’ of women leaders.
Vice-Chancellor Sir David Bell explains how the programme is supporting the institution’s equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts and creating a cohort of women leaders who are more confident, better connected and more satisfied in their roles.
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