Despite progress across the sector, women remain under-represented at the most senior levels of higher education leadership. Advance HE’s Senior Women’s Leadership Development Programme is designed to support women in senior roles to extend their influence, shape institutional direction, and take the next step in their leadership journey.
This programme provides a reflective and challenging space for senior women to explore the realities of leadership within complex organisational systems. It combines practical insight into key strategic areas - such as finance, governance, and decision-making - with a deeper exploration of leadership identity, presence, and influence.
Participants engage with the political and cultural dynamics of higher education, build confidence in operating at the most senior levels, and develop the networks and support needed to sustain their leadership impact.
Book your place
Starts 19 November 2026.
Programme outcomes
Through the programme, participants will:
- Strengthen their leadership presence and confidence to contribute effectively in senior decision-making environments
- Develop strategic capability in finance, governance, and institutional frameworks
- Build insight into organisational politics, power, and influence within higher education
- Enhance their understanding of their leadership style, values, and long-term impact
- Develop strategies to navigate complexity, challenge, and change in senior roles
- Expand their networks and build supportive relationships with peers across the sector
- Increase their capacity to influence organisational culture and contribute to institutional and sector-wide leadership
Booking information
Starts 19 November 2026. View all session dates here.
5% early booking discount — book before 30 September 2026:
- Member Ticket: £3010
- Non-Member Ticket: £4005
Standard prices:
- Member Ticket: £3170
- Non-Member Ticket: £4215
I think the SWLDP has made me feel more confident in my abilities as a leader. The allyship of knowing that we all had similar worries, issues and feelings of imposter syndrome made me feel that was normal and not something that should hold me back in my leadership ambitions.Tessa Assadian, Northumbria University
I really think the programme could be career defining for me as a result of the decisions I have made off the back of it.
Joanne Trueman, The Open University
Dr Anne-Marie Evans from York St John University discusses her experience on our Senior Women’s Leadership Development Programme and recommends it for the supportive conversation, and boost to confidence and leadership visibility.
Who is Senior Women’s Leadership Development Programme for?
This programme is designed for women in senior academic and professional services roles such as professors, heads of department, deputy directors and directors, who are not yet at executive level but may aspire to be executive team members or be working closely already with their senior executive team.
How is the programme delivered?
Taking place virtually over the course of 4 months, the Senior Women’s Leadership Development Programme consists of a half day introductory session and five one-day development days.
Day 1: Introduction to Senior Women Leading (19 November 2026│14:00-17:00 GMT)
- Introducing the remits of the programme: key principles
and frameworks
- Building a safe container for deep leadership explorations
- Setting the scene for Senior Women’s Leadership in the
current HE context
and frameworks
- Building a safe container for deep leadership explorations
- Setting the scene for Senior Women’s Leadership in the
current HE context
Day 2: Finance and Governance in leadership (2 December 2026│09:40-16:30 GMT)
- Exploring the organisational and decision-making frameworks of the UK’s HEIs
- Examining universities’ Annual Report and Accounts or equivalent publicly available financial data
- Understanding funding and finance, governance, accountability and regulation contexts of the higher education sector
- Examining universities’ Annual Report and Accounts or equivalent publicly available financial data
- Understanding funding and finance, governance, accountability and regulation contexts of the higher education sector
Day 3: Finance and Governance in leadership (3 December 2026│09:40-16:30 GMT)
-Developing practical strategies for navigating organisational frameworks in HE
- Using a real play methodology to explore decision making at the executive level
- Applying scenarios for planning financial sustainability in universities
- Using a real play methodology to explore decision making at the executive level
- Applying scenarios for planning financial sustainability in universities
Day 4: Action Learning Sets (12-15 December 2026│10:00-15:00 GMT)
Halfway through the programme the participants meet in smaller groups for their action learning sets. You will be encouraged to discuss practical issues pertinent to their leadership roles and work on solutions using the collective intelligence of the group through non-directive, coaching approaches. Attendance will be required at one of the four dates between 12-15 December.
Day 5: Organisational politics and culture in HE (8 February 2027│09:30-16:00 GMT)
- Using Mythodrama to understand organisational culture and politics in higher education
- Developing practical skills to influence positive organisational changes
- Working with real life scenarios to impact the internal politics
- Developing practical skills to influence positive organisational changes
- Working with real life scenarios to impact the internal politics
Day 6: Leading the New: your leadership purpose, presence and impact (25 February 2027│09:30-15:30 GMT)
- Exploring leadership skills needed in the current HE context
- Understanding your unique leadership style
- Learning about successful leadership from senior women leaders
- Enhancing leadership impact by developing your personal purpose and presence
- Understanding your unique leadership style
- Learning about successful leadership from senior women leaders
- Enhancing leadership impact by developing your personal purpose and presence
Delivery team
Facilitators
Related
Read our Delegate Terms & Conditions for Programmes and Events here.
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