Higher education leaders are operating in a state of continuous transformation. Financial constraint, workforce pressures and cumulative change fatigue mean institutions can no longer rely on periodic reform. Achieving strategic ambitions now depends on developing the people within the institution to lead change with confidence, credibility and care.
Advance HE professional development programmes such as our flagship Aurora and Top Management Programme, events including our new Leadership Skills Workshops and conferences support institutions to deliver workforce and organisational transformation through people development. Our portfolio enables leaders and managers to expand their knowledge, learn from sector peers and hear about good practice that supports sustainable change while protecting academic mission, staff engagement and institutional trust.
Developing Leaders
Aurora
Aurora is Advance HE’s award-winning leadership development initiative for women across the UK and Ireland.
Becoming a mentor
This course introduces mentoring within an institutional context, identifying how to make mentoring effective. It covers best practice guidelines and offers practical advice, along with well-validated tools and techniques for participants to use.
For 2026-27, Becoming a Mentor Workshops consist of 2 cohorts.
Diversifying Leadership
This programme is designed to support 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.
Applications are now open. The London cohort begins on 7 October 2026, while the North cohort starts on 3 February 2026.
Transition to Leadership
Those entering leadership roles for the first time need to be fully equipped to do so, particularly when those roles involve leading academic teams and colleagues. The Transition to Leadership programme will explore your personal leadership, team, and change leadership approaches within your organisational context.
The new cohort starts from 21 October 2026.
Enhancing Programme Leadership
This virtual programme aims to support programme leaders at a time when they may be new to leadership, or looking to gain confidence in their leadership skills. It will address their unique challenges, opportunities and realities, by developing their networks and skills and providing tools to enable them to thrive in this unique role.
The programme will commence on 21 January 2027.
NEW Leadership Skills in HE Workshop Series
Our new suite of short, focused online modules is designed specifically for people with leadership responsibility in higher education. Each workshop runs for three hours, addresses a single real challenge, and is grounded in the Framework for Leading in Higher Education, so the content is always relevant and the application is always immediate.
These workshops are spread throughout the year.
Research Leadership Development Programme
The programme supports the development of research leaders at all levels to improve existing research culture and outcomes. It has three tiers, providing development for emerging, evolving, and experienced research leaders within the research ecosystem.
Leading Departments
The programme supports the development of research leaders at all levels to improve existing research culture and outcomes. It has three tiers, providing development for emerging, evolving, and experienced research leaders within the research ecosystem. Each tier is uniquely tailored to support both organisational and individual needs at different stages of research leadership development.
Applied Leadership Symposium
Date: 11 March 2027 | Online
Now in its third year, this symposium will leverage insights from recent strategic developments and work, such as the Framework for Leading in Higher Education, to provide a forum for higher education leaders to discuss innovative approaches.
Inclusive Leadership
The Inclusive Leadership Programme is designed specifically for aspiring and emerging leaders in higher education who want to strengthen their leadership practice, broaden their influence, and confidently contribute to more equitable, innovative and resilient institutions.
The programme is delivered over two days on 9 and 23 June 2027 and takes place virtually.
Senior leaders
Top Management Programme for Higher Education
The programme is aimed at vice-chancellors, senior executives, and those preparing for top-level leadership roles in higher education, focusing on building networks, reflection, and advanced leadership practice in a complex global HE environment.
Applications for TMP 57 are now open.
Strategic Leadership Programme
The Strategic Leadership Programme aims to build flexible and resilient leaders, capable of delivering large-scale change, by providing opportunities to share insights, work with a support network of peers and reflect on leadership styles and frameworks for life beyond the programme.
Applications are now open for 26-27. The application deadline is 18 March 2027 and the programme will commence on 15 April 2027.
Senior Women’s Leadership Development Programme
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.
The upcoming cohort starts from 19 November 2026.
