Aurora Women's Leadership Development Programme 2025/26
Queen Mary is proud of its ongoing relationship with Advance HE and is again participating in Aurora in 2025/26.
Participation in the programme will involve attending a series of development days and action learning sets, as well as opportunities to network with women at Queen Mary who are participating, or have participated, in the Aurora programme.
All Aurora sessions are now be delivered online, with one face to face event in London.
What is Aurora?
Aurora is a unique partnership bringing together leadership experts and higher education institutions to take positive action to address the under-representation of women in leadership positions within the Higher Education sector. The programme aims to enable women in academic and professional services roles to envision themselves as future leaders, equipping them to influence institutional direction and cultivate essential leadership capabilities.
As part of our core values, we are dedicated to fostering an environment that supports women in reaching their fullest potential. By collaborating across academic and professional services, we aim to nurture future leaders and ensure that all women have the opportunities and resources they need to succeed.
Aurora Leadership programme 2025/26: Developing women leaders at Queen Mary
Participation in the programme will involve attending a series of development days and action learning sets, as well as opportunities to network with women at Queen Mary who are participating, or have participated, in the Aurora programme.
2025/26 Cohort Dates
Advance HE have confirmed that their Aurora initiative will run online for 2024/25. There are 5 regional cohort dates beginning between September 2025 and February 2026.
Queen Mary will be participating in the September 2025 intake, as part of South of England cohort.
- Introduction and Guest Speaker: Friday 19th September 2025
- Identity, Impact and Voice: Friday 26th September 2025
- Core Leadership: Friday 10th October 2025
- Action Learning Set 1: Friday 7th November 2025
- Politics and Influence: Friday 28th November 2025
- Adaptive Leadership Skills: Friday 9th January 2026
- Your Future in Higher Education (in person): Friday 30th January 2026
- Action Learning Set 2: Friday 13th February 2026
The expectation is that applicants are able to attend all sessions – while they do not take up the whole day, participants are strongly encouraged to block out the day for their personal development, and to make the most of the programme.
Who can apply?
Aurora is for staff who identify as women, up to and including senior lecturer level or the professional services equivalent (Grade 7) working in a university, college or related organisation who would like to develop and explore issues relating to leadership roles and responsibilities.
Participants are required to have endorsement from their line manager and be committed to developing and enhancing their career.
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;
- 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 finding and working with a mentor (with the support from the Aurora champion); be prepared to access leadership opportunities and to champion for change.
The deadline for applications is by end of day on Friday 15th August 2025.
For further information, or to send a completed Aurora Application Form 2025-26 [DOC 170KB], please contact the EDI Team.
Interested candidates are also invited to join one of our two Teams sessions for a brief presentation and a chance to ask any questions about the programme on:
Mentors
Aurora participants are required to have a mentor to support and guide them throughout and after the end of the formal learning process. Mentors may be any gender, and should be well-established and knowledgeable members of the institution who will usually be more senior than the Aurora participant.
Mentors will:
- Be considered successful in their careers;
- Be knowledgeable and experienced in their organisation and understand its culture;
- Have sufficient time available to work with the mentee;
- Have the endorsement of their Aurora champion;
- Have sufficient general higher education experience to be able to offer advice and support;
- Be a good listener;
- Have a genuine interest in helping women to develop their careers and particularly support his/her mentee;
- Have a supportive or ‘coaching style’ of communication.