Aurora

Aurora is a leadership development programme created to help address the under-representation of women in senior roles in higher education.

Participating in Aurora provides delegates with the opportunity to explore the nature of leadership and what it means to them, learn about the importance of visibility and ‘voice’, and consider the leadership skill set they already have. It introduces organisational culture and politics, ways of working within them and the importance of developing networks and establishing lasting mutually supportive connections. It looks at whether there are ‘gendered’ ways of leading, identifies personal underlying values and principles, and explores adaptive leadership skills.

Aurora is designed and facilitated by Advance HE. The University of Leeds has been an active member from the beginning, supporting over 200 participants in their leadership career trajectory.

Aurora is a leadership development programme for women (including non-binary and transgender colleagues) in grade 6-8 roles who are committed to developing and enhancing their career. The programme is designed for the early stages of leadership development for aspiring and new leaders.

Aurora is a “leadership ignition journey, inspiring women to aspire and achieve leadership positions within higher education.”

Outcomes for participants include:

• Increased motivation to seek out leadership roles.
• Developing the social and people skills needed for leadership roles.
• Proactive engagement in career management.

Read more about the impact of Aurora: Onwards and Upwards? Tracking women’s work experiences in higher education Year 5 report

Aurora is primarily delivered through online workshops, with a one-day in person conference toward the end of the programme. The conference takes place in Midlands or North of England.

Aurora also includes two days of peer coaching groups, 1:1 support from a mentor throughout the programme, and a set of support sessions provided by the University of Leeds.

Aurora comprises of:

• Welcome and Introduction Webinar
• Workshop 1: Identity, Impact and Voice
• Workshop 2: Core Leadership
• Action Learning Set 1
• Workshop 3: Politics and Influence
• Workshop 4: Adaptive Leadership
• In-person conference: Your Future in HE
• Action Learning Set 2

Read more on Advance HE’s About Aurora page.

University of Leeds offers places on one of 3 cohorts starting between Jan-March each year. Cohort dates are available on Advance HE’s website. Applications will be asked to select their preferred cohort on application.

To apply, colleagues nominate themselves for a place via our Aurora application form (available from mid-June). Aurora is always a very popular programme with limited places available so applications may close early if places are filled - we will let colleagues know via this webpage if this happens.

Application guidance and forms

Before applying, you can read our Aurora guidance document to find out more about the programme and completing your application. Managers will also need to complete a Line Management Endorsement Form (Please download document before completing). Important Note: The MS Teams form does not allow you to save progress. The guidance document outlines all the information you will need to complete your application so that you can draft your answers in advance.

Course fees

Fees for 2024/25 were £1,045.00. Fees for 2025/26 will be announced with the application window. OD&PL part-funds a limited number of places each year. OD&PL covers 40% of the programme fees, the remaining 60% being met by the applicant's work area. We cannot part-fund every available place on Aurora however, many areas choose to fully fund additional places. Please discuss this with your line manager and find out whether your department is happy to fully or part-fund your place on Aurora. You will also need to provide a budget account code with your application for the purpose of cross-charging. All travel costs to be covered by the participant's area of work. More details about the funding of the programme are available in our Aurora guidance document.

Application review process

After applications are reviewed by a University-wide panel, confirmation of places will be communicated by the end of September 2025. We welcome applications from all areas of the university, including academic, professional services and technicians. We particularly welcome applications from groups that are under-represented in leadership positions at the University including, but not limited to, Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community; people who identify as LGBT+; and disabled people.

Read about the Aurora Delivery Team on Advance HE’s website. Events and sessions for Aurora participants at University of Leeds are facilitated by Maria Stopyra, Organisational Learning Partner.

The University of Leeds has a thriving Aurora Alumnae Network supported by OD&PL and Women at Leeds Network. The network supports ongoing networking, peer support, and leadership and career development after the Aurora programme. If you are interested in Aurora and would like to find out who our Aurora Alumnae are, you can find many of them on our Aurora Alumnae directory page.

If you have any questions about this programme, please email leadership@leeds.ac.uk.

The following are some of our other leadership development programmes may also be of interest:

• Discovering your Leadership – For early stages of leadership development for aspiring and new leaders.
• Establishing your Leadership – For leaders who are just starting to find their feet in a new leadership role but still feel in transition.
• Connected Leadership – For established leaders who have held a leadership role for at least 12 months and contribute to advancing the University’s strategic goals.
• Leading in Student Education – For colleagues who hold a leadership role within student education.

If you're unsure which programme is right for you, our information sessions provides an overview of all these options, helping you to decide which might be best suits your needs.

Join us for an information session to learn more about the full range of leadership development programmes offered by OD&PL, each designed to support leaders at different stages of their careers. In the information session, we’ll review the course content, explain the application process, and help you identify which programme may be the best fit for you. There will also be time for any questions you may have.