A one-week, in-person leadership development experience for emerging institutional leaders across Europe's leading universities of science and technology.
About the Programme
- This pilot programme is designed to strengthen leadership capacity across CESAER Member universities. It targets colleagues who have recently taken on — or are about to take on — a significant leadership role with institution-wide or faculty-/department-level responsibilities.
- The programme combines practical leadership skills development with peer learning, mentoring and structured networking across Europe. It is developed with a professional training provider based in Glasgow specialising in leadership development and organisational change, and hosted at the University of Strathclyde's Technology & Innovation Centre.
- The CESAER dimension is woven throughout the entire week — not an add-on — integrating a European science, technology and innovation perspective across all sessions.
Why join this programme?
- European & intercultural cohort: Participants drawn from across the CESAER membership, enabling rich exchange across national, institutional and cultural contexts.
- Science & technology lens: Leadership development grounded in the realities of institutions at the forefront of research, innovation and industrial collaboration.
- Trusted peer exchange: An open, cross-institutional setting to discuss leadership challenges with peers outside your own institutional environment.
- European policy context: A dedicated CESAER-led session on research and innovation policy, competitiveness and the European strategic landscape.
- Inspiring leadership voices: Senior leaders from CESAER Member institutions and the Strathclyde ecosystem sharing candid insights from their leadership journeys.
- Lasting network: A capstone group project that continues beyond the week, creating durable ties across the cohort around shared leadership interests.
Who should attend?
The programme is intended for emerging institutional leaders in CESAER Member universities who have recently taken on, or are about to take on, a substantial leadership role — and who are at a stage where they can actively apply the learning.
- Heads of Department or School
- Associate Deans, Vice-Deans or Deputy Deans
- Directors of education, research, innovation or doctoral training
- Heads of major cross-cutting institutional portfolios
- Senior professional services leaders with significant leadership scope
- Any equivalent functions
Register your interest
Submit your expression of interest by 25 May
Following the deadline, applications will enter a selection process.
Applicants will be informed of the outcome by 15 June. Selected participants will then receive confirmation of their participation, along with information regarding the registration fee contribution.
Practical information
Dates & location
Applications: until 25 May
Outcome of applications: 15 June
Leadership programme: from Monday 17 August at 12:00 to Friday 21 August at 12:00 (the programme is taking place from lunch to lunch to allow for travels)
Capstone projects presentations: December
Location: Sir Jim McDonald Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC) [location]
Fee
1 week fee approx. £1,000
What the fee covers:
✓ Professional training facilitation & materials
✓ Catering during the programme
✓ Room & facility costs at TIC
Contact
For more information, please contact Louise Drogoul our Senior Advisor for Innovation & Sustainability.
