Aurora is higher education's most renowned leadership development initiative for women. Since its launch in 2013, more than 10,000 women from nearly 200 different institutions across the UK and Republic of Ireland have participated in Aurora. It is aimed at enabling more women to develop the leadership side of their careers and so redress the deficit in women at senior level in the sector. Aurora is a leadership ignition journey, inspiring women to aspire and achieve leadership positions within higher education.
The programme is led by a team of leadership experts and participants will explore four key areas associated with leadership success: Identity, Impact & Voice, Core Leadership, Politics & Influence and Adaptive Leadership Skills.
The programme is based on mentoring, self-directed learning and workshop events at which delegates from many institutions come together to hear from expert speakers and work on their own challenges. For 2023/24, the programme will be mainly online, with a face-to-face event and cohorts will be formed from institutions across a geographical region in order to build the networks that have been a valuable feature of the face-to-face events.
The University is committed to engage in the initiative and this year will be supporting 16 participants to attend the programme. There is a competitive application process for these places, which are available to women in job grades 7 to 9 in the Education and Research Job Family, and grades 7 to 8 in other job families.
Professor Linda Newnes is the University’s Aurora Sponsor and will lead the selection process. We are also committed to providing appropriate role models to take part in the scheduled events, and to helping the Aurora community get together to share learning and bring ideas and challenges back to the University.
Selection Panel Members:
- Linda Newnes (Chair)
- Kate Elliott (Champion)
- Amanda Harper
- Joanne Hinds
- Juani Swart
- Charles Larkin
- Edward Webster
Participants 2022-23:
- Mariana Bonnouvrier
- Jenny Boyle
- Zoe Burke
- Joanna Clifton-Sprigg
- Helen Constance
- Carole Cox
- Samantha Curle
- Kate Evans
- Katy Kraja
- Britta Matthes
- Esther Reeves
- Lisa Ring
- Kristina Rusimova
- Christel Schneider
- Elena Seminati
- Laura Underwood