Call for Aurora Programme Participants for 2016/17

Research shows that female academics’ skills are often ‘misrecognised’, by themselves as well as by others, and that many women deselect themselves from applications for internal leadership positions. Many academic women do not imagine themselves in leadership positions, or assume that they should not apply for leadership training unless they have immediate plans to become a Vice-Chancellor or Dean. The Aurora Leadership programme is an opportunity to think creatively about different management styles and opportunities and to take time to reflect on career development and promotion.

Yvonne Sherwood, Professor of Religious Studies is our new Aurora Champion and will lead the application process, which will also include the three Faculty Deans and the Interim Head of Organisational Development.

The programme itself launches on 4^th October 2016 in Central London (see timetable information for dates).

Please submit the application form at the end of this document, incorporating responses to the points below by email to Naomi Dumbrell, Learning & Development Co-ordinator, at ldev@kent.ac.uk no later than 5pm on Monday 01 August 2016.

 

Participant Selection Process

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  Support from their Line Manager & Heads of Department to participate in the programme, including attendance at all five sessions, ideally in London
  
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  Commitment to the full Aurora process, attending all five delivery days (including the action learning set day) and willingness to undertake some self-directed study
  
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  Commitment to work formally with a mentor
  
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  Readiness to embrace the mentoring relationship (determining mentors will entail a collaborative selection process immediately following participant selection) and actively work with their mentors to address their personal development needs and build their self-reliance
  
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  Commitment to a career in higher education and to devoting some time to thinking about and planning their career
  
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  Willingness to host an action learning set day at their institution (with the support of Kent)
  
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  Willingness to embrace the extensive networking opportunities offered by Aurora
  
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  Willingness to undertake projects or assignments for Kent in order to build on their developing leadership skills including engaging in opportunities to share experiences and learning here at Kent
  
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  Willingness to participate in a LFHE-led longitudinal study to gauge the effectiveness of Aurora
  
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  Willingness to act as mentors or role models to future participants
  
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  An underlying enthusiasm for the Aurora programme and consideration of the potential benefits to be gained as an individual
  

In addition to considering responses to the points above, the Committee will be looking for diversity across lecturer and senior lecturer level as well as considering the range of previous leadership and management development and experience that applicants have had and how more experienced participants might assist less experienced participants throughout the programme.

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  Yvonne Sherwood, Aurora Champion y.m.sherwood@kent.ac.uk (ext. 4005)
  
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  Jo Tremain, Interim Learning & Development Manager j.Tremain@kent.ac.uk (ext. 7897)
  
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  Jena Dady, Learning & Development Adviser (Aurora Co-ordinator) j.dady@kent.ac.uk (ext. 3395) Mon - Wed
  
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  Naomi Dumbrell, Learning & Development Co-ordinator ldev@kent.ac.uk (ext. 3487) Mon -Wed
  

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  Conference style with 100 – 150 participants at each session
  
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  All sessions (except the action learning set day) will be professionally facilitated with tables of 8-10 hosted by role models (see below) to lead small group discussions
  

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  Day 1: Identity, Impact and Voice: Participants will investigate the nature of leadership and what it means to them, look at leadership theory and learn about the importance of visibility and ‘voice’. Issues around values, authenticity and style will be addressed along with what the participant wants and can offer within a leadership role.
  
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  Day 2: Power and Politics: Under this heading the cultures and politics of organisations will be investigated along with individual responses to them and ways of working within them. Participants will be encouraged to think about building coalitions, develop networks and make lasting mutually supportive connections.
  
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  Day 3: Action Learning Set (groups of 6-8 to be hosted at individual Universities): this day of the programme is set aside for a full-day action learning set. The participants of each set will be seated at the same table at the power and politics day (see above).
  
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  Day 4: Core Leadership Skills: This day will introduce the key skills needed by all leaders and managers and consider whether there are any ‘female’ ways of leading. Communication, influencing, team building and team working, building a vision and developing strategy will be considered
  
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  Day 5: Adaptive Leadership Skills: During this development day participants will be introduced to the main principles of adaptive leadership and how these are relevant to women. Participants will also be encouraged to consider how to adopt an experimental mind-set and how to identify leadership archetypes. How to have courageous conversations, regulate distress and identify the barriers to leadership will also be considered. The day is about using adaptive leadership to enhance performance and success.
  

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  Delivery will take place in Greater London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Cardiff and Leeds
  
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  Kent has targeted Greater London as the preferred location to allow same day travel for participants. A travel budget for the Greater London location has been set and will be available to participants if travel funding is not available from their School.
  
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  We have a limited number of places on the London 2 cohort with the majority booked for London 1
  

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  Note: Participants who must miss a date in their usual location (in Kent’s case Greater London) can substitute a day from another location (however, Days 2 and 3 must be attended in the same location) following discussion with the project team. There is an administration charge of £100 levied by the LFHE to transfer a participant to a workshop in an alternative location and transfers of this kind will only be supported centrally in exceptional circumstances.