Women's Development

Staff Learning and Development Opportunities for Women

Aurora Women's Leadership Programme

Aurora is a women-only leadership development initiative facilitated by Advance HE. It aims to encourage women in higher education to think of themselves as leaders and to develop leadership skills. If you are starting to think of moving into a leadership role, and have some managerial experience, the programme offers an ideal opportunity for development.

To apply, you should be in a role up to and including Associate Professor or Professional and Managerial Grade 8.

This programme will enable you to:

Learn - Tools, techniques and strategies from a team of leadership experts, guest speakers & online resources.
Develop - Leadership skills through experiential processes, reflection and conversations.
Network - Meet delegates through five live online development days with interactive breakout sessions and two action learning set meetings.
Connect - With a UK wide network and niche groups through a members only group.
Grow - Supported by a mentor within UoR.

For more detail on the programme content, visit Advance HE’s About Aurora Webpage.

Aurora is made up of a mix of development days, action learning sets and online resources, and includes mentoring by a senior member of University staff. While most sessions are run online, there are some opportunities to meet with your cohort in person, travel costs for this are to be agreed and covered by your school or department budget.

It is important that as part of the programme, you are able to attend all sessions.

The University sponsors a number of places on the programme and applications are reviewed by a panel to decide which applicants will be given a place, and the decision of its members is final.

Please note, it is not open to individuals to apply direct to Advance HE for a place, delegates must be sponsored by the University centrally.

As part of your application, you and your line manager will each need to prepare a supporting statement.

Applicant’s Statement –

This should be a short statement of no more than 300 words covering:

What skills and knowledge you hope to gain by attending the programme.
Your leadership aspirations for the future and how you believe the content of this programme will help you to achieve them, making reference to the programme content in your response.
How you will apply your learning from the programme.

Line Manager Statement –

This should also be a short statement of no more than 300 words covering:

The applicant’s level of commitment to taking part in Aurora
How the applicant will benefit from the programme
How the programme aligns with their strengths and development needs
How you will support the applicant during the programme and with applying the leadership skills that they are developing on Aurora back at work.

If you are interested in applying for a place, please complete the Aurora application form.

Applicants will be informed by early August if they have been successful.

Applications for the 25/26 cohort are now closed. Applications for 26/27 will open in July 2026.

Please note - By submitting an application, you and your line manager are confirming that you will commit to the full programme. This includes attending all sessions and action learning sets as well as any pre-work and post-work set in connection with each module. Due to the significant cost of the programme, failure to do so may result in the cost of your place on the programme being charged back to your School or Directorate.

If you have any questions about Aurora, the application process or Women's development, please get in touch with us at peopledevelopment@reading.ac.uk.

Springboard Women's Personal Development Programme

This updated programme is designed for all women, regardless of experience, seniority or role. Participants may have a specific development goal or an open mind as to what the programme can offer.

This programme blends personal and professional development to empower participants to reach their full potential, understanding that work and home lives are not mutually exclusive. Taking this a step further, the programme creates a safe space for reflection and exploring unique gendered challenges that can exist at work and at home, as fully rounded and holistic solution to personal growth.

Through interactive workshops, thought-provoking exercises, inspiring guest speakers, guided self-reflection and goal setting, participants explore a variety of themes including:

Self-discovery and values
Motivation and energy
Intentional living
Physical and mental wellbeing
Influencing and assertiveness
Authenticity and purpose
Goal setting and action planning
Navigating change and transition
Personal brand and self-awareness
Sustaining growth and success
Confidence & imposter phenomenon
Setting boundaries and balance

By the end of the four one day workshop series, participants will be able to:

Deepen self-awareness, values alignment and personal identity, building clarity and purpose that positively shapes decision-making, career direction and wellbeing.
Navigate life and work transitions – including menopause, caregiving, and periods of change, with resilience, confidence and emotional intelligence.
Build grounded, authentic and sustainable confidence that enhances communication, visibility and influence in both personal and professional settings.
Set meaningful, values-led goals and take intentional action, supporting career fulfilment and measurable organisational impact.
Protect time, energy and wellbeing through healthy boundaries and self-prioritisation, reducing burnout and supporting sustained engagement.
Strengthen communication, presence and positive influence, enabling more effective collaboration, assertiveness and taking the next step.
Build supportive networks and long-lasting connections, through peer learning, community and increased organisational engagement.
Develop intentional habits and routines that enable long-term growth, enhancing productivity, focus and follow-through.
Recognise skills, strengths and achievements, cultivating self-belief and helping them contribute their best at work and beyond.

The programme is delivered over 4 full day, in-person sessions and participants must ensure that they can attend all dates before applying.

2026 Springboard Dates -

Tuesday 23^rd June - 09:00 - 17:00

Wednesday 24^th June - 09:00 - 17:00

Tuesday 14^th July - 09:00 - 17:00

Wednesday 15^th July - 09:00 - 17:00

Applications for Springboard 25/26 are now open and will close on Monday 1st June 2026.

Please apply using the Springboard Application Form.