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Leadership Foundations
Develop essential leadership and professional skills and apply them in a range of different contexts. Applications are now open for Term 1 2025.
Become the leader you would want to follow
Leadership Foundations is AHEGS recognised and freely available to all UNSW students. If you are just beginning your leadership journey or looking to further practice your leadership skills, this program is for you!
Employers are looking for students who can demonstrate excellent communication, teamwork, and interpersonal skills as well as resilience; these skills are rated the most desirable skills for graduates entering the workforce. This program is designed to help you develop these essential leadership and professional skills and to be able to apply them in a range of different contexts.
The learning experience is designed to help you discover your leadership identity and develop practical skills including:
- self-awareness
- collaboration and communication
- building effective relationships
- creating safe and inclusive teams
- conflict management
- wellbeing and resilience
- and more...
In joining our Leadership Foundations learning community you will make connections with peers and become part of the Leadership Foundations alumni network.
Applications for Leadership Foundations Term 1 2025 are now open.
Applications for Leadership Foundations Term 1 2025 close on Wednesday, 12 February 2025.
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You don't need an official title (e.g. president/manager) to be a leader. Anyone can be a leader, and anyone can practice leadership skills. We believe that this program should be part of every student’s development journey as it reflects the UNSW Graduate Capabilities of becoming a globally focused graduate capable of leadership and professional practice in an international community.
We welcome any UNSW student who is interested in discovering their leadership identity and developing their interpersonal and professional skills.
A key strength of Leadership Foundations is the diversity of perspectives, experience and knowledge within the learning community. We encourage students from all faculties and levels of study to apply to the program.
*Please note this program is not suitable for students enrolled in MBA programs. Please contact Career Accelerator @ AGSM for career development support/career coaching support.
Inclusive and supportive program
We are dedicated to fostering a learning environment that is inclusive and supportive for everyone. If you have any specific needs to help you fully participate, we are here to make the necessary adjustments.
These adjustments might include providing extra time, ensuring spaces and processes are accessible, or offering materials in alternative formats. If there is anything we can do to support you, please let us know by emailing us at leadership@unsw.edu.au. Your comfort and ability to fully engage are our top priorities.
Listen here to the accessibility message.
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You will join a learning community of like-minded students to progress through four blended learning modules. This will take approx. 20 hours in total to complete.
Each module contains an online component and interactive live workshop. Participants will reflect on their assumptions, collaborate with peers, and challenge themselves in a range of individual and group activities.
Leadership Foundations concludes with a creative and reflective final task to consolidate the learnings from the different modules and help you discover the next step in your leadership journey.
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In Leadership Foundations, you will:
- Create your own leadership development plan and explore what leadership means to your identity.
- Formulate a purpose statement by reflecting on your personal values, strengths, and life experiences.
- Co-create team agreements to encourage constructive relationships in team environments by considering factors such as psychological safety, effective communication, and conflict management.
- Develop a team culture action plan by applying the principles of social awareness, diversity, and inclusion.
- Construct a wellbeing and resilience action plan to expand personal capacity when encountering challenges.
- Demonstrate the leadership development attributes of courage, growth mindset, curiosity, empathy, active listening and self-reflection.
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Leadership Foundations is run multiple times a year, as a term program or intensive program. The term program runs online during the first four weeks of each term, with minimal interruption to normal coursework. The intensive program runs in-person for 2 days, during the break between terms.
The Term 1 2025 program will have a Wednesday afternoon stream and a Friday morning stream:
- Workshop 1 - Growth Mindset: T1 Week 1, Wednesday 19 February 2pm-4pm OR Friday 21 February 10am-12pm
- Workshop 2 - Grit: T1 Week 2, Wednesday 19 February 2pm-4pm OR Friday 21 February 10am-12pm
- Workshop 3 - Collaboration: T1 Week 3, Wednesday 19 February 2pm-4pm OR Friday 21 February 10am-12pm
- Workshop 4 - Curiosity: T1 Week 4, Wednesday 19 February 2pm-4pm OR Friday 21 February 10am-12pm
Note: All Term 1 workshops are held exclusively online via Zoom. Please consider waiting and applying for the 'intensive' version of Leadership Foundations instead that will run in May if you would prefer an in-person format.
Applications for Leadership Foundations Term 1 2025 are now open and close on Wednesday, 12 February 2025.
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Upon satisfactorily meeting the program requirements, you will be awarded AHEGS recognition and a completion certificate. We will also provide you with access to the Leadership Foundations LinkedIn Group to continue your professional and personal development as well as a banner to post to your LinkedIn profile to acknowledge your involvement in this program.
Students share their experience
This course has helped me develop skills to foster teams that champion psychological safety. It has honed my ability to practice empathy, allowing me to listen to other people, and understand and relate to their experience.
The Leadership Foundations program has completely changed my perspective of what it means to be a leader. You can ascend to the top, leading empathy towards others, while being kind to yourself.
This self-discovery journey helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses to become a holistic individual. Through workshops, reflections, and peer support, I gained the insights and the tools I need to lead with authenticity.
The program helped me connect with others, forge new relationships and gain valuable insights in leadership. It really helped develop that growth mindset, emphasising daily self-improvement, continuous learning and unyielding ambition.
This program is amazing. You’ll meet a diverse group of individuals from various fields and countries, making it a fun experience. It also enables you to learn many practical skills that prove invaluable in the professional world.
I enrolled in the program with an aim to continually enhance my skills and truly understand the essence of leadership. This course has taught me the importance of empathy, as you never really know what another team member might be experiencing.