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What's involved

We are at the halfway point on our timeline to achieve the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals but are nowhere near halfway to achieving these targets. Climate change, inequality, and biodiversity loss are among the most significant challenges facing global leaders today. It is clear that these challenges will only grow in complexity, and the responsibility will be on leaders in business, government, institutions and the third sector to step up. Our world needs leaders who are adaptable, resilient, and long-term thinkers with an ability to collaborate across regions and sectors to identify and scale solutions.

The Leonardo Centre on Business for Society is proud to deliver the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme which aims to enhance sustainable leadership and to stimulate sustainable innovation among a new generation of leaders. The programme uniquely funds up to 25 places annually to undergraduate students in Imperial College London each year, supporting a research project and a Leadership in Action experience, with a unique focus on tackling the 17 UN SDGs.

The programme provides training and experiences to help Scholars become skilled researchers, embrace data-based decision-making, and lead with integrity. The programme invests in talented and motivated undergraduate students, giving them the knowledge, skills, and experience to become active global citizens and future leaders in creating a flourishing planet for all.

The programme will help improve students' awareness of the current challenges the world is facing and nurture the characteristics of sustainable and effective leadership, such as empathy, resilience, intercultural competence, alertness to the needs of their stakeholders, and the ability to integrate the needs of the world in their decision-making.

As well as being supported by a research supervisor and being connected to a network of like-minded Scholars, Scholars are supported by a generous stipend of up to £6,000 (£3,000 per summer) to enable them to participate in two six-week summer periods, a bespoke training programme and ethical leadership masterclasses, delivered by the University of Oxford.

Note: all Laidlaw Scholars Programme research projects will have to address at least one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A Research Project

This takes place over approximately six weeks during summer one. Working with an academic supervisor, scholars develop their abilities in investigative study, analysis, problem-solving and data management on a research project related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Scholars can work with an academic supervisor inside or outside the College.

Expected outputs from the research project include a journal, article, poster, research presentation, portfolio of work, or other intellectual outputs, linked to the targets of one or more of the 17 SDGs.

Leadership Training

Scholars begin their Laidlaw experience with a two-day leadership workshop. In a group, immersive environment, they discover their own innate leadership preferences, learn core leadership attributes, explore leadership values and develop their leadership and communications skills through exercises and applied learning. Their leadership development continues throughout the programme with workshops, masterclasses, coaching sessions, guest speakers, non-cognitive learning (e.g. meditation) and more. Scholars will grow their resilience, ability to network and cross-cultural competence, as well as discover how to apply these skills and attributes in the context of sustainable development.

Leadership in Action Experience

In their second summer, over approximately six weeks, scholars put their newly developed leadership skills into practice in challenging environments, addressing important sustainability issues around the world. Scholars will identify an environment and project which ideally relates to the SDG addressed in their research project. For example, scholars may join a charity expedition in a developing country, work closely with an NGO or put their research findings into action by planning and leading their own in a community of need, bring about change and have a direct sustainability impact in the community.

The expected outputs of the Leadership in Action experience are the development of a sustainability-oriented mindset, cross-cultural competence, a sense of diversity and inclusion, a sense of urgency and science-based clarity for the needs of the world.

Networking

Ethical Masterclass

Students Commitment

Laidlaw Scholars commit to:

· Undertaking two full-time summer projects, one focussing on research, the other on Leadership in Action. Projects will last at least six weeks each, with one of them taking place overseas.

· Participating in the bespoke leadership development programme offered by Imperial College and the Laidlaw Foundation. This includes at least six days of university-based leadership training, the global character and ethical leadership certificate, and attending the Laidlaw Scholars Conference.

· Being active members of the Laidlaw Scholars community including posting and collaborating on the Laidlaw Scholars virtual Network, providing feedback on all elements of the Programme and acting as ambassadors for the scheme.

· Committing to being active alumni after completing the Programme and continuing to uphold the Laidlaw values, including remaining active members of the global Laidlaw Scholars Network, and keeping the programme updated on their subsequent career development.

The Programme

Summer One

All scholars will undertake one research project where they will develop, pursue, and report on a research question related to the achievement of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, supported by an academic supervisor. This project will either be defined by the scholar, giving them the opportunity to explore a research area which they are passionate about, or chosen from a list of pre-defined projects from leading academics within the university. The project can take place abroad.

Leadership Training

The scholars’ leadership development continues through the academic year with guest speakers, coaching and more. You will have workshops with your cohort (6 full days during the academic year), plus ethical leadership sessions from the University of Oxford. These workshops usually take place in April/May, January/February and then May/June. Taught at weekends and spread throughout the year, this specially tailored programme will introduce you to key concepts in leadership. In October Scholars attend the Laidlaw Scholars Conference (organised at the weekend).

Summer Two

Scholars will have the opportunity to apply their leadership skills in challenging international environments, through an immersive bespoke Leadership in Action 6-week experience. Expanding their cultural awareness, Scholars will work on international projects that will benefit wider communities in finding solutions and tackling real problems. Through this action-based learning, scholars will be encouraged to take on new challenges and further develop such skills as strategy, planning, execution, communication, influencing, teamwork, resilience and being a global citizen. The project can take place abroad.

Expected time commitment

The Laidlaw programme is all about making you a better leader. The programme has been designed not to interfere with your core academic studies and the largest time commitment takes place during the summer holidays. However, you will be expected to undertake a small amount of activity during term time.

The main elements of the programme are:
1. Six weeks of research project - in your first summer. Working with an academic supervisor, you will develop your abilities in investigative study, analysis, problem-solving and data management on a research project related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. You can work with an academic supervisor inside or outside the College. Expected outputs from the research project include a journal article-length article, poster, research presentation, portfolio of work, or other intellectual outputs linked to the targets of one or more of the 17 SDGs.

2. Six days of leadership training - weekend activities with your cohort, plus online ethical leadership sessions from the University of Oxford. These workshops usually take place in April/May, January/February and then May/June. Taught at weekends and spread throughout the year, this specially tailored programme will introduce you to key concepts in leadership.
You will work with your cohort in depth to learn about:
Yourself as a leader - finding your leadership style,
Leading teams - adapting your style to others,
Leading in different workplace cultures,
Ethical leadership - understand the principles that underpin all good leadership.

3. Six weeks of "Leadership in Action" project - in your second summer. The project in your second summer gives you a chance to build on skills and knowledge gained in the first year of the scheme. This is also a chance to give back to society. You will be working with communities in need, doing something to make the world a better place. Most Laidlaw Scholars will be expected to undertake the Leadership in Action project outside the UK. All projects are fully funded through the Laidlaw programme.
There are three types of projects you could consider:
- Leadership Expedition - Choose an expedition from the list provided to you by the Laidlaw Foundation after your first year, and you will get the chance to work with Laidlaw Scholars from across the UK in challenging settings abroad, putting your leadership skills to the test.
- Leadership Project with a Not-for-Profit or similar organisation - If you have your own idea about a Leadership Project, we will assist you in making it happen. The project will need to fit the ethos of the scheme, and you'll need to be a self-starter to get it off the ground.
- Infield Application of your research - Sometimes a great first-year research project can be developed to work in practice as a second-year project - enhancing your leadership skills whilst bringing benefit to society. Not a continuation of research, but an application of it in a practical setting.

You will receive a generous stipend (£3,000 per summer) to cover your living costs for the two summer projects, and in exchange, you will be expected to fully commit and work full time on the projects.
Please note that one of the projects (either research or Leadership in Action) has to take place overseas.

Programme timeline for 2024 cohort

Programme timeline for 2025 cohort

Apply now

Contact us

For any enquiries please contact:

Laidlaw Scholars Programme Manager
Yvonne Aftyka
laidlaw@imperial.ac.uk

What's involved

There are five core components to the programme:

The Programme

Summer One

Leadership Training

Summer Two

Title

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