EUA’s Leadership Development Programme concludes successful pilot edition

The final module featured interactive sessions with university leaders who shared their leadership journeys and reflected on approaches to overcoming institutional challenges. Participants also presented strategies developed from their casework throughout the year, thereby consolidating learning and fostering collaboration beyond the programme.

Feedback from the Leadership Development Programme’s pilot cohort and Advisory Board will inform the next editions and shape the future of the programme. The second cohort will start in 2026, and a call for interest for future editions will open soon. The continuation of this unique programme for university leadership reinforces EUA’s commitment to supporting senior leaders in navigating complexity, driving institutional transformation and strengthening collaboration across Europe’s higher education sector.

Designed for senior university leaders, the programme has brought together a diverse cohort of 24 participants from across 16 European countries to strengthen strategic leadership for transformation in higher education.

Participants benefited from exchanges with experts and European policy makers, learning from the lived experiences of university leaders and gaining insights into the latest developments in European higher education policy. Practical exercises explored strategic communication, foresight, governance, funding and shared leadership.

A defining feature of the programme has been its focus on whole-institution approaches to transversal challenges, including strategies of internationalisation, sustainability, artificial intelligence and digital transformation and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), with a focus on partnerships and interinstitutional collaboration.

The Leadership Development Programme’s design was informed by the extensive expertise of EUA's Board, a specific Advisory Board and an expert pool of experienced university leaders, researchers and experts with broad experience in the higher education landscape. This collaboration, along with EUA's expertise, helped to create a curriculum that incorporated exclusive material and real-world casework. The programme’s format combined in-person modules with some immersive online sessions, offering participants a dynamic learning experience by applying strategic thinking to complex institutional challenges.