The programme uniquely funds up to 25 places annually, to undergraduate students in Durham each year, supporting a research project and a Leadership in Action experience. Scholars are supported by a generous stipend of up to £6000 (£3,000 per summer) to enable them to participate in two 6-week summer periods, a bespoke training programme, an annual conference, global networking, and a certificate in ethical leadership. There are 5 core components to the programme:

A Research Project

This takes place over approximately six weeks during summer one. Working with an academic supervisor and/or an experienced research team, scholars develop their abilities in investigative study, analysis, problem-solving and data management.

Leadership Training

Scholars begin their Laidlaw experience with a leadership training retreat. In a group, immersive environment, they discover their own innate leadership preferences, learn core leadership attributes, explore leadership values and develop their leadership skills through exercises and applied learning. Their leadership development continues through the academic year, after their research summer, with guest speakers, coaching and more.

Leadership in Action

The second Scholarship summer involves a leadership-in-action project. This is an opportunity for Scholars to either practically implement their research from the previous summer, propose their project in partnership with an NGO/non-profit organisation, or participate in one of the centrally organised opportunities that the Laidlaw Foundation offers. At the core of the leadership in action project is the aim to actively collaborate with community partners, develop leadership skills, and to reflect on how Scholars intend to continue to do so in the future – far beyond the Scholarship – when they take up their positions as tomorrow’s leaders.

The key components of the leadership in action project include:

• An immersive experience, of at least six active weeks.
• A NEW and challenging environment, outside of the Scholar’s comfort zone. It should include working with, or for, a disadvantaged group or community.
• An international experience (if the Scholar’s university or Laidlaw experience is not already international).
• Doing something that makes the world a better place / produces a real-world impact.
• Provides an opportunity to further develop and apply leadership skills.
• Requires Scholars to work towards measurable and specific goals that have been defined at the outset of the project.

Further information is available via the Laidlaw Foundation. 

Networking

Scholars join a global network of fellow Laidlaw Scholars. This online community provides a dedicated space for scholars to contribute and collaborate. Undergraduate scholars publish their research here, can test their thinking, partner on projects and continue their leadership development. 

Ethical Leadership Certificate in partnership with the Oxford Character Project

Scholars will participate in six virtual workshops, in addition to an in-person training that will be delivered at the Annual Laidlaw Scholars Conference. The workshops and training sessions will cover a wide range of topics focusing on character qualities that are essential for becoming ethical leaders, such as purpose, growth, love, integrity, and practical wisdom. At the end of each workshop, there will be an ethical leadership challenge for the Scholars to practice what they have learned and exchange ideas with their fellow Scholars. After completing the programme, the scholars will receive certificates and access to additional resources that will help them to integrate various aspects of ethical leadership into their lives.

Options for Summer Two

These options may need to be adjusted to adapt to remote working restrictions:

• Leadership expedition – in-field voluntary work/expedition with a mixed team of scholars from partnering universities. Past expeditions have included working with local educators in Fiji through the Think Pacific scheme and supporting community building and education projects.
• Working with a social enterprise, NGO or charity – there will be several central foundation partnering projects to apply to or you can propose your own (discussed and agreed upon by the central university programme team)
• In-field application of a summer 1 research project - putting their research findings into action to create positive change in society.

All experiences will have clear goals and outputs specified.  They must also adhere to the Foundation LiA criteria that allow the scholar to:

• Work within communities in need.
• Do something which makes the world a (sustainably) better place.
• Develop and demonstrate their leadership skills, attributes and Laidlaw values.
• Learn through service overseas (exemptions may apply in special circumstances).

All aspects of the leadership training programme are compulsory – and initially, scholars will need to commit to being available for a leadership training programme delivered before their first summer research period, taking place mid-June.

Laidlaw Scholars will represent both Durham University and the Laidlaw Foundation and will be expected to take on ambassadorial duties as part of their commitment. These include supporting and mentoring younger scholars or perhaps delivering a talk at a conference/ event, and will also include helping with the promotion of the programme to future cohorts.