The CSC is pleased to announce that applications for the Leaders in Sustainable Development workshops are now open for all current Commonwealth Scholars.
The workshops form part of the CSC’s Leaders in Sustainable Development programme – a year-round programme of activities that aims to equip Scholars with the skills and knowledge to effect real development impact after their scholarship.
Putting ideas into practice: about the programme
Beginning in November, the Leaders in Sustainable Development workshops build on the CSC’s Understanding Development Impact course for Scholars, which introduces the development landscape and the tools to achieve impact in development projects.
The Leaders in Sustainable Development workshops give Scholars the chance to put their learning from the course into practice as well as supporting their wider professional development as researchers and future leaders in their field. The workshops are also designed to complement Scholars academic studies and research, so that the skills they gain, for example in researcher development, will be immediately applicable to their degree course.
This year’s workshops include:
- Research Project Management
- Writing for Development
- Mastering Networking
- Leadership Models and Decision Making
- Preparing for Social Impact: Strategy Planning
- Transitioning to a Career
- Theory of Change: The What, Why, and How
- Fundraising: Writing Bids and Securing Grants
Looking back on the successes of the last year
Last year saw more than 150 Commonwealth Scholars join the Leaders in Sustainable Development workshops, including Distance Learning Scholars whose contributions greatly enriched the programme. Led by expert trainers from AccessEd and INASP, the workshops received positive feedback from Scholars and useful comments on what worked well. This has enabled the CSC Engagement Team to replicate the most successful aspects when putting together this year’s programme, including the provision for online and regional sessions, and in-depth content that offered a challenge for Scholars.
‘I was looking forward to learning advanced concepts, and it exceeded my expectations! I was really happy that even with having some experience in development and communication, I learned a lot from the workshops!’ – Scholar participant in 2022, anonymous feedback survey
What to expect in 2022
In 2021-22, the CSC’s Regional Network Coordinators hosted regional in-person workshops for Scholars to provide a forum for more in depth discussion of ideas and increase the networking opportunities for Scholars across the UK’s regions.
We are pleased say that the regional workshops will be continuing this year and further information about this will be available soon. Please visit the CSC Events page to see the proposed schedule of regional workshops.
Thanks to Scholar feedback, we are also introducing a workshop on Theory of Change to the programme after Scholars reported on the significant benefits of this session at the residential weekends held at Cumberland Lodge in April and May.
Following a positive response to the certification of the programme, this year Scholars can gain a certificate for completing the Leaders in Sustainable Development programme to support their ongoing career development. The certification process, which involves a reflective exercise, is intended to embed the learnings from the programme and act as a catalyst for future action and training.
Connecting with a wider network
The Leaders for Sustainable Development workshops are aligned to the six CSC development themes to support Scholars in realising their development aims and create communities of practice under each theme.
This is further aided by the CSC Knowledge Hubs that offer a platform for Commonwealth Scholars and Alumni to share research, exchange ideas, and forge networks with those working in similar disciplines. The Knowledge Hubs are hosted on LinkedIn and hold regular Hangouts to connect with fellow members in real time and bring together contributors on specific topics for potential collaboration.
We encourage all Scholars to join a Knowledge Hub and continue the discussions and networking that begin in the Leaders in Sustainable Development workshops.
How to apply for the Leaders in Sustainable Development workshops
The applications for the Leaders in Sustainable Development workshops are now open and will close on Friday 21 October 2022.
Please visit the workshop programme page for more information about the workshops and how to apply.
