LFHE Aurora and FAQs
Leadership Foundation in Higher Education (LFHE) Aurora guidance
In November 2017 the University, with funding and support endorsed by the Principal, made a commitment within its Athena SWAN Institutional Action Plan, action 4.2(a) for: Annual participation in the LFHE programmes.
Aurora is an external women-only leadership development programme. It is a unique partnership initiative bringing together leadership experts and higher education institutions to take positive action to address the under-representation of women in leadership positions in the sector.
Download: Aurora-booklet-2018 (PDF, 276 KB)
Latest Aurora venues: LFHE Aurora 2018/19 dates webpage
Expectations of participants:
- Liaise with a Mentor within the University to communicate progress or issues during the programme.
- Committed to the full Aurora process, attending all four development days plus the action learning set day and be prepared to undertake some self-directed study.
- Undertake all pre-work set for the course in advance of attending each development day.
- Ready to embrace the mentoring relationship, and actively work with their mentors to address their personal development and build their self-reliance.
- Committed to a career in HE and prepared to devote some time to thinking about and planning their career.
- Willing to host an action learning set day at their institution, with the support of their institution.
- Prepared to embrace the extensive networking opportunities and participate fully in Aurora.
- Willing to undertake projects or assignments for their institution in order to build on their developing leadership skills.
- Prepared to participate in a longitudinal study to gauge the effectiveness of Aurora.
- Willing to act as mentors or role models to future participants.
FAQs:
How do I apply?
- Please check your availability with the workshop dates
- Request your line-manager to email diversity@st-andrews.ac.uk supporting your application
- Email your expression of interest to diversity@st-andrews.ac.uk
Who is the programme for?
Aurora is for women up to senior lecturer level or the professional services equivalent, and must not be a professor or in a senior management/director role, therefore the programme would be better suited for women at grades 6 to 8.
How will staff be selected?
Staff selection is conducted by the Director of HR.
Who are the University of St Andrews Aurora Champions?
Professor Sally Mapstone (Principal and Vice-Chancellor), Mairi Stewart (Director of HR), Sukhi Bains (Head of E&D)
How much does it cost?
The costs are £1,250 per participant plus travel expenses, which are fully funded by the University's HR Diversity budget.
Can I attend other development days in other parts of the UK?
Yes participants are open to attend Aurora LFHE development days in other parts of the UK if not able to attend the first choice ones held in Scotland.
How does Aurora relate to University diversity awards, such as Athena SWAN?
Career development and mentoring for women is a major part of Athena SWAN. An action to support staff advancement under the programme is one of the ways in which the University and/or schools can support the career development of women in the workplace to progress into senior roles.
What are the Aurora learning sets and time commitment?
Aurora consists of five interlinked days. Each participant is required to book to attend one of each of the 5 development days: Identity; Impact and Voice; Power and Politics; Core Leadership Skills; and Adaptive Leadership Skills.
Is a women-only programme legal?
Under UK legislation and the Scottish Specific Duties (2012) resulting from the Equality Act (2010) it is lawful to take positive action to address under representation and minimise workplace disadvantage.
Who can I contact from previous University cohorts?
2018/19 cohort (23 supported):
| Name | School/Unit | Role |
| Tracey Gloster | Biology | Lecturer |
| Judith Sleeman | Biology | Senior Lecturer |
| Rosalind Campbell | Office of the Principal - Proctor's Office | Academic Policy Officer (Quality) |
| Jennifer Lambert | Finance | Senior Management Accounant |
| Gillian Sinclair | Finance | Senior Financial Accountant |
| Louise Reid | Geography & Sustainable Development | Lecturer |
| Gillian Mitchell | History | Lecturer |
| Pauline Brown | IT Services | Service Operations Manager |
| Veronica O'Carroll | Medicine | Lecturer |
| Emma Herdman | Modern Languages | Lecturer |
| Dora Osbourne | Modern Languages | Lecturer |
| Victoria Turner | Modern Languages | Lecturer |
| Margarita Vaysman | Modern Languages | Lecturer |
| Sarah Bennison | Philosophical, Antropological and Film Studies | Research Fellow |
| Claudia Cisneros-Foster | Philosophical, Antropological and Film Studies | School Manager |
| Alison Kerr | Philosophical, Antropological and Film Studies | Research Fellow |
| Stavroula Pipyrou | Philosophical, Antropological and Film Studies | Lecturer |
| Lucy Hadfield | Physics and Astronomy | Lecturer |
| Marianne MacKinnon | RBS | Deputy Director - Commercial |
| Sarah Pay | RBS | Operations Manager (Residential Services) |
| Angela Johnston | Registry | Registry Officer (Scholarships) |
| Liliana Martins e Caneco | Registry | Registry Officer |
| Lara Meischke | Student Services | Deputy Director |
2017/18 cohort (24 supported):
| Name | School/Unit | Role |
| Stephanie O'Rourke | Art History | Lecturer |
| Amanda Baizan Edge | Biology | BBSRC Research Fellow (Bioinformatics) |
| Emma Defew | Biology | Research Fellow |
| Ildiko Somorjai | Biology | Lecturer |
| V Anne Smith (Victoria Smith or Stokes) | Biology | Senior Lecturer |
| Alexia Petsalis-Diomidis | Classics | Lecturer |
| Gosia Mitka | Economics and Finance | Lecturer (Education Focused) |
| Sharon Leahy | Geography and Sustainable Development | Lecturer (Education Focused) |
| Katherine Roucoux | Geography and Sustainable Development | Lecturer |
| Sarah Easterby-Smith | History | Lecturer |
| Kate Ferris | History | Reader |
| Fiona McCallum | International Relations | Lecturer |
| Anita Laidlaw | Medicine | Senior Lecturer (Education Focused) |
| Gozde Ozakinci | Medicine | Senior Lecturer |
| Ruth Cruickshank | Medicine | Lecturer (Education Focused) |
| Katie Jones | Modern Languages | Lecturer |
| Emma Bond | Modern Languages | Senior Lecturer |
| Victoria Donovan | Modern Languages | Lecturer in Russian |
| Katie Allan | Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies | Administrator |
| Maggie Ellis | Psychology & Neuroscience | Lecturer |
| Laurence Lasselle | Management | Senior Lecturer |
| Julie Brooks | Management | Director of Postgraduate Studies |
| Shona Russell | Management | Senior Lecturer |
| Claudia Cyganowski | Physics and Astronomy | Lecturer |
2016/17 cohort (10 supported):
| Name | School/Unit | Role |
| Bettina Bildhauer | German | Professor |
| Caron Gentry | IR | Lecturer |
| Claudia Rossignoli | Italian | Lecturer |
| Emily Finer | Russian | HoD |
| Emily Michelson | History | Senior Lecturer |
| Erin Robbins | Psychology & Neuroscience | Lecturer |
| Ishbel Duncan | Comp Science | Lecturer |
| Karen Brown | Art History | Lecturer |
| Leshu Torchin | Film Studies | Senior Lecturer |
| Madhavi Nevader | Divinity | Lecturer |
2015/16 cohort (10 supported):
|
Name |
School/Unit |
Role |
|
Anne-Marie Weijmans |
Physics and Astronomy |
Lecturer |
|
Catherine O'Leary |
Modern Languages (Spanish) |
Reader |
|
Clare Peddie |
Biology |
Principal Teaching Fellow |
|
Donna Pierz-Fennell |
Biology |
School Manager |
|
Eleanor Burt |
Management |
Senior Lecturer |
|
Juliana Bowles |
Computer Science |
Lecturer |
|
Julie Struthers |
Medicine |
Learning Technology Consultant (Deputy Head of School (Teaching)) |
|
Morven Shearer |
Medicine |
Academic Fellow |
|
Sibylle Scheipers |
International Relations |
Senior Lecturer |
|
Nicola Milton |
Office of the Principal |
Executive Officer |
2014/15 cohort (5 supported):
|
Name |
School/Unit |
Role |
|
Aileen Fyfe |
History |
Reader |
|
Claire Whitehead |
Russian |
Senior Lecturer |
|
Lorna Stevenson |
Management |
Reader/Co HoS |
|
Jo Inchley |
Medicine |
Research Fellow |
|
Juan Ye |
Comp Sci |
Lecturer |
Auroa Films
Aurora seeks to share experience and insight to support women considering, aspiring to, and in leadership roles. In 2017 we welcomed Harriet Minter, former Women in Leadership editor at the Guardian and founder of Proceed until Apprehended, and Steph McGovern, journalist and BBC presenter, to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing women in leadership in higher education and beyond. Refer to Aurora Films webpage