Current scholars
Current scholars can find information about key scholarship dates and the Leadership-in-Action phase below.
To learn more about the scholarship at all partner institutions, research projects, and other leadership and research-related questions, visit the Laidlaw Scholars Network.
You will find information on travel costs and expenses on the Travel Fund page.
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Scholars are expected to attend all events, barring exceptional circumstances.
2024 scholars
Date Time Event Various dates in summer 2025 Not applicable Summer 2 Leadership-in-Action period Saturday 4 October 2025 Full day Full-day leadership event Thursday 13 November 2025 4pm to 5.30pm Laidlaw project showcase 2025 scholars
Date Time Event Tuesday 18 March 2025 11am to 1pm Launch event Friday 21 to Sunday 23 March 2025 Depart Friday evening, return Sunday afternoon Residential weekend Monday 2 June to Friday 11 July 2025 Not applicable Summer 1 research period Monday 2 June 2025 12pm to 1.30pm Weekly in-person workshop Wednesday 11 June 2025 11am to 12pm Weekly in-person workshop Tuesday 17 June 2025 11am to 12pm Weekly in-person workshop Saturday 21 June 2025 Full day, 10am to 4pm Weekly in-person workshop Wednesday 25 June 2025 11am to 12 pm Weekly in-person workshop Tuesday 1 July 2025 11am to 12pm Weekly in-person workshop Wednesday 9 July 2025 11am to 12pm Weekly in-person workshop Saturday 27 September 2025 Full day Full-day leadership event Friday 17 to Sunday 19 October 2025 Not applicable Laidlaw Scholars Conference October 2025 to April 2026 Not applicable Ethical leadership training through the Oxford Character Project. Monthly online workshops and take-home assignments. Thursday 13 November 2025 4pm to 5.30pm Laidlaw project showcase 1 Saturday or Sunday in March 2026 to be confirmed Full day Full-day leadership event Various dates in summer 2026 Not applicable Summer 2 Leadership-in-Action period Saturday or Sunday in October 2026 to be confirmed Full day Full-day leadership event Date in November 2026 to be confirmed To be confirmed Laidlaw project showcase 2 -
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 own project in partnership with an NGO or non-profit organisation, or to participate in one of the centrally organised opportunities that are offered by the Laidlaw Foundation.
At the core of the leadership-in-action project is the aim to actively practise leadership and to reflect on how scholars intend to continue to do so in the future 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 environment, outside of the scholar’s comfort zone. It should include working with, or for, a disadvantaged group or community or a group suffering hardship.
- An overseas experience, if the scholar’s university or research experience is not already overseas.
- Doing something that makes the world a better place or produces a real-world impact.
- Provides an opportunity to further develop and apply leadership skills.
- Requires scholars to demonstrate an ability to lead others and to work towards measurable and specific goals that have been defined at the outset of the project.
- Each project or placement should have at least three smart goals that give an opportunity for the Laidlaw leadership attributes, at least one per goal, to be put into practice.
- Each project should work towards at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals.
- Leadership-in-action projects must work directly with an NGO or charity and not go through a third-party organisation.
Read more on Central Project information sessions on the Leadership in Action Information Session Room.