Laidlaw information for supervisors

The Laidlaw Foundation partners with 20 leading universities around the world and selects up to 25 outstanding undergraduate students at each institution, annually, for the Laidlaw Scholars Programme for Leadership and Research.

What does the Laidlaw Scholars Programme involve?

The programme uniquely funds both research and leadership development and has six main components:

  1. A six-week research project in the first summer, beginning the first day of the summer semester.
  2. A six-week Leadership-in-Action project in the second summer.
  3. Bespoke leadership development training during the programme.
  4. An ethical leadership masterclass delivered by the University of Oxford.
  5. An international experience, typically as part of the summer 2 Leadership-in-Action project.
  6. Global networking through our online community platform, the Laidlaw Scholars Network.

Rewards for Laidlaw scholars

  • A generous scholar stipend of £6,000.
  • Access to up to £2,000 through the Scholars Travel Fund.
  • The Laidlaw Programme listed on their University of St Andrews HEAR degree transcript.
  • Comprehensive leadership development training.
  • An Ethical Leadership Certificate from the University of Oxford.
  • Membership in a global network of Laidlaw scholars and alumni.

The Research Supervisor's role

  • To provide support and advice, ensuring the scholar is working towards a realistic research question which is appropriate in scope for a six-week project.
  • To advise and guide the scholar through any necessary processes ahead of their research, for example, school ethics committees or risk assessments.
  • To encourage the scholar to produce a research plan at the start of the project and to meet with them regularly to review their progress.
  • To provide ongoing guidance and encouragement to the scholar throughout their project.
  • To write a brief report at the end of the research project on the standard of the scholar’s work.

Timeline

The Laidlaw Programme runs for approximately 20 months.

Key information for research supervisors:

  • Applications open in early November and close in mid-late January.
  • Shortlist interviews occur in February, with the 25 successful applicants selected by early March.
  • The programme starts in mid-March and the six-week research period starts on the first day of the summer semester, plus or minus one week.
  • During the six-week research period, scholars attend weekly, in-person events organised by the St Andrews Laidlaw team. These events are mandatory and are meant to complement their research training and leadership development.

Research outputs

At the end of the summer research period, each Laidlaw Scholar is required to complete:

  • an A1 research poster
  • a research essay between 2,000 and 8,000 words
  • a reflective blog post on the Laidlaw Scholars Network about their research experience

Minor expenses allocation to supervisors for scholars

We provide £300 per scholar to be used for minor expenses, books and materials. This is paid to supervisors, Schools, or both, to administer.

Purchases should be receipted and charged through your School account and scholar expenses should be processed according to the University Expense Policy. Any items such as books or bench materials that are purchased using this fund should be retained where they will best contribute to continued research. For example, they may be kept by the student or supervisor, or donated to the Library or lab.

Ethics approval

Laidlaw Research Supervisors are expected to assist scholars in identifying if their research project has any ethical implications and to help them receive any necessary approvals from the appropriate University ethics committee.

  • If the research supervisor advises that the project does require ethical approval, the Scholar must go through the necessary approval process with the appropriate ethics committee and send us a copy of their ethics approval letter once received.
  • If the research supervisor advises that their project does not require ethical approval, we require an email from the supervisor to laidlaw@st-andrews.ac.uk to confirm this fact.

Scholars are not permitted to start their Laidlaw research project until either the ethics approval letter or supervisor email has been sent to the St Andrews Laidlaw team. Scholars must also complete Research Integrity Training before the start of their research project.

Summer 2 research implementation of Leadership-in-Action

In the second summer of the Laidlaw Programme, scholars complete a six-week Leadership-in-Action (LiA) project. Scholars may choose from a variety of LiA options, including an infield application of the previous summer’s research project under the continued guidance of their research supervisor, as appropriate and depending on supervisor availability or interest.

LiA projects are intended to provide scholars with an opportunity to continue working and building on their research project by applying, testing, and refining their findings in the field. These projects are typically conducted overseas and must meet set eligibility criteria. For more information on Leadership-in-Action projects, please visit the Leadership-in-Action page. 

Laidlaw Travel Fund

Scholars are eligible for up to £2,000 to cover travel costs in connection with their summer research or Leadership-in-Action projects, or both. LiA projects may also include attending training sessions or conferences. 

Any overnight travel must be registered and pre-approved by the Global Office using the online travel tool. Further guidance and relevant forms can be found on the Laidlaw Scholars' Travel Fund Moodle page.

Reporting

At the end of the summer research period, we ask supervisors to complete a short report on their Laidlaw scholar. These are due in mid-November following the summer research period. 

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please contact the St Andrews Laidlaw team at laidlaw@st-andrews.ac.uk.