University Women’s Leadership Academy for Mid-Career Professionals*
*open to people of all gender identities
Empowering Courageous Leaders of Change
The leadership challenges facing university administrators and faculty are unprecedented in many colleges. Decreases in student enrollment and funding have tested many universities. Artificial Intelligence has brought benefits and created a variety of issues, some ethical. Recruiting, developing, and sustaining faculty and administrators are present difficulties. Another challenge is nurturing and expanding inclusion. Social and political polarization have shaken campuses. The value of a university education is sometimes questioned. Successful mid-level leaders understand the issues facing colleges and are flexible and strategic.
Women’s voices must be part of the solutions to the critical issues facing higher education. During the past 20 years, women’s efforts to exert greater university leadership have slowed. Research indicates that women continue to face socio-cultural, political, and structural barriers to university leadership roles.
The University Women’s Leadership Academy is designed for mid-career professionals who seek to expand their leadership and value to their universities. The Academy emphasizes navigating the overt and covert university. Activities and instruction are led by expert practitioners in topics that include finance, student affairs, negotiation, career development, and collaborating for change.
An overarching Academy goal is to help leaders harness their strengths to build inclusive and equitable environments.
The Academy highlights virtual learning in small and larger groups. Each participant belongs to a mentor circle that promotes learning and support.
Academic Information
The Academy seeks to re-imagine university leadership to increase the value of women’s many contributions. Through exploration of professional challenges and experiences, women leverage their multi-dimensional leadership capacities to effect change. Leaders are empowered to identify and harness strengths to build university-related cultures that are more inclusive and equitable.
Learning
- Learning is social. Participants explore the experiences of others in Academy discussions and in mentor circles.
- Learning develops through readings, activities and videos related to acting and thinking like a leader, 360° leadership, career development, and best practices at universities.
- Learning about the critical challenges facing universities helps to meet the challenges.
- Learning is guided by expert university educators. They speak to the varied roles and functions across universities.
- Learning how to make university culture more equitable from top-down and bottom-up.
Leadership Knowledge and Capacities Across the University
- Critical challenges facing university mid-level leaders
- Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader (Herminia Ibarra)
- Using a consultancy protocol to consider solutions to a problem
- Budget and finance
- Navigating the overt and covert university
- Women’s leadership voices
- Women and men: leadership beliefs/stereotypes
- 360° leadership
Building Inclusive Environments
Career Shaping
- Branding and Career Planning
- Negotiation after the job offer
- Networking
The application materials:
- A letter of intent that includes: a brief description of your leadership experience
at a four-year college or university, short-term and long-term goals for doing the
UCLA University Women’s Leadership Academy for Mid-Career Professionals,
and specific topics that are of interest to you. - A current resume.
- This application form.
The application deadline is January 24, 2026 (submit materials to Dr. Linda Rose at lrose@g.ucla.edu).
UCLA University Women’s Leadership Academy 2026 FEES
- Registration fee paid by March 10, 2026: $1,900 (per person)
- Registration fee paid by March 10, 2026, when two or more people from the same college are participating: $1,700 (per person)
- Registration fee paid by March 20, 2025: $2,100
UCLA University Women’s Leadership Academy 2025 Hybrid Schedule
- Two Saturday Virtual Sessions, March 28, 2026 (first session) and June 27, 2026 (final session). Both sessions are 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. PST
- Ten Thursday Virtual evening sessions, 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. PST
- April 9, 16, 23, 30
- May 7, 14, 28
- June 4, 11, 25
