Future Leaders Innovation Programme

University of Oxford Careers Service and EnSpire Oxford logos

The Future Leaders Innovation Programme (FLIP) is a skills development programme from the Oxford University Careers Service and EnSpire Oxford, open to students who want to gain skills, knowledge, and positive behaviours to innovate and drive change in the future.

Hilary term 2025 programme

Apply now for the Future Leaders Innovation Programme

Application deadline: 18 November 2024.

The programme will run over Hilary term and the spring vacation 2025. Students who successfully complete the Future Leaders Innovation Programme will gain an ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management.

The programme consists in a blend of learning activities and practical experiences. You will learn and work individually, in a small team, and as part of a group.

Individual online learning with mentoring support tailored to you.
Work on a client innovation-themed consultancy project in a small team.
Events for the whole group with guest speakers, learning activities and networking opportunities.

The programme is open to Oxford University undergraduate and postgraduate students. There are 25 places available and applicants must go through a selection process.

Benefits of the programme

The programme will provide you with an insight into innovation and leadership with development opportunities across other key employment skills: team working, communication, initiative, creativity, planning, self-management, and business awareness.

On the programme, you will hear from guest speakers, grow your network, and get real-world client consulting experience. Everything is a learning experience, and this includes the application and selection process. The content and experiences will consider innovation and entrepreneurial activity in a wide context, including in business, social enterprise, and the charity sector.

At the end of the programme, you will get recognition for your learning with a formal qualification: ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management.

Get inspired

The Future Leaders Innovation Programme ran for the first time in Hilary term and the spring vacation 2023, with a cohort of 25 undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Oxford. Read the 2023 yearbook for testimonials from the students who completed the programme about their experiences, lasting impressions and advice for future participants.

https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?backgroundColor=%23f4f4f4&backgroundColorFullscreen=%23f4f4f4&d=flip-yearbook-student-testimonials-hilary-2023&hideIssuuLogo=true&showOtherPublicationsAsSuggestions=true&u=oxfordcareersservice

Expand All

Assessment and Selection

Programme schedule

The leadership and innovation learning activities are integrated and will run in parallel through Hilary Term and the vacation. All activities will be completed by the start of Trinity term.

Leadership and Management qualification

Learning is delivered individually with activities covering a range of content on: leadership qualities and behaviours, being ready and able to lead, working with others and making a difference.

There are online videos, reflection exercises and tasks allowing you to work around your other commitments. Alongside this, there is mentoring support with four sessions through the programme to relate good practice to your context and help you use the tools and ideas with confidence.

To achieve the qualification, there are two assignments to complete on firstly, Understanding leadership and secondly, Understanding innovation and change. The assignments are essay-based, around 1,200 words each.

Upon completion, you will gain an ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management. ILM is UK’s leading provider of specialist leadership qualifications.

The innovation consultancy project

You will work in a small team providing consultancy on an innovation-themed project for an organisation. The project will be important to your client. It is a chance to gain hands-on client experience and make a real contribution to an organisation.

The project work will be undertaken over six weeks through Hilary term. Participants will receive training to prepare for the activity at the first whole group Friday session. We will wrap up the consulting project at the second whole group Friday session.

Whole group in-person Friday sessions

There will be two in person Friday events for the whole participant group. These will be half days, from 12.00pm to 4.00pm. The sessions will be an interactive mix of presentations, guest speakers and learning activities on innovation and leadership.

Session 1: Friday 31 January
Session 2: Friday 14 February

Graduation event

There will be an in-person graduation event for the programme in a central Oxford location. Date to be confirmed.

FAQs

Will it cost me anything?

There is no cost to you for participating in the programme. The leadership and management qualification programme is fully funded.

The consultancy is an experiential learning activity, and we will not charge our clients for the service provided. Participants will not receive a consultancy payment for the work undertaken.

Does it matter what subject I'm studying or what year I am in?

No – we welcome current students at all levels from 1st years to DPhils; from English to Medical sciences students - with everything in between.

We cannot accept applications from Saïd Business School students, Visiting Students, Research Staff, or alumni.

Programme commitment

We recognise that participants on learning and development programmes, have to fit these programmes around their academic work, and that academic work takes priority. How much time you can spend each week will necessarily vary depending on your other commitments; we have observed previous participants spending an average of 8-10 hours / week.

For those programmes where you work in a team, you should liaise with your colleagues so that each member’s peaks and troughs in availability can be covered. If you do have to drop your hours for a short period to address an academic work peak, then please be professional and let your team members know.

Contact

If you have any further questions that are not covered on this page, please email debra.popperwell@careers.ox.ac.uk

Future Leaders Innovation Programme

A one-term programme that leads to an ILM Level 3 Award in Leadership and Management