Leadership Programme

St Clare’s is committed to developing confident, capable students who can lead with purpose, manage themselves effectively, and make a positive contribution to their communities. Leadership development is embedded throughout the curriculum, with all students engaging in a broad range of activities that build essential leadership skills. In addition, students in IB1 have the opportunity to take part in our dedicated International Student Leadership Programme, designed to further enhance their growth and global outlook.

International Student Leadership Programme

The International Student Leadership Programme, ‘Learning to Lead‘, is a transformative co-curricular experience designed to nurture global-minded, independent young leaders. Through a structured blend of skills development, real-world observation, and hands-on leadership practice, students engage with leadership theory, attend high-profile speaker sessions, and complete impact-driven community projects. The programme empowers students to become self-aware, collaborative, and forward-thinking agents of change, ready to lead in university and beyond.

The programme enables students to:

Build and develop their leadership skills
Deepen their understanding of a wide range of leadership styles and approaches
Learn to recognise leadership in a variety of professional and community contexts
Enhance their self-awareness
Understand how to collaborate effectively with others
Develop their creative and critical thinking skills
Develop core skills for future study or employment opportunities
Prepare to meet current and future opportunities and challenges

Three Principal Elements

Global Futures

is an introduction to the study of leadership skills and research.

Students have recently had the opportunity to work with Matthew Conisbee (formerly Said Business School) on the taught element of the course. Colleagues within St Clare’s have also delivered sessions on diplomacy, problem-solving, coaching and mentoring, and listening skills.

Learn to Lead

develops leadership skills to a higher level through observation and practice; students attend a series of ‘leadership in context’ opportunities in order to observe leadership in action.

Recent visits have included to Thames Valley Police to learn about their Violence against Women and Girls work, alongside guest speakers such as Sir Jonathan Philips (retired civil servant, Warden of Keble College), Professor Corinne Fowler (Professor of Colonialism and Heritage, University of Leicester), and Hannah Boulton (Head of Press and Communications at the Royal Collection).

The Leadership Project

enables students to apply the skills they have learned in practice by working to meet needs within a community, and to reflect on what they have learned in the process and how successful their work has been in effecting change.

Students have recently undertaken a research project focusing on change management, creating a book and series of presentations on successful change management projects that they have identified around the world.

Leadership Opportunities

At St Clare’s, leadership is not just taught – it’s lived. Our students develop key leadership skills through a wide range of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.