Through this learning journey, participants will gain the education, exposure and experiential practice supporting the mindsets, skills and behaviours required to lead and manage effectively at UBC.

Participants will gain the ability to:

• Apply self-awareness and emotional intelligence to understand their impact in their current role and as they step into leadership.
• Build a coaching mindset and skills to earn trust and collaborate effectively across diverse teams.
• Navigate conflict and difficult conversations with courage, compassion and integrity.
• Understand UBC's systems, strategic priorities and context to lead with clarity and purpose.
• Take ownership of their leadership development journey, engage their manager as a growth partner and build career resilience to prepare for their next move at UBC.

Explore three key elements that make this program unique and help ensure participants succeed through applied learning and guided support from their manager. 

1. Learning and Development Plan - Participants will create a Learning and Development Plan and share it with their manager. Managers will support participants by using the plan as a framework to ensure a successful development journey throughout the program lifecycle. This includes a minimum of three development-related check-ins with the manager over the course of the program. The plan prioritizes personal development as an essential ingredient for every aspiring leader to dedicate appropriate time and attention to help achieve their goals. 

2. On-the-job Project - Managers and participants will be asked to identify an On-the-Job Project that participants will focus on throughout the program. This can be an existing project, current deliverable or stretch opportunity they are working on or currently leading. The project can also be something designed specifically for the program, with support and consultation from their manager. At the end of each workshop, participants will be asked to reflect on how they can apply what they’ve learned. This ensures that the learning goes beyond theory and is applied practically in the workplace.  

3. Manager’s Commitment and Involvement - The support of each participant’s manager is key to maximizing the impact of this program.  Over the five-month period, managers will be asked to spend time engaging in conversations with their staff member about their Learning and Development Plan, On-the-Job Project and any support needed to make this a meaningful learning journey.  

• This program will take place in a hybrid format, with a mix of in-person and virtual components.  

• The program includes five workshops: three in-person at the UBC Vancouver Campus and two online sessions. Participants must be committed to attending all five workshops.  

For the pilot cohort, only select faculties and departments have been identified and have been provided a designated number of seats for the program.  

View the list of participating faculties and units, below:

View the 2026 cohort schedule and workshop topics, format and durations below.  

All participants who successfully complete the Emerging Leaders Program will be given an official Certificate of Completion. 

To earn the Certificate of Completion, participants are expected to attend the online program orientation, all five workshops (three in-person and two online) and other program learning elements listed above.