Back among students: professionals get a taste of the Leiden Leadership Programme
Mixed Classrooms image: Eric van den Bandt
Back to university to attend lectures with master's students: that's what professionals did at the Leiden Leadership Programme. Conclusion of the experiment? Learning about leadership leaves one wanting more. 'Great that this is possible.'
The Leiden Leadership Programme (LLP) of the Honours Academy works with partner organisations where master’s students get the chance to bring leadership into practice.
For the mixed classrooms, the roles were reversed: partners followed courses at the university together with LLP students. The professionals could pick one of two specialisations: Adaptive or Inclusive Leadership.
‘I immediately felt younger’
Tonight, the professionals navigate the Lipsius maze one last time to discuss how they experienced the mixed classrooms with lecturers Ben Kuipers and Sandra Groeneveld. In the classroom, tables have been arranged in a circle, stacked with drinking cups and fruit juices. The vibe is relaxed. After a few jokes, Ben opens the conversation: 'How did you all like it?'
'It was very nice,' says Jeannie Gorissen, who works at the Social Insurance Bank. She did the Adaptive Leadership specialisation, where students learn how organisations can deal with disruptive changes. The professional loved thinking about this with the students. 'I immediately felt younger,' she laughs. 'I also learned more about how to foster innovation.'
Personal questions
Youri Smeltink, who completed his studies six years ago and now works at Sociaal Wijkteam Leiden, is enthusiastic as well. The Adaptive Leadership module helped him answer personal questions regarding leadership.
'I had been working in a coordinating role for just a year and a half,' he explains. 'I did not quite know how to handle strategic issues yet. I feel like I'm better at that now.'
The professionals appreciate the theoretical approach of the courses, complementing the hands-on atmosphere of the workplace. In the Inclusive Leadership series, for instance, students learn concepts that help think about inclusion and diversity within an organisation – and how one can contribute to that. 'Giving words to that means a lot to me,' reflects Verona Hummel, who wonders what the insights could mean for her police department.
Tips and tops
As required for good leadership, the LLP team asks participants for feedback today. How did they experience the experiment with the mixed classrooms? Besides many words of praise, there is room for criticism. When teacher Ben asks for “tips and tops” – the good parts and the suggestions – he ends up filling the entire whiteboard with comments. Some participants want more focus on the public sector; others want to engage more with the students.
'Very special. I hope more people get this chance.'
A common denominator: the professionals would have liked to experience a varied mix of the Leiden Leadership Programme, rather than one lecture series. Learning about leadership leaves one wanting more. 'We let you participate in these two courses because we expected this would interest you the most,' Ben explains.
The critique should not spoil the fun, the professionals stress after one last mini-lecture from Sandra. 'I think it's really great that this is possible and I learned so much,' cheers Youri. Like the others, he is happy to have been given the chance to participate. 'This is really very special. I hope more people get this chance!'
Partner organisations
The Leiden Leadership Programme of the Honours Academy has partnerships with about 40 companies, NGOs and government agencies. By working with each other and the field, students learn to put leadership into practice. Partners get a fresh perspective on an issue that matters for the organisation.
Read more about the advantages of a partnership with the LLP.