Accelerating women's careers: define and achieve your career ambitions

So far, we've supported 350 women from all levels and roles on the programme, some of whom have attended the Aurora programme, Springboard or another university advancement programme; for others, this is the first time they’ve invested in their own development.

Here's what women got from the Career Accelerator programme:

Transformation

“I’d accepted that I’d reached the ceiling of my career and there was no point because I’d already tried and failed...I joined the WHEN programme, to tick a box for my appraisal form. It’s been eye-opening and heartbreaking, and I feel like my heart is beating again and I’ve finally found my community.”

Read the interview

Ownership

“I finally understand how to be strategic in my career, rather than reactive. I feel proud.”

“I think the biggest difference is that I don’t want my career to be something that just happens to me, I want to be in control of it and I’m feeling braver."

See more impact quotes

Motivation

“I would recommend this programme to all. It allows you to dedicate quality time to visit your inner self and gives you the motivation to adopt a different outlook and the drive to pursue whatever you wish in your career path without focusing on boundaries and limitations, but instead on your own qualities.”

Read the full story

A transformative, in-person programme to achieve career progression

WHEN's Career Accelerator is a proven, credible career development programme where you can:

explore what's important to you
define your ambitions
translate ambition into achievable plans
draw on the power of community and build meaningful connections through face to face engagement

Career development that really works

A unique opportunity: This is going to be the most inclusive, supportive and impactful environment for developing your career that you might have ever experienced, we say with absolute confidence.

Proven impact: 380 women across the sector have experienced this so far, with transformative outcomes. We are contacted on a weekly basis with stories of progression from our previous cohort members.

Achieve clarity: You will leave our programme with clear sense of what exactly your ambitions are and a clear plan of the next steps you need to take in order to make progress.

Career coaches: We respect and value your time, and make the most of every minute you have chosen to prioritise your own development. We achieve this by organising participants into peer groups of up to six women, each facilitated by a career coach.

Embedding: The in person workshop is framed by coaching exercises to start your reflection and in-person, coach-led action learning sets to sustain your momentum.

Experience the programme with colleagues from other universities in an open enrolment format

We are listening to your feedback and after more than 400 requests from individual women wanting to attend the programme, we have decided to run a pilot open cohort open to all women from across the sector. This programme includes one overnight stay at Henley Business School.

This programme includes:

2-day workshop
Small group sessions facilitated by accredited coaches with experience of working in the higher education sector
Two 90 minute action learning sets, facilitated by accredited coach
One night’s accommodation, plus all meals and refreshments at Henley Business School
All programme materials (including WHEN notebook and pen)

Key dates: 7th - 8th May 2025

Programme location: Henley Business School

Programme fee: £1,895 + VAT

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Experience the programme together with colleagues from your own university in an in-house format

We believe in the power of networking and want to encourage you to build strong, peer group networks within your own university. That's why our preference is to deliver the programme in your university to a cohort of up to 30 women. There is no overnight stay required so that women can return to their homes, just like a normal working day. This programme includes:

2-day workshop
Small group sessions facilitated by accredited coaches with experience of working in the higher education sector
Two 90 minute action learning sets, facilitated by accredited coach
All programme materials (including WHEN notebook and pen)
Note: this programme is delivered on campus in your own university

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