Landmark mentoring program for women in health and medical research to go national

The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences has been awarded $1.7 million from the Australian Government to take its Inclusive Leadership Mentoring Program national, creating the first nationally coordinated program of its kind for women in the health and medical sciences.

The funding, awarded through Round 5 of the Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship grants program, will support a five-year national expansion and enhancement of the program from 2026 to 2031. It will grow the program from its established New South Wales base to delivery across five states, with opportunities for individuals from all states and territories to benefit.

Academy President Professor Louise Baur AM PresAHMS said the investment recognised the urgent need to support women’s progression into senior leadership across the health and medical sciences.

“Women make up more than half of the health and medical sciences workforce, but remain significantly under-represented in the most senior leadership roles,” Professor Baur said.

“With this grant, we can scale a proven, evidence-based program national, supporting women at a critical career stage and building inclusive leadership across the sector.

“The Academy has long championed gender equity in the health and medical sciences. This national expansion is a practical and significant step towards the vision set out in our Decadal Plan for Women in the Health and Medical Sciences: a sector where women are supported, recognised and empowered to lead.”

The Inclusive Leadership Mentoring Program builds on strong foundations. It began as a pioneering initiative of Franklin Women, whose work to support women in the health and medical sciences is widely recognised across the sector. AAHMS is proud to steward the program’s next chapter, scaling it nationally to increase its reach, impact and long-term sustainability.

The program is delivered by AAHMS in partnership with SERENDIS LEADERSHIP, whose evidence-based facilitation has been central to the program’s success and to the case for national expansion.

The Australian Government’s investment will support the Academy to build the systems and capability required to deliver the program nationally, strengthen its evidence base and extend its impact. It works alongside the investment of participating organisations across the sector, which underpins delivery – ensuring the expanded program is built on a sustainable, shared footing.

Over the five-year grant period, the funding will enable:

• national expansion beyond New South Wales, to Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, with co-design and stakeholder consultation in each new state before delivery
• travel grants to reduce geographic and financial barriers, supporting participation from rural and regional areas, including the ACT, Northern Territory and Tasmania, and from under-represented groups
• a free virtual Inclusive Leadership Workshop series, open to individuals of any gender across the sector nationally
• a national Alumni Network, creating a growing community of practice and a structured pathway for former mentees to return as mentors
• a Program Advisory Group and embedded co-design process, helping to make sure the program is shaped by lived experience and responsive to intersectional barriers
• an independent, longitudinal evaluation to strengthen the national evidence base for gender equity interventions in health and medical sciences and beyond.

For mentees, the program provides structured support at exactly the point where women, though well represented in the health and medical research workforce, begin to fall away from the pathway to senior leadership. It builds the confidence, skills and cross-organisational connections that help mid-career women progress into leadership and decision-making roles.

For mentors and participating organisations, the benefits extend beyond individual mentoring relationships. The program builds inclusive leadership capability across the sector and supports the cultural and systemic change needed to make the sector more inclusive over the longer term.

The national expansion directly advances the priorities set out in the Academy’s Women in the Health and Medical Sciences: Decadal Plan, released in 2025, which calls for proven, evidence-based programs that support women’s progression into senior leadership to be resourced and scaled nationally.

The program also sits at the heart of the Academy’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, contributing directly to its focus on building national capability by nurturing talent, developing future leaders and strengthening career pathways.

Professor Baur said the grant represented both an investment in individual women and in the future leadership of the sector.

“This is about building lasting national capability,” Professor Baur said.

“This Australian Government investment sits alongside co-investment from participating organisations across the sector. It is that combined commitment that means we can expand the program’s reach, strengthen its impact and build a sustainable national model for the long term.

“We are grateful to the Australian Government for this investment and look forward to working with our partners, participating organisations and the broader health and medical sciences sector to deliver this important national expansion.”

For media enquiries, please contact Khaled Chakli on 0448 754 065 or at [email protected]