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Programs

Inclusive Leadership Mentoring Program

The program supports the career progression of mid-career women in health and medical research, while developing inclusive leadership capability among senior leaders across the sector.

This cross-organisational program connects mentees with mentors from different workplaces across the health and medical research ecosystem, fostering fresh perspectives and broader professional networks.
Inclusive Leadership

About the program

The Inclusive Leadership Mentoring Program supports the career progression of mid-career women in health and medical research, while developing the inclusive leadership capabilities of senior sector leaders.  

The program connects mentees with mentors from different workplaces across the health and medical research ecosystem, fostering fresh perspectives, broader professional networks and more open conversations about leadership and career progression. 

 Originally developed and delivered by Franklin Women, the program has strong foundations in the sector. Following Franklin Women’s closure at the end of 2025, the Academy partnered with Serendis Leadership to continue the program in NSW and to expand it nationally.  

The program is facilitated by Serendis Leadership and delivered in partnership with the Academy. 

Page Contents

About the program

Who is this program For?

What does the program involve?

How to participate
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Inclusive Leadership

Why this program matters

Women make up more than half of the health and medical research workforce, yet remain under-represented in the most senior leadership roles. 

This represents a structural leadership challenge, not a lack of talent across our sector. The Inclusive Leadership Mentoring Program is designed to support women at the point where career progression often becomes less linear, less visible and less supported. It also works with senior leaders, of any gender, to strengthen the inclusive leadership capability needed to shift organisational cultures over time. For partner organisations, participation is a practical way to contribute to a government funded national initiative, respond to the priorities identified through the Decadal Plan, and invest in the next generation of health and medical research leaders. 

Why this program is different 

  • It is by the sector, for the sector 
  • It combines mentoring with leadership development 
  • It is cross-organisational 
  • It builds capability on both sides of the relationship 
  • It helps organisations deliver on existing commitments 
  • It is the first nationally coordinated program of its kind 
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Inclusive Leadership

Evidence of impact

The Inclusive Leadership Mentoring Program is backed by published evaluation evidence. 

A mixed-methods evaluation in BMJ Open assessed outcomes 12 months after participants completed the program in NSW. Mentees reported stronger career planning, greater resilience, a greater ability to have difficult workplace conversations, and improvements in supervisory and team management skills.  

Mentors benefited too. Despite already being senior leaders, mentors reported improved knowledge and skills to be more inclusive in their workplace, and they reported a positive change in how they manage their teams.  

This matters, because the program is designed not only to support individual women, but to strengthen the leadership behaviours and workplace cultures that shape women’s progression.  

For partner organisations, this means participation supports both individual career progression and broader organisational capability. It gives mid-career women structured support at a critical point in their careers, while equipping senior leaders with practical skills to better support diverse talent. 

Who is this program for?

Mentees

Mentees are mid-career researchers who identify as women whose work contributes to improving health outcomes. This may include women working across lab research, clinical research, public health, health technology, medical engineering, policy, implementation science, data, commercialisation, research translation or related fields. Mentees are typically around 8 to 10 years into their professional career, or at approximately university Level C equivalent. 

Mentors

Mentors are experienced leaders of any gender with at least 15 years’ professional experience and a current leadership role in the sector. Mentors may be research leaders, academic leaders, clinical leaders, executive leaders or senior professionals with substantial experience in the health and medical research sector. Through the program, mentors strengthen their skills in inclusive leadership, mentoring and supporting diverse talent. They also build deeper awareness of the barriers experienced by women and the practical role leaders can play in reducing those barriers. 
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Invitation to participate

Your organisation is invited to become a partner organisation in 2027.  

Partner organisations will be asked to nominate mentees and mentors, support their participation in the program, and contribute to the shared sector effort to build a stronger, more inclusive leadership pipeline.  

Further information, including participation costs, nomination processes and program dates, will be provided to interested organisations. Please contact Lisa Crocker, [email protected]. 

The value of partnering

Your organisation gains: 

  • access to a high-quality, sector-specific leadership and mentoring program 
  • structured support for mid-career women at a critical career stage the national rollout 
  • development opportunities for senior leaders serving as mentors 
  • cross-organisational networks for participants

And demonstrates: 

  • active involvement in a national, Australian Government funded initiative 
  • alignment with the priorities identified in the Decadal Plan for Women in the Health and Medical Sciences  
  • a visible commitment in a sector-led response to women’s leadership. 

 

Download the PARTNERSHIP PROSPECTUS VICTORIA. 
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