Future Leaders Program

Science Future Leaders 2026

If you are passionate about science and aspire to make a difference in the world, then the Science Future Leaders Program is for you.

The Science Future Leaders Program has been developed to identify and cultivate the science leaders of the future.

Activities undertaken during the year-long program will assist you in developing a range of skills relevant to leadership in your studies and career. Activities include a 2-day induction, a series of leadership workshops, and the opportunity to practise leadership within the university, your chosen profession, and/or wider community.

What you will get out of the program

As a participant, you can expect to:

• develop further and gain a deeper understanding of your leadership style and harness your leadership potential through skills training and fun-filled team-building games and activities;
• engage with the broader community by putting leadership into practice;
• foster your personal and professional networks through engagement with your peers, senior members of the Faculty and University, as well as leaders in science, industry and the broader community;
• develop and challenge yourself; and
• enhance your CV through the experience and new skills gained.

What we expect from you

To complete the program, you will need to commit to the following:

• Attend the 2-day induction on 26 February and 27 February 2026;
• Attend 6 evening leadership workshops held during the year;
• Attend the celebration dinner at the end of the program.

Please note: If you are unable to commit to attending/participating in any of the above, please do not apply.

What's involved

Activities

Induction

The two-day induction will take place on 26 February and 27 February 2026. At this induction, you will learn how to identify and make the most out of your leadership style through leadership training and team building activities.

Leadership workshops

Six evening workshops will be held during the year and are designed to revisit and build on theory and practice built during the induction workshop. These leadership workshops are also designed to provide you with the opportunity to discover what leadership encompasses across a wide range of contexts, and to learn the secrets of success from inspiring leaders from diverse backgrounds.

Leadership in action

As part of the program, you will have the opportunity to put your leadership training into action by demonstrating leadership in the university, your chosen profession and/or the wider community through a group project.

Celebration dinner

On completion of the program, you'll have a chance to celebrate and share your achievements at a special dinner. You will get to hear from guest speakers about their leadership journey, as well as receive a certificate in recognition of your participation in the program.

Key dates

Please note: Workshops will be delivered in person. It is important to note that the mode of delivery and dates are subject to change and will be communicated as early as possible.

How to apply

Eligibility criteria and exclusions

To be eligible for the program, you must be enrolled as a second-year to penultimate or final year undergraduate student of a Science degree in 2026, including cross-faculty double degrees (but excluding BSc (Honours) and BSc Advanced – Global Challenges (Honours)).

You are welcome to apply for Ancora Imparo, but if you are accepted into the Future Leaders Program, you must elect to do one or the other (i.e. you cannot do both).

Selection Criteria

Entry into the program will be based on:

• past contribution to, and involvement in, university/community leadership activities;
• satisfactory academic progress;
• student responses to selection questions in the application form and
• an interview video.

There is a quota of 30 students per year.

Application form and due date

Applications close at 11:59pm (AEDT) Friday, 28 November 2025. To be considered for this program, applicants must complete both components of the application process outlined below:

1. Written Application:

Complete the online application form accessible via the link below. Include details about your volunteer and leadership experiences.

2. Video Submission:

Submit two short recorded video responses to interview-style questions. Detailed instructions for recording and submitting your videos are provided in the final section of the application form.

Apply now

Selection process timeline

Contact Us

For further information please contact us via email: sci-futureleaders@monash.edu