Current scholars
Current scholars can find information about key scholarship dates and the Leadership-in-Action phase below.
To learn more about the scholarship at all partner institutions, research projects, and other leadership and research-related questions, visit the .
You will find information on on the Travel Fund page.
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Scholars are expected to attend all events, barring exceptional circumstances.
2025 scholars
Date Time Event Various dates in summer 2026 Not applicable Summer 2 Leadership-in-Action period Saturday or Sunday in October 2026 to be confirmed Full day Full-day leadership event Date in November 2026 to be confirmed To be confirmed Laidlaw project showcase 2 -
Scholars are expected to attend all events, barring exceptional circumstances.
2026 scholars
Date Time Event Wednesday 25 March 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm Launch event Friday 27 March - Sunday 29 March 2026 Depart Fri evening, return Sun evening Residential Weekend Monday 1 June - Friday 10 July 2026 Summer 1 research period Tuesday 2 June 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm Weekly in-person workshop Wednesday 10 June 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm Weekly in-person workshop Tuesday 16 June 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm Weekly in-person workshop Saturday 20 June 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm (full day) Weekly in-person workshop Tuesday 23 June 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm Weekly in-person workshop Tuesday 30 June 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm Weekly in-person workshop Tuesday 7 July 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm Weekly in-person workshop Saturday 26 September 2026 Full day Full day leadership event Friday 16 - Sunday 18 October 2026 Full weekend (Fri-Sun Imperial College London) Laidlaw Scholars Conference TBC TBC Ethical leadership training through the Oxford Character Project Thursday 12 November 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm Laidlaw project showcase (1) March 2027 date TBC (Sat or Sun) TBC Half day leadership event April 2027 date TBC (midweek) TBC Half day travel preparedness training Summer 2027 (various dates) TBC Summer 2 Leadership-in-Action period October 2027 date TBC (Sat or Sun) TBC Full day leadership event November 2027 date TBC (midweek) TBC (1-2 hours) Laidlaw project showcase (2) -
The second scholarship summer involves a leadership-in-action project. This is an opportunity for scholars to either practically implement their research from the previous summer, propose their own project in partnership with an NGO or non-profit organisation, or to participate in one of the that are offered by the Laidlaw Foundation.
At the core of the leadership-in-action project is the aim to actively practise leadership and to reflect on how scholars intend to continue to do so in the future when they take up their positions as tomorrow’s leaders.
The key components of the leadership-in-action project include:
- An immersive experience of at least six active weeks.
- A new environment, outside of the scholar’s comfort zone. It should include working with, or for, a disadvantaged group or community or a group suffering hardship.
- An overseas experience, if the scholar’s university or research experience is not already overseas.
- Doing something that makes the world a better place or produces a real-world impact.
- Provides an opportunity to further develop and apply leadership skills.
- Requires scholars to demonstrate an ability to lead others and to work towards measurable and specific goals that have been defined at the outset of the project.
- Each project or placement should have at least three smart goals that give an opportunity for the , at least one per goal, to be put into practice.
- Each project should work towards at least one of the .
- Leadership-in-action projects must work directly with an NGO or charity and not go through a third-party organisation.