The Academic Leadership Development Program (ALDP) is a 10-month cohort-based program designed to support and inspire a diverse group of academic leaders through learning and engagement opportunities in support of leadership growth, managing well, leading strategically in service of the academic and organizational mission, and to positively impact and inspire others in that goal.
Co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic and the Vice-President, Human Resources, ALDP aims to strengthen academic leadership capacity through:
- Structured learning across three domains: relational leadership, operational leadership, and strategic leadership;
- Practical application; and
- Community-building
The objectives of ALDP are to support leaders to:
- Build confidence and skills to engage with, enact, and evolve strategic priorities in service of the academic and organizational mission and to positively impact and inspire others in that goal;
- Gain familiarity with operational units that they can call upon for support when tackling leadership issues and challenges; and
- Develop increased awareness of the ways in which their identities, values, and motivations impact their approach to leadership.
I was incredibly impressed by ALDP, and the level of tangible support that was provided to new administrators. Other universities that I had worked at had attempted something similar, but it was just talk and lip service - administrators just needed to sink or swim. I think that ALDP is something that really speaks to the spirit and aspirations of UBC.
-From a program participant
History of ALDP
In 2006, a needs assessment was conducted to identify gaps in leadership preparation for department heads, associate deans and directors at UBC. Key findings included a lack of preparation; unclear expectations of the role; little knowledge of how the university operates; and no space for shared learning.
In response to these findings, a leadership program was created that involved problem-based learning, coaching support, peer mentoring, and workshops Nearly 20 years and several iterations later, ALDP remains flagship program and continues to be widely recognized as one of the leading academic leadership programs among universities in North America.