As it forged ahead with its 2032 Strategy, the University of Sydney saw the need for a unified set of leadership attributes and success profiles that would drive its progressive vision and anchor a new Leadership Academy. It was crucial for these standards to be integrated into a state-of-the-art senior leadership and coaching program, along with other supporting initiatives. In pursuit of continued leadership distinction, the University of Sydney appointed Bendelta to bring these elements, along with other supporting processes, to life.

Setting the groundwork for a Leadership Academy

Bendelta’s partnership with the University unfolded on three interlinked fronts. We first assessed leadership needs to develop university-wide signature leadership attributes and success profiles, catering to five levels of seniority. At the same time, we conducted a rigorous review of two existing leadership programs, assessing their strategic alignment and effectiveness in cultivating leadership capacity and capabilities, and assisted with the Leadership Academy’s ongoing program evaluation model. This groundwork informed the design and delivery of an inspiring senior leaders program for Heads of School, Professional Directors and their equivalent.

A co-designed transformational senior leadership program and coaching journey

For the Leadership Academy, we co-designed a leadership development program with a contemporary edge, underpinned by evidence-based best practices and the University’s own leadership, business and pedagogical expertise. Partnering with University stakeholder groups and experts at all stages, our approach integrated experiential learning, assessment and individualised coaching, social peer learning, activation of the 2032 Strategy, and across-institutional collaboration. All elements were tailored specifically for the University’s context. In parallel, our review of the existing programs entailed a mixed-methods evaluation to collect long-term impact data and offer evidence-based enhancements.

The outcome

The launch of the Leadership Academy marked a significant leap forward, with leadership attributes and success profiles co-built and well-received across the University. The co-designed senior leadership program has garnered positive reviews, set for further assessment through the delivery phase and Bendelta’s longitudinal impact evaluation model. Concurrently, our program evaluation activities provided actionable insights, empowering the Academy team with a clear direction for future cohorts, optimising the University’s leadership development in alignment with the 2032 strategic vision. By juxtaposing the development of new programs with the evaluation of existing ones, Bendelta supported a harmonised leadership excellence plan for the University of Sydney in a spirit of collaboration and partnership.