Established in 2011, the Global Change Leaders Program is a seven-week education program offered by Coady Institute’s International Centre for Women’s Leadership. This program enables women from developing countries to strengthen their leadership capacities in order to contribute to innovation and change in their organizations and communities. Program participants engage in learning grounded in real world experiences and focused on Coady’s core thematic areas. Through a shared learning environment with other emerging women leaders from around the world, participants are exposed to a range of experiences and the beginnings of a potentially lifelong network of support.

The Global Change Leaders program provides successful candidates with a scholarship that includes tuition, travel, accommodations, and meals. Successful participants are responsible for costs pertaining to acquiring a visa to enter Canada.

Program participants benefit from the guidance and mentorship of accomplished women leaders from around the world. The program is led by a core team of staff in the International Centre for Women’s Leadership and supported by other Coady faculty and associates.

Program Eligibility

This program is targeted to emerging women leaders from developing countries who are working on development issues. These are women who:

• Possess a minimum of five years of demonstrated leadership experience in a social or economic development endeavor in sectors such as livelihoods or inclusive economic development, food security, environment, access to education and health care, governance, political engagement of women and the rights of girls and women;
• Will be immediately returning to their community and sector following the program to put their learning into practice;
• Have great drive and passion for their work, demonstrated through their outstanding contributions in their organizations and communities;·
• Are practitioners in civil society organizations including community based organizations and not for profits, or active in public or private institutions, donor/philanthropic agencies, social movements or in a social enterprise/business;
• Hold a university degree or a combination of post-secondary education and experience; and
• Have strong oral and written English language competencies.

Candidates must be from a country eligible for Official Development Assistance.