Dean’s Leadership Award

Leadership for your future

Three students standing in front of a window with colourful post-it notes on it.

About the award

The future of work calls for leadership that is able to respond to complexity and ambiguity and adapt to an ever-changing environment. Employers are looking for promising graduates who are equipped with the mindset and skillset to ask the right questions, seek multiple perspectives, challenge the status quo and embrace collaboration.

The Dean’s Leadership Award is an engaging and challenging leadership development programme that builds on undergraduate students’ understanding and practice of leadership to prepare them for graduate employment.

The programme will consist of a series of fortnightly workshops (10 in total) during term time in Semesters one and two. Students will be exposed to cutting-edge leadership theory, develop essential interpersonal and team skills, and have opportunities to hone their leadership practices. The programme also involves working with peers, academics, industry leaders and Business School alumni to engage with real-world leadership issues currently facing New Zealand businesses.

The purpose

The purpose of this award is to support undergraduate students in the Business School in developing leadership capability through a nine-month programme.

Application process

Applicants are required to complete an application form to be considered for this Award. Applicants may be required to undergo an interview before joining the programme.

Applications for the 2025 programme open on 25 September 2024 and will close on 13 October 2024.

Eligibility

The programme is open to full time business students and students completing conjoint degrees in either BCom or BProp, both international and domestic, who are going into their penultimate or final year of study in March 2024.

A Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5.0 or higher is required for all domestic and international students. A GPA of 4.0 or higher is required for all Māori and Pacific students.

Important dates

  • Applications open: Wednesday 25 September 2024
  • Applications close: Sunday 13 October 2024
  • Places offered: Mid December 2024
  • Programme commences: Semester One, Week 2 March 2025

Applications have now closed.

Past recipients

Fadzai Chikosha

Fadzai Chikosha, Dean's Leadership Award recipient

Through the Dean’s Leadership Award I have made friends who are equally passionate about achieving their goals and doing whatever it takes to be the best versions of themselves. I have also had the honour of interacting and learning from industry leaders from all over the world. I highly recommend this opportunity of a lifetime to anyone who wants to challenge themselves and is ready to embark on a journey of development and discovery.

Fadzai Chikosha

Dhilesh Vasan

Dhilesh Vasan, Dean's Leadership Award recipient

The Dean's Leadership Award programme has given me a new perspective on leadership and provided me with the tools to adapt my current leadership capabilities. As the program is designed for student leaders I found all of the techniques extremely applicable to the situations that I face on a daily basis.

Dhilesh Vasan

Contact details

For more information, contact:

Lusi McCabe
Programme Manager, Student Leadership Programmes
University of Auckland Business School
Email: l.mccabe@auckland.ac.nz