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The Laidlaw Scholars Annual Conference - hosting a weekend of inspiration, networking, and personal growth
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We are hosting the 2025 Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Conference from 17-19 October. The Conference will be attended by more than 290 scholars, researchers and academic leads from the universities involved with the Laidlaw Foundation Leadership and Research Programme.
As part of the Programme, Laidlaw Scholars conduct original research and develop leadership skills to equip them to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges.
The Annual Conference
The Laidlaw Scholars' Annual Conference offers Laidlaw Scholars an opportunity to connect with a global community of passionate change-makers. Over the two days, they will share their research and leadership journeys and gain insights from fellow Laidlaw Scholars from around the world. It will be a weekend of inspiration, networking, and personal growth.
This year’s conference will welcome students and programme managers from across Europe, the University of Hong Kong, EPFL Switzerland, and selected U.S. universities. The weekend will include more than 50 student research presentations, a welcome from our Vice-Chancellor and Warden, Professor Karen O’Brien as well as hearing from keynote speaker Alex Staniforth.
As co-founder of Mind Over Mountains, a charity dedicated to combining nature and mindfulness to support mental health, Alex will speak about overcoming adversity. He has survived the two biggest disasters in Mount Everest history and faced challenges closer to home in depression, eating disorders, epilepsy, stammering and bullying since childhood. He will explain how the outdoors has helped him manage the peaks and troughs of his own mental health.
Dr Corey Crossnan Stevens from the Oxford Character Project will introduce the ethical leadership part of the programme, before our Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Dr Shaid Mahmood MBE will lead a masterclass session.
Durham and The Laidlaw Foundation Leadership and Research Programme
The programme funds up to 25 Durham undergraduate places annually. The successful students are each supported through a research project and a Leadership in Action experience over two 6-week summer periods. They also undertake a bespoke training programme and a certificate in ethical leadership with the Oxford Character Project.
These students will build a global peer network and will develop skills that will support personal and professional growth, empowering students to not only achieve academic excellence, but also to make meaningful contributions to their communities.
I have been fortunate enough to go to the other side of the world and back during my time as a Laidlaw Scholar. I believe in embracing and learning from every culture I encounter, and immerse myself in their literature, dance, lifestyles and learn about anything that is important to them. I would argue that, anthropologically, cultures have more in common than they have as differences. For example, friendship and community appears in every society, just in different forms.
The Laidlaw Foundation
The Laidlaw Foundation is a non-profit charitable foundation based in the United Kingdom that invests in the education of underprivileged and underrepresented communities around the world.
Durham is one of 20 internationally recognised universities to have scholars funded by The Laidlaw Foundation. The reach of the programme is increasing with another two institutions joining over the next year. The Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme aims to develop and invest in highly talented and motivated undergraduate students, giving them knowledge, skills and experience to become active global citizens and strong next-generation leaders.
"We are committed to developing leaders who embody excellence, act with integrity, and who are driven to solve the world’s most intractable problems." Laidlaw Foundation
Read more:
- About Durham and the Laidlaw Programme
- About our Wider Student Experience
- About Graduate Attributes at Durham
Images: Banner- Dillon Shenoy (right), Kunj Kapoor, Edie Vernol
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