Women's Developmental Leadership Program
About
Each year, up to 30 Pacific women who are Australia Awards scholars are selected to take part in the Women's Developmental Leadership Program. Participants build the foundations of developmental leadership, shape their own leadership style, and form regional and country-based connections aimed at driving lasting change. Alumni continue receiving tailored support to apply developmental leadership once they return to the Pacific.
Program
- Bespoke Coaching — One-on-one, issues-based ontological coaching sessions giving participants a safe space to work through barriers to their leadership potential.
- Residential Intensives — Two week-long residential leadership intensives for deep peer connection and learning from prominent Pacific and Australian leaders.
- Real Issue Challenges — Participants identify and tackle real developmental issues in their own communities, countries, and regions to embed leadership learning.
- Workplace Internships — Selected participants/alumni are supported to secure work placements and internships across Australia and the Pacific.
Benefits
- Structured leadership development through coaching, intensives, and real-world challenges
- Access to a regional network of Pacific women leaders
- Ongoing alumni support after returning home
- Opportunity for funded internships and leadership-fund–backed community projects
Requirements
Applicants must:
- Identify as a woman
- Be enrolled at an Australian university/tertiary institution for the first semester of the calendar year
- Be available to start the program in Australia in February
- Commit up to 15 days' face-to-face attendance across two residential intensives (February and September)
- Have internet access
- Be a citizen of an eligible Pacific country
Eligible countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Naoero, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna
Application Process
- 21 September 2026 — Applications open on the WLI website : APPLY NOW
- 25 October 2026 — Applications close at 11:59 PM (AEDT)
- 25 October – 16 November 2026 — Selection process completed, applicants notified
- 16 November – 1 December 2026 — Registration and onboarding of selected participants
- 2 December 2026 — Online induction/orientation
- 28 January – 4 February 2027 — Intensive 1 (Outward Bound Australia, Tharwa, ACT)
- 20 – 26 September 2027 — Intensive 2 (Clear Mountain Lodge, Brisbane, QLD)
Due Date
Applications close 25 October 2026, 11:59 PM (Australian Eastern Daylight Time).