The Laidlaw Scholars Leadership & Research Programme arrives at King’s
Pairing innovation with leadership excellence through its new home at the King’s E-Lab, the Programme invests in the next generation of global citizens.
The Laidlaw Scholars Leadership & Research Programme empowers undergraduates to develop the skills and character to become ethical global leaders. The fully funded 18-month programme combines rigorous academic research, international experiences, and leadership development, cultivating integrity-driven leaders prepared to create meaningful, real-world impact.
The programme includes two fully funded summers, first in the Scholar’s chosen organisation to learn on-the-ground, practical lessons in leadership and then to conduct a group research project in another part of the world; a tailored leadership and research training course with workshops, mentors and interactive sessions to develop skills relevant to success in both areas; and opportunities to engage with a vibrant, global community of passionate students, researchers and changemakers.
Now in its new home in the King’s E-Lab, the Laidlaw programme at the University of Cambridge is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders with a dynamic fusion of innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, strengthening the programme’s commitment to supporting impactful projects, bridging a range of disciplines and backgrounds, and connecting people with a commitment to creating a more just and equitable future.
Full details of the programme can be found here.
Together with the Laidlaw Foundation, the E-Lab believes that good leaders come in all shapes and sizes: the quiet and the gregarious, the scientist and the poet, the musician and the athlete. Whatever a student’s passion or background - all have the potential to lead and this programme is an important way to immerse oneself in new challenges, to build exciting collaborations and to learn from the experience of leading in different contexts.
Maryam Bham, a student at Lucy Cavendish and part of this year's E-Lab residential cohort, says:
Entrepreneurship and leadership are not only about ideas, they are about people, connection, conviction, and courage. At the King’s E-Lab, I experienced a space where I could see those same values come to life.
Sophie Harbour, Executive Director of the King’s E-Lab and Fellow, adds:
The Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme provides students with the opportunity to learn how to channel their creativity and compassion to drive meaningful impact. This aim sits at the heart of all our E-Lab activities and it is why we are so excited to provide a new home for the Programme and help provide valuable pathways for students of all disciplines to embrace the possibility of changing the world.
Applications for the 2025/2026 cohort are launching the week of the 24th November and Susanna Kempe, CEO of the Laidlaw Foundation, will be in King’s for a fireside chat with the Provost.