New Program
Advancing Leadership Program
What is the Advancing Leadership Program (ALP)?
The aim of the ALP is to cultivate TD leaders from various domains (policy, academia, civil society, business, local communities etc.) to develop and refine the skills, tools, competencies and mind-set that allow them to navigate uncertainty, manage diverse multi-actor teams, and work effectively across boundaries. The Belmont Forum’s ALP facilitates this enabling environment to produce TD leaders equipped to ethically and collaboratively tackle the world’s most pressing problems and drive sustainable solutions.
The ALP Offers
Community Building
Fellows will be a part of an international network of boundary-spanning change-makers who are driven by a deep commitment to transforming both systems and themselves. The ALP community are leaders who are ready to disrupt silos, amplify unheard voices, and co-create a more just and resilient world
Hybrid Training Model
1 year Fellowship program
Virtual sessions complemented with in-person workshops
Practical Outputs of Leadership: Fellows will engage in practical/tangible outputs to demonstrate their skills, knowledge, and leadership mindset applicable in real-world contexts
Mentorship & Advisory Support
Fellows will be guided and mentored throughout their leadership journey
Curriculum Offerings
Interactive learning modules on TD foundations, leadership, facilitation, effective collaboration, and navigating power dynamics
Why is the ALP necessary?
Addressing global environmental challenges requires international leaders who embrace diverse knowledge systems, practice transdisciplinary (TD) research, and recognize collaboration as a key driver of innovation. Effective TD leadership involves breaking down silos across disciplines and sectors, fostering equitable partnerships, and ensuring that underrepresented voices, particularly from the Global South, are included in global scientific and policy discussions. By bridging these gaps, TD leaders can help shape the future of science and develop more holistic solutions to pressing environmental issues
However, collaborative work/engagement presents unique challenges, as it demands integration across multiple fields and perspectives while navigating tensions and contradictions. Leaders in this space must critically assess biases, engage with diverse worldviews, and approach problems through multiple lenses to develop innovative solutions.
The Advancing Leadership Program (ALP) is designed to equip professionals with the skills needed to excel in this complex landscape, fostering an inter-generation of leaders who can drive systemic change
Objectives
1
To enhance the TD leadership skills, tools and mind-set needed to lead and collaboratively work as a multi-actor team.
2
To build a global community that advances transdisciplinary knowledge, connects diverse stakeholders, and fosters collaboration, learning, and innovation to address sustainability challenges.
3
To develop practical learning experiences within the community of Belmont Forum and its partners.
4
To cultivate equitable partnerships that will amplify current training opportunities provided by various organizations to provide a suite of skills.
Who can participate in the ALP?
The Advancing Leadership Program is for the ones who won’t settle for the status quo. The ones frustrated by silos, gatekeeping, and performative inclusion. The ones who believe that real change starts with breaking the mold.
For the researchers & academics who refuse to be trapped by tradition
For the policy makers who challenge outdated systems instead of just navigating them
For the funders & granting organizations who prioritize impact over bureaucracy.
For the youth & early career professionals who see leadership as action, not a title
For the Local & Indigenous communities who reject tokenism and demand true collaboration
For the industry leaders & NGOs who know sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a responsibility
A diversity-driven approach applies, ensuring a mix of disciplines (natural/social sciences), fields (e.g., food security, biodiversity), sectors, geographies, and career stages (early to mid-career). The ALP is for the bold, the bridge-builders, the boundary-spanning change-makers, and the challengers of convention. Those who lead with courage, curiosity, and the conviction that a better, more just world is possible
Who is this NOT for?
Traditionalists who cling to rigid structures and resist change
Gatekeepers who uphold the status quo instead of challenging it
Performative leaders who talk about inclusion but don’t practice it
Cynics who dismiss new ideas before they even try
Accessing the ALP: Three Pathways to Nomination
There are three pathways to access the program. Each pathway ensures a diverse, global, and inclusive cohort of change-makers ready to challenge the status quo and drive impact
Belmont Forum Members are invited to nominate up to three individuals from around the world. Participation is at the expense of the nominating organization. Nominee must include at least one representative from the Global South and come from two key categories:
- Academia (e.g., researchers, professors, thought leaders etc.)
- Societal Actors (e.g., community leaders, youth activists, industry representatives, funders, government officials etc.)
When will ALP be available?
Launch of the Advancing Leadership Program: SRI Congress 2025 in Chicago, USA
Contact Information
Anne-Teresa Birthwright
Advancing Leadership Program Lead
anne-teresa.birthwright@belmontforum.org
For more information contact info@belmontforum.org, insert “Leadership” in the subject line or sign up our mailing list.