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What is the Leaders in Dialogue programme?
Launched in 2023, the Leaders in Dialogue programme (formerly Impartial Chairs) is a sector leading skills development programme run by Students’ Union UCL to create resilient and reflective student leaders. Part of our Developing Dialogues campaign, the programme aims to create new leaders who can contribute positively to building cohesive communities in an increasingly polarised society.
Programme overview
The aim of the programme is to equip the next generation of leaders with the confidence and resilience to debate and discuss a range of topics in a respectful and sensitive way at UCL and beyond. Through this programme, Students’ Union UCL aims to increase the number of student-facilitated debates, contributing to a vibrant culture of dialogue and discourse at UCL. This programme forms part of, whilst also being distinct from, UCL’s Disagreeing Well campaign.
The programme consists of a number of bespoke, in-person training sessions and a fully funded six-day trip to Northern Ireland. These opportunities are run in partnership with several excellent training and experiential learning providers, including Debate Mate, Upskill 4 Life, The Centre for International Experiential Learning and more. These sessions provide bespoke, expert training to prepare students to move into leadership positions, and to equip them with the skills needed to make a genuine difference to dialogue and cohesion across campus and beyond.
During the after the programme, participants will take on paid opportunities to put these skills into practice, materially contributing to developing dialogues on campus. From chairing panel events, delivering peer-to-peer training, to hosting podcasts, you can see what previous participants have been able to do below.
How can I become a Leader in Dialogue?
Applications for the 2026/27 cohort of Leaders in Dialogue will open on Monday 21 September and close on Sunday 9 October.
Hiring a Leader in Dialogue
Students that have completed the programme can offer their services as chairs for events and debates. In the past, these have ranged from large, public events run by UCL faculty, to smaller events run by student societies. If you would like to hire a Leader in Dialogue for one of your events, please see our 'How to hire a Leader in Dialogue’ guidance document below and contact [email protected].
Funding
We are deeply grateful to Pears Foundation for their generous support, which has enabled Students' Union UCL to significantly expand the number of students we can reach through the Leaders in Dialogue programme. This increase is instrumental in fostering a campus environment where robust and inclusive debate can take place, and where students have the skills and confidence to disagree well. We thank Pears Foundation for supporting us to expand the co-curricular educational opportunities for UCL students.
