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ISS Leadership Programme
1 September @ 13:00 - 15 December @ 17:30
Lead with impact in a changing global landscape
Global challenges are becoming more complex, while funding and support for international cooperation are increasingly under pressure. This raises urgent questions for organizations working in development: how do you prepare for an uncertain future, and how can you effectively integrate the latest social science insights into your policies and programmes?
This executive leadership programme is designed to help you navigate that complexity and strengthen your organisation’s impact in a rapidly changing world.
About the programme
The programme starts on Tuesday, 1 September 2026 at 15:00 and runs until the final session on 15 December 2026. It consists of eight sessions delivered in a hybrid format, allowing participants to combine in-person and online learning.
The ISS Leadership Programme includes four face-to-face workshops in The Hague, each lasting 2.5 hours, alongside four online sessions of 1.5 hours. While in-person participation is encouraged, all sessions can also be attended digitally, making full remote participation possible.
With a group size of 15 to 20 participants, the programme offers an interactive and focused learning environment for senior professionals from across the international development sector.
Developed as part of the ISS Leadership Programme and in close collaboration with the Hague Humanitarian Studies Centre, the course connects key themes such as resilience, risk, vulnerability, and sustainable development. Participants are encouraged to translate insights directly into action within their own organisations.
Who should attend
This course is aimed at experienced professionals with at least ten years of experience in international development. It is particularly relevant for managers, leaders, strategists, monitoring and evaluation specialists, and business developers.
Participants typically come from donor agencies, international NGOs, think tanks, philanthropic foundations, development consultancies, and international development banks. The programme is also well suited for directors, board members, and management teams looking to strengthen their strategic leadership.
What you will gain
Throughout the programme, you will develop the knowledge, skills, and mindset needed to increase your organization’s impact. You will learn how to move beyond linear approaches and adopt more adaptive forms of programming, drawing on complexity thinking to better address real-world challenges. You will gain insights into how development efforts can be strengthened by anticipating future risks and enhancing societal resilience, while also learning from best practices across organizations.
In addition, the programme focuses on practical skill-building. You will learn how to identify blind spots within your organization, engage constructively with donors and investors, and create safe and inclusive work environments where innovation is encouraged.
On a personal level, the programme supports your development as a leader. It helps you build the confidence and creativity needed to challenge existing structures and to foster a more open and learning-oriented organizational culture.
Learning experience
The learning experience is highly interactive and designed to encourage exchange between participants. You will work in a small group setting that offers space for reflection, discussion, and peer learning. Participants are invited to bring a colleague to one of the sessions, and those joining from abroad can take part in an additional online intervision session at no extra cost.
Beyond the sessions themselves, you will become part of a dynamic network of peers and gain access to the ISS alumni community.
Practical details
Each session requires approximately two hours of preparation. All teaching materials are included in the programme, and upon completion you will receive a certificate from the International Institute of Social Studies. The course fee is €2,450.
Course materials
As part of the programme, you will receive the book Foreign Aid and its Unintended Consequences by Professor Dirk-Jan Koch, published by Routledge in 2024. This book is included in the course fee and will be sent to you by post upon acceptance.
In addition, you will have access to a series of knowledge video clips that you can watch at your own pace in preparation for the sessions.
Apply now!