Enrolments open for online leadership course

We are pleased to announce that enrolments are now open for our Edward Jenner Veterinary Leadership Programme, with the second public cohort of learners scheduled to begin the first of three courses on 15th April 2019.

Piloted in the summer of 2018, as part of the RCVS Leadership Programme initiative, the Edward Jenner Veterinary Leadership Programme is a free-to-access Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, hosted on the FutureLearn digital education platform. Developed in partnership with the NHS Leadership Academy, we launched the programme to support our strategic ambition to “become a Royal College with leadership and innovation at its heart”.

“The programme encourages and supports the development of everyday leadership skills for all veterinary professionals, addressing the importance of leadership in the veterinary setting, along with the art of good leadership and decision-making”, says Anthony Roberts, RCVS Director of Leadership and Innovation (pictured on the right).

“Participants in the programme can expect to learn how to be a more confident and effective leader, in addition to how to develop an inclusive leadership culture in your workplace.”

The programme has already proved successful with well over 3,000 veterinary professionals, including Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Nurses, from across over 130 countries having already engaged with the course.

“The feedback we have received has shown us that this MOOC has a far-reaching application, and is both educational and enjoyable. Whether you are a vet, veterinary nurse, practice manager or student, this programme will be relevant and useful in your professional career”, adds Anthony.

Almost all learners would recommend the course to a colleague and around three-quarters of learners feel the course equipped them to be effective leaders. Following course completion, 93% of learners said the course met their expectations, 94% said they had gained new knowledge or skills and 75% reported that they have applied their learning in practice.

“This course gives a very good foundation in understanding and developing leadership qualities. It is engaging and stimulating. It helps you see that you don’t have to be perfect to be a leader but that with some basic qualities and tools you can learn to lead in a more effective way. For me it has given me a framework which I believe I can build on in order to become a more effective leader to the benefit of those I lead and the organisation I work for”, says Rebecca Willby, Edward Jenner Veterinary Leadership Programme learner.

The programme, which runs for 14 weeks, comprises two free-to-access online courses with an optional paid final assessment and is supported by the innovative audio drama, ‘Glenvern’, which faithfully portrays the leadership challenges vets encounter in daily practice.

The first course, Your Leadership Self, introduces the concept of leadership, elaborating on why it matters and the types of issues faced by leaders, as well as exploring the leadership skills that those taking on the course already have. The main principle guiding this course is that all vet professionals are leaders.

The second course, Developing Leadership Foundations, helps learners develop the basics of leadership practice through understanding more about themselves and the impact they have on others.

After completing the two courses, participants are able to progress to the final assessment. Here learners create a portfolio consisting of four reflective blogs designed to demonstrate understanding of leadership through the impact it has on their veterinary practice.

All the learning materials are free-to-access, although there is a charge of £77 for those who undertake the final assessment. Sitting the final assessment rewards unlimited access to the course material as well as a professional credential.

To sign up for the programme beginning 15 April 2019, visit the FutureLearn Website to register.

“The Edward Jenner Leadership Programme has given me much more insight into different leadership techniques, a greater ability to reflect on leadership styles that I have encountered in the past and tools to improve my own skills going forward.” -Imogen Henderson Edward Jenner Veterinary Leadership Programme learner.

“This course has made me re-evaluate how I interact with staff currently and perhaps has altered the way I see my career progressing. I feel more capable of considering taking on more management responsibility than I did before this course. I have learnt a lot.” - Molly Varga, Edward Jenner Veterinary Leadership Programme learner.