The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), in partnership with the Australian Network on Disability, is encouraging leaders with disability to apply for a new round of governance education scholarships, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
As part of the Disability Leadership Program, 200 full fee scholarships will be offered over the next two years.
This scholarship aims to:
- Deliver exceptional, accessible, and inclusive learning experiences for leaders with disability on board governance
- Build skills, confidence and empowerment of leaders with disability to participate on boards
- Improve community perceptions and attitudes towards people with disability through raising awareness and disability confidence, thereby contributing to a more inclusive society.
Scholarship overview and inclusions
The first round of this program is offering 85 full-fee scholarships to undertake either the AICD Company Directors Course TM or the AICD Foundations of Directorship TM program in 2022/2023.
Options to attend courses either face-to-face or online are available, with course dates available between November 2022 and June 2023.
Each scholarship also includes:
- a one-year membership to the AICD
- a subscription to the AICD’s Directorship Opportunities service
From this round, 25 scholarship winners will also be invited to participate in Leader to Leader Conversations (see Course information for more details).
Course information
Successful applicants will be provided with a number of course dates between November 2022 and June 2023 from which to choose.
Applicants should apply for either the AICD Company Directors Course or the AICD Foundations of Directorship program, depending on their level of directorship experience.
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible for the Disability Leadership Program, scholarship applicants must:
- Meet the entry requirements for either the AICD Foundations of Directorship program, or the AICD Company Directors Course*
- identify as a person with disability, mental health condition, or chronic illness (including physical, intellectual, sensory, neurological, learning disability Psychological or immunological), as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992
- have never been, nor are you currently, disqualified from being a director of a corporation or organisation
- be currently employed and demonstrate leadership potential within their organisation
- apply for a course in their own State of residence
- agree that any travel costs associated with participation will be at your own expense
- agree to course time and deadline commitments
- be aged 18 years old or over
- be an Australian Citizen or permanent resident
We welcome applicants that reflect the diversity of Australia’s population and encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people and women to apply.
The Australian Scholarships Foundation is pleased to work with AICD to administer these scholarships, to contribute to and strengthen capability building in underrepresented areas of leadership. As such, the general eligibility requirements of our not-for-profit scholarships do not apply.
*See Course information for details on entry requirements.
What will applications be assessed on?
Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Alignment with the candidate’s director journey, highlighting development benefits
- Candidate’s potential for leadership and impact on community
- Barriers to participation in leadership and education
- Financial literacy and directorship/executive experience.
Applications will be assessed by a group of panellists from AICD, Australian Network on Disability and the Australian Scholarships Foundation.
Course dates and locations
Applicants will be provided with a number of course dates between November 2022 and June 2023 from which to choose. Courses are available in all states and territories, although not all locations will be running face-to-face courses.
Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 situation and challenges that remain for intrastate and interstate travel, applicants must apply for face-to-face courses in their state or territory of residence. Online course dates will also be offered as part of this program.
Key dates
| Date | Timeline |
| 27 June | Applications open |
| 24 July at 11.59pm AEST | Applications close |
| 23 September 2022 | All scholarship applicants are notified of the selection outcomes |
| November 2022 – June 2023 | Course dates available |
AICD Company Directors Course
The AICD Company Directors Course is designed for practising directors from a diverse range of industries and organisations and is ideal for those looking to understand director roles and responsibilities in-depth, take their boardroom performance to the next level and improve their impact in today’s evolving business landscape. In this course you will gain a greater understanding of the practice of directorship and the mindset of a director as a leader of an organisation, before examining the directors’ duties and legal environment, risk oversight, strategy contribution, financial performance analysis and measuring board effectiveness. Participants may attain the Company Directors Course award, through successfully completing the three assessment tasks.
This course is right for you if you are:
- A practising director
- A senior executive reporting to boards (minimum 3 years’ experience).
Time commitment: The AICD Company Directors Course is held over five consecutive days for face-to-face and online is one day per week for 5 weeks. This course requires 80 hours of pre-reading and online preparation and an optional post-course assessment. It is recommended to complete the AICD Foundations of Directorship program or have equivalent professional experience before enrolling.
AICD Foundations of Directorship program
The AICD Foundations of Directorship program provides foundational knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of boards and directors.
For directors newly appointed to boards, anyone who might be interested in pursuing a career as a director, or for executives and managers who would like a better understanding of board processes, the AICD Foundations of Directorship program gives you the essential information you need to know.
Time commitment: The AICD Foundations of Directorship program is held over three consecutive days for face-to-face and online is one day per week for three weeks. This course requires 50 hours of pre-reading and an optional post-course assessment.
Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.
Applications for the 2022 Disability Leadership Program scholarship close at 11.59pm AEST on Sunday 24 July 2022.
