Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Programme 2019

Posted on: 13 May 2019

We celebrated the selection of 22 Laidlaw Scholars, the second cohort of Trinity students to join the Laidlaw network, on 7 May at a reception organised by Trinity Careers Service to welcome the Scholars and their academic supervisors.

Expanding on the first cohort of 18 students, the 22 students in the 2019 group will embark on the Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Programme designed to support self-motivated and ambitious undergraduate students to gain the knowledge and skills to become future leaders. A 2018 Scholar said:

“From this unique experience I have acquired a holistic set of transferable skills which enable me to develop my own research and leadership visions”

The Laidlaw Scholarship was established in 2014, thanks to Lord Laidlaw of Rothiemay’s commitment to the development of young people. The programme has already been introduced in universities across the United Kingdom – Oxford, Durham, Leeds, York, St Andrews and UCL – and Trinity is joining Columbia University, Tufts University in Boston, National University of Singapore, University of Toronto and the University of Hong Kong making this a truly international programme of excellence. In November, the annual Laidlaw meeting is taking place in Trinity and we will welcome Scholars from three continents to our campus.

The application process for the Scholarship was highly competitive with 68 applications received from across all disciplines. The Review Panel shortlisted 34 applicants for interview from which the final 22 Scholars were selected with projects from across a broad range of topics which are listed on the Laidlaw Scholarship page. The long-term vision for the scholarship programme is to create a wide-reaching and diverse network of Scholars who will reinvest their knowledge, skills and experiences amongst their peers, colleagues and networks.

The Provost in his welcome speech said:

We’re delighted that students are so alive to the benefits of this programme; and the word must have spread because this year has seen a large increase in applications, and an increase in students selected for the programme.

Testimony to its impact on Trinity already, it is worth noting that there was a 36% increase in applications this year, and a 31% increase in applications from across the AHSS faculty. Also 31% increase in female students awarded the scholarship.

The scholarship comprises a research project and a leadership development programme which will consist of Scholars undertaking two 5-week research periods over summer 2019 and 2020 in addition to a leadership development programme over an 18 month period. The leadership programme will support the Scholars’ personal development with modules on leadership styles, group dynamics and communication skills. Scholars will gain valuable skills in research, communication and leadership and improve their employability by participating in workshops designed to develop self-awareness, initiative, motivation and creativity, as said by another of the 2018 cohort:

“[Laidlaw] equips me with the skills needed to get the most from my academic research and the business acumen necessary to strategically pursue my goals”

Further information about the Scholarship may be found here: https://www.tcd.ie/Careers/students/awards/laidlaw.php