Why take the Leadership Programme?

Since the launch of the MLP in 2005, thousands of University of Manchester Students have completed the Manchester Leadership Programme.

Through the MLP ‘Leadership in Action’ academic units, you will hear from real-life leaders who are working to address some of the big challenges facing society in the 21st century. Through your volunteering you can find out first-hand about some of these big challenges whilst learning from, and giving something back to, the wider community.

What Leadership Programme graduates say:

About the MLP:

"The MLP is a fantastic way of developing leadership, team-working and social skills … I recommend it to everyone!" (MLP Student feedback)

"The MLP was something that I had on my application which no one else had and my interviewers were really interested in the programme. It differentiated me from the other 2,000 people who had applied for the same job." (BA Drama with English) Graduate Trainee - BBH Advertising Agency

"I would recommend the MLP to anyone. It’s a diverse programme that allowed me to address and get involved in many different things that I would not have considered or been able to achieve alone." (MLP Student feedback)

"I've had six interviews with a range of companies . . . and have been asked about the MLP every time. Employers want graduates with technical abilities who also have the potential to become managers. The MLP helped me to show that I have the leadership skills recruiters want." (BSc Information Systems) Engineering Software Engineer)

"Employers are very impressed by the programme and the volunteering allows you to show them skills in a practical setting." (MLP Student feedback)

About the Units:

"The unit has provided me with skills that will be invaluable in the future. Being able to work with such a diverse group of people on a weekly basis has been a new and enjoyable experience." (MLP Student Feedback)

"The lectures introduced me to new concepts or situations, and challenged the way I thought about certain issues." (MLP student feedback)

" I enjoyed the online discussions as it gave me an opportunity to read up on world issues and engage in active discussions with other people. The [online] unit used a large variety of resources which are very interesting to explore" (MLP student feedback)

"The unit provided a module different to the rest of my course, and I was thankful for how current it was. I was able to engage with current debates surrounding leadership today." (MLP student feedback)

About the Volunteering:

“It’s not all about the feeling that you’re helping – you also get to meet lots of different people and learn from them” (MLP student feedback)

“I’m a student from China – the experience I’ve had has really enriched my education. It’s also helped me to improve my language skills through talking to more people away from the classroom, as well as my understanding of different cultures in the UK” (MLP student feedback)

“A lot of people may say they don't have time to volunteer, but there are so many different opportunities available at Manchester that you can always find something to fit around your schedule. I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. Volunteering is really addictive – and it’s really, really good fun.” (MLP student feedback)

“I would definitely recommend volunteering to all the students at the University. It really does challenge you and makes you look at things in a totally different way. Furthermore I have developed some great friendships through my volunteering projects." (MLP student feedback)