The Advanced Leadership and Management for Healthcare Training Programme is a bespoke, interactive course designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in health services. Healthcare environments are complex, subject to continuous public scrutiny, and require leaders to balance competing priorities like resource allocation and patient-centred care. This programme equips professionals with the necessary skills to drive efficiency, innovation, and quality care in these rapidly changing landscapes.
The programme is designed to be highly participatory and interactive, with modern teaching methods applied and case studies.
The programme is delivered over a six-month period and features a blended learning approach:
- In-Person Training: 7 days of live, interactive sessions held in London across Imperial’s White City Campus, South Kensington Campus, and the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital Simulation Centre
- Online Follow-Up: 2 days of online sessions scheduled 3–6 months post-course to focus on progress reviews, peer coaching, sustaining change, and global health challenges
- Daily Timings: Typically, 09:00/10:00 to 15:00/16:00 BST
Key benefits
Staff from WHOCC have designed and developed this practical interactive programme to realise the potential of aspiring and senior health leaders across nations. This course is accredited by Imperial College London. Participants will be able to:
- Understand the characteristics of good leadership and how to achieve it
- Explore the ways leaders excel in their jobs
- Exercise situational leadership and how and when to apply it
- Comprehend how good leaders communicate and why some fail
- Experience how to develop leadership skills
- Engage in leadership in practice
Participant profile
This course is designed to meet the needs of policy makers, health managers, heads of clinical/administrative departments, health professionals with an interest in management, staff in international/regional organisations, academic health directorates and authorities, and other interested stakeholders.
The course can be delivered in any location worldwide, and will require 5-7 working days.
For more details please see the Course brochure here.
Pillar 1: Reflective leadership
Leadership begins with self-awareness. Participants explore emotional intelligence, leadership styles, confidence, communication habits, and the personal behaviours that shape how they lead others.
Pillar 2: Practical Tools
The programme provides practical tools for stakeholder analysis, project management, risk management, change management, quality improvement, SMART goals, SWOT analysis, and behaviour change.
Pillar 3: Communication and Influence
Participants practise active listening, debate, public speaking, persuasion, team communication, and shared decision-making.
Pillar 4: Leading Change
The course supports participants to understand how change happens in healthcare organisations, how to engage stakeholders, and how to lead improvement in complex and resource-constrained environments.
Pillar 5: Sustainable Leadership
Leadership requires resilience, balance, delegation, trust, and the ability to protect one’s own wellbeing while supporting others.
Core Competencies Participants will be exposed to a diverse set of skills aligned with the WHO EURO framework, including:
- Strategic Thinking & Decision-Making: Planning long-term while making ethical, data-driven choices under pressure.
- Emotional Intelligence: Building self-awareness, empathy, and social interactions to lead teams effectively.
- Effective Communication: Engaging with policymakers, staff, and patients, and overcoming cross-cultural communication challenges.
- Change & Crisis Management: Guiding teams through organisational change and handling unforeseen disruptions.
- Data Acumen: Managing budgets, resources, and utilising data for strategic planning.
- Day 1: Welcome, Foundations of Leadership, Emotional Intelligence Assessment, and Quality Improvement
- Day 2: Strategic Planning, Project Management, and Risk Identification
- Day 3: Health Governance and Hospital Management
- Day 4: Effective Communication and Adaptive Leadership
- Day 5: Managing Change and Driving Behavioural Shifts, and Capstone Innovation Projects, and Action Planning
Certificate provided upon completion of in-person training. This course has been accredited by Imperial College.
“Leadership is something that can be learned.”
“Change is a process, not a single activity.”
“Stakeholders are so important for every project.”
“The debate pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
“The course helped me build the courage to speak up and express myself.”
“Trust yourself and do not doubt that you can make meaningful change in your field.”
“Lead with curiosity, listen more than you speak, and grow through every challenge.”
Quotes are anonymised reflections from previous participants.
What previous participants gained:
Feedback from last year’s cohort showed that participants valued the programme for its practical, interactive, and reflective approach. They particularly highlighted the importance of emotional intelligence, communication, stakeholder engagement, change management, delegation, quality improvement, and confidence in leadership.
Participants described the course as a space where they could practise leadership, not only learn about it. The debate, simulation activities, capstone challenge, public speaking exercises, and reflective tasks were especially valued because they encouraged participants to step outside their comfort zones and apply leadership skills in real time.
Past Cohorts:
- 8th – 19th September 2025, London UK. More info: Advanced Leadership Course 2025
- 8th – 15th November 2024, Pakistan Lahore [ongoing collaboration with University of Lahore: UOL Website]
- 9th – 14th March 2020, London, WHO CC
- 14th – 18th October 2019: London, WHO CC
- 29th July – 2nd August 2019: Geneva & London, WHO CC
- 19th – 23rd November 2018: London, WHO CC
- 6th – 10th August 2018: London, WHO CC
- 5th – 12th August 2017: Dubrovnik, Croatia, InterUniversity Centre; Organised by: WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education & Training & Zagreb Institute for the Culture of Health. Aimed at: Policy makers, health managers, heads of clinical and administrative departments, health professionals with an interest in management, and other interested stakeholders
- 3rd – 7th July 2017: London, WHO CC
Bespoke courses can be organised on request.
How to apply:
Please click here to go to the registration form.
Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in arranging a bespoke course for a cohort or institution.
