Overview
TUCO is proud to offer members the opportunity to apply for the inaugural TUCO Chair’s Scholarship to attend the Director Development Programme with the University of Salford. This highly respected five-day programme, which takes place online as a series of webinar classes, is designed to accelerate leadership potential and equip senior professionals with the strategic insight and tools required to excel at director level.
Delivered by expert practitioners and Salford Business School academics, who have the relevant experience in the Public Sector, the programme supports Directors and Senior Leaders to make an immediate and sustainable impact on their organisations by focusing on core areas including strategy, marketing, finance, leadership, and governance.
The University of Salford is hosting a familiarisation session where you can speak to the Lead Lecturer and TUCO to make any queries about the course or the application process. It will take place on the 12th of September at 10am - please email [email protected] if you would like to join the meeting on Teams.
Who Should Attend?
Applicants should be Senior Leaders, aspiring or newly appointed Directors, or individuals with significant strategic responsibility within their institution. This programme is ideal for those who:
- Want to expand their strategic leadership capabilities.
- Are looking to transition into board-level roles.
- Are responsible for long-term decision-making and organisational performance.
Programme Content
The course is structured around five interconnected themes:
- Strategy – Understanding and shaping organisational direction.
- Marketing – Strategic brand positioning and customer engagement.
- Finance – Financial oversight, risk management and value creation.
- Leadership – Building high-performance teams and leading change.
- Governance – Legal responsibilities, compliance, and ethical leadership.
Participants will benefit from hands-on learning, peer discussions, and real-world case studies, delivered in an immersive and supportive environment.
Programme Format
Duration: 5 days on set days over a 5 week period
Location: Online as a webinar class with the University of Salford, Greater Manchester
Dates: Thursday 30th October and the next 4 Thursdays; 6th November, 13th November, 20th November and 27th November.
Cost: Covered in full through the TUCO Chair’s Scholarship (includes course fees, and where applicable the CMI accreditation).
Commitment: There is no work to complete outside of the course days apart from some pre-reading for a couple of the modules. 2 Assignments if the CMI accreditation is also requested but applicants will have onboarding with the LMS (Learning Management System) and 121 Tutor support for the duration of the project work.
CMI Accreditation: This is an optional additional benefit; a requirement is to complete 2 assignments within 24 months of the programme starting, a personal development plan and an implementation project on a Leader’s Strategy. The assignments are based on the five modules completed during the webinar classes. A successful candidate will have CMI membership for the period of time on the accreditation. The project can also be used for CMI Chartership and 20 credits towards a Full MBA on completion (MBA not included in the scholarship).
There will be an 3 hour onboarding on the 7th of January to introduce the assignments and your associated tutor support for the duration of the CMI projects.
How to Apply
Applications are invited from eligible TUCO members via the online form below or in the booking link. You will need to:
- Provide a personal statement outlining why you wish to attend and how it aligns with your development goals and that of your institution.
- Include a brief overview of your current role and responsibilities.
- Gain endorsement from your line manager or institution and provide reference details.
Successful applicants will also require completion of a training agreement for liability of the cost of the course if incomplete, prior to commencement of the course.
Why Apply?
Fully funded by the TUCO Foundation via the Chair’s Scholarship.
Access to world-class development and a network of senior professionals.
Transformational learning to elevate your leadership impact.
For queries regarding eligibility or the application process, contact [email protected]
