Our work with universities
Discover why universities partner with us to develop the next generation of inclusive leaders
Skills for 21st Century careers
Global experiences…reframed
Understanding their leadership potential
Innovative online solutions
Our online learning approach is different because it facilitates meaningful engagement and connections, and delivers demonstrable skills.
The next generation of leaders – many of whom are studying at university now – are preparing to live and work in a fast, fluid and disrupted world. If they are going to thrive in their careers and stand up as leaders in society, they will need the skills and competencies to bring different people together – from across boundaries – to solve common problems.
Our programmes are highly experiential, exposing students to different perspectives, places, organizations and challenges – often at a global scale. Underpinned by robust methodologies, thought leadership and learning frameworks, they give students the skills and experiences to become leaders who can make an impact – at work and in society.
“In our ever more complex and interconnected world which has no obvious historical parallel, Common Purpose has developed a breakthrough idea about the importance of cultural intelligence in order to navigate both this new world and its contradictions. It has important implications and raises questions about our current systems for those of us involved in educating and developing our future global citizens.”
Our leadership competency framework
Our leadership competency framework has been developed with leading employers and experts to ensure that our programmes speak to the needs of employers, society and ultimately to students’ future success. We design, deliver and assess our programmes against this framework, and measure students’ learning and development as leaders who are:
- Inclusive – Build diverse teams, which are more innovative and resilient
- Empathetic – Understand other cultures, and bring in wider perspectives
- Agile – Work with difference, and adapt to new environments
- Open – Suspend assumptions, and live with ambiguity
- Influential – Build trust, and solve complex challenges
students complete Common Purpose programmes in-person and online each year. We work with a range of universities globally, developing long-lasting strategic partnerships with many of them.
Each year, we work with over 1,000 organizations across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Students on our programmes get unique access to these organizations and their leaders.
Since 2019, we’ve worked with 83 universities in 25 countries, including:
BINUS University
Harvard University
IIT Bombay
King’s College London
National University of Singapore
Newcastle University
RMIT University
University of Chicago
University of Hong Kong
University of Leeds
The University of Western Australia
Western Sydney University
Lasting impact
Based on a longitudinal assessment of students who have completed our programmes in the last 15 years:
of students would recommend their programme to another person
say that the learning and development from the programmes has helped them progress in their careers
are more confident to have an impact in the world as a result of their Common Purpose programme experience
Our offering
Bite-size content
Individual modules, delivered online in real-time. Our bite-sized content can be run standalone or stacked to create a unique learning pathway for your students. It can also be embedded into your existing programming.
Asynchronous courses
Online, social learning which students complete flexibly with a diverse group of their peers. Our asynchronous courses enable students to develop their leadership skills through self-directed online learning. These courses combine new methods of content delivery and interactive, experiential learning.
High-touch synchronous programmes
Highly interactive leadership programmes delivered both in-person and online. Our high-touch synchronous programmes bring the best of what Common Purpose has been doing for over 30 years, ensuring students develop the skills and competencies, and gain the global experience, they need for their future success.
We also work with many universities to develop customized learning solutions, bringing the best of what we offer to address their specific learning outcomes, skills and competencies or graduate attributes.