205 technicians from 84 higher education and research institutions have benefited from a pioneering national technical leadership programme delivered by The UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy.
The Herschel Programme for Women in Technical Leadership is designed for technical professionals to address the underrepresentation of women in technical leadership roles in the sector.
Funded by Research England, it is the fourth time this six-month annual programme has been delivered, concluding with an Achievements and Aspirations Day in Birmingham on 25 June.
Participants have gained renewed confidence, secured promotions or new jobs and described the programme as ‘life-changing’, ‘confidence-building’ and ‘inspiring’.
The programme has created a vibrant network of 1000 women technical leaders from more than 100 unique organisations, UK-wide.
Keynote speaker, Anita Coppock, Head of Technical Operations, University for the Creative Arts shared her personal career journey in higher education and provided insights and experiences in managing and leading technical teams. She said:
“Understanding and acknowledging that teams are made up of individuals with their own strengths, beliefs, values and aspirations helps you support people to thrive.
“This person-centred approach has helped me work with an entry level technician who has grown to become an exceptional technical manager who I’m proud to work with.
“Being confident in your own strengths and achievements will help you to lead with authenticity and it’s important to remember that job titles don’t define who you are as a leader, but rather your actions, approach and what you bring to the role.”
Dr Helen Pain MBE, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Society of Chemistry, a long-standing supporter of the technical community also delivered a talk. She said:
“I wouldn’t have developed the skills I needed to deliver my PhD early on in my career if it wasn’t for the technicians. This programme is creating lasting change and making an impressive contribution to empowering the technical community. I’m confident this national network of technical leaders will continue to grow skills and make a positive impact within the sector.”
Dr Kelly Vere MBE, Director for The UK Institute for Technical Skills & Strategy and Technician Commitment Programme Lead added:
“This pioneering programme gives women technical professionals space to learn new tools and develop leadership skills amongst peers.
“More than 200 technical professionals completed the 2025 Herschel Programme, which is now in its fourth year. This programme wouldn’t be possible without the remarkable team effort from multiple institutions who have helped to design this high-quality programme and deliver more than 90 hours of training.
“I am so proud to see this truly remarkable community continue to grow which is having a genuine and lasting impact on the lives of technical professionals across the UK and continue to inspire the next generation of technical leaders.”
Contributions on the day were also made by Claire Cawthorne, Herschel Programme Director, University of Nottingham and Sarah Allen, Career Pathways Lead for UK ITSS chaired a panel discussion with Herschel alumni Daniella Webb, Birmingham City University, Monika Chhetry, Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP, Helena Brown, University of Leeds, Sophie Rutherford, University of Staffordshire.
Applications for the 2026 programme open in September 2025. Learn more about Herschel here