About the program

Our proudly non-partisan program is uniquely designed in collaboration between the University of Canberra and seven other leading universities across Australia, tailored to the ACT and NSW context.

The University of Canberra program is hosted by the Faculty of Business, Government and Law and involves input from academics, practitioners and professionals from across a diversity of disciplines and fields of expertise.

Participants gain first-hand insights from former and current politicians, advisors, speechwriters, media trainers and professional experts, to give them confidence and clarity about their future in politics in a safe, supportive environment.

Module include such as topics as:

• articulating your political vision and values
• building your base and campaign planning
• media training and speech writing
• connecting with your community
• ethics and integrity in politics
• preparing for the challenges of public life

Pathways to Politics embraces an inclusive definition of 'women', acknowledging the diversity of women we work with and aim to support, including cisgender and transgender women, and non-binary people.

Inspired by the Harvard Kennedy School's "From Harvard Square to Oval Office" practicum, Pathways to Politics was initiated through the vision of Carol Schwartz AO, Chair of the Trawalla Foundation, who fundamentally believes in the value of more female leaders. For Carol, this is about optimising outcomes for our country by ensuring that men and women together share power, leadership and decision-making.

Pathways to Politics for Women began in Australia in 2016 and has now reached a national scale with programs available in every state and territory. The foundational program was launched at the University of Melbourne in 2016, followed by QUT in 2019, UNSW in 2021, Charles Darwin University in 2022, the University of Adelaide and University of Canberra in 2023, and the University of Western Australia and University of Tasmania in 2024.

This network is led by the National Co-Convenors Sarah Buckley, CEO of the Trawalla Foundation, and Dr Meredith Martin, Director of the University of Melbourne's Pathways to Politics program. Each state and territory program receives strategic support and guidance from a local steering or advisory committee, drawing on the expertise of senior university representatives, politicians and Pathways alums..

The UC Pathways to Politics Advisory Committee provides guidance on the long-term direction of the program at UC and oversees matters related to the strategy, management and administration of the program at UC. It is comprised of representatives from program partners as well as a program alum and a political advisor.

The delivery of the program is facilitated by the UC Pathways to Politics Steering Committee. This is comprised of a team of academic and professional staff from the university with subject matter expertise, industry experience and practical skillsets that are core to the Pathways to Politics program.