About the program

Pathways’ proudly non-partisan program has been uniquely designed as a collaboration between the Trawalla Foundation and eight leading universities across Australia.

The University of Canberra’s program is tailored to the ACT and regional NSW context, and hosted by the Faculty of Business, Government and Law. The program 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 topics include:

• Articulating your political vision and values
• Connecting with your community
• Understanding policymaking, the public service, and government budgets
• Ethics and integrity in politics
• Building your base and campaign planning
• Media training and speech writing
• 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 a program available in each state and territory. The foundational program was launched at the University of Melbourne in 2016. This was followed by the Queensland University of Technology in 2019, the University of New South Wales in 2021, Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory in 2022, the University of Adelaide and the University of Canberra in 2023, and the University of Western Australia and the  University of Tasmania in 2024.

Impact

Since its beginnings, Pathways to Politics for Women has helped hundreds of women across Australia run for office. To date, the program has nationally achieved 84 electoral successes across the political spectrum and at all levels of government.

The Pathways team

The national network is led by 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).

The delivery of the program at the University of Canberra is facilitated by the Program Director, Associate Professor Leonora Risse, and members of the UC Steering Committee. This team of academic and professional staff from the university bring subject matter expertise, industry experience and practical skillsets that are core to the Pathways to Politics for Women program.

The UC Pathways to Politics for Women Advisory Committee provides guidance on the direction of the program at UC and oversees matters related to strategy, management and administration.