Alumnae Activities 2026
From January to June 2026 a dedicated series of events has been organized for the H.I.T. Program Alumnae, offering opportunities to further strengthen their leadership skills beyond the program, exchange perspectives, and expand their professional networks.
Leadership Sessions (January–May, online)
We started 2026 with a series of interactive online sessions held between January and May 2026, facilitated by Grace Favaro MCC Executive Leadership Coach and Trainer. Each session focused on a key dimension of leadership development, selected by mutual agreement with the Alumnae:
- Developing Leadership Presence, 14 January 2026. This session explored how to build a confident and authentic leadership presence, enabling participants to communicate with clarity and impact.
- Influence and Persuasion in Leadership, 11 March 2026. Participants engaged with practical tools to influence effectively, navigate decision-making processes, and advocate for their ideas in professional settings.
- Navigating Political Landscape, 13 May 2026. The final session focused on understanding organizational dynamics and developing strategies to operate successfully within complex institutional environments.
Mansplaining: Event in Fribourg (June)
The event hosted on 8 June 2026 at the University Fribourg was co-organized together with the Women Professors Network at Unifr. The meeting focused on mansplaining, with an insightful keynote and interactive session led by Prof. Dr. Jamie L. Gloor. Together, participants explored practical strategies to respond to and help reduce mansplaining.
What’s next?
The Alumnae event series will continue in November 2026 with a workshop entitled: Finding Your Own Path to Leading Inclusion in Academia, led by Marie-Paule Haefliger. The workshop is co-organized in collaboration with the SNSF-Leadership-Programme and aims at supporting female professors and leaders from all Swiss universities in strengthening inclusive leadership practices aligned with their values and specific institutional context.
Related LinkedIn Posts:
Strengthening Leadership Presence Together