Academic Leadership and Management Institute

The Illinois Academic Leadership and Management Institute (ALMI) is a small, interactive academic leadership program for any junior faculty member who is building a research group in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences or the Grainger College of Engineering. Course content is delivered by experts from inside and outside of Illinois using individual and group exercises, lectures, case studies, and discussions. 

Objectives

• Equipping junior faculty with the tools they will need for successful careers at Illinois
• Enhancing the ability of junior faculty to provide strong research group experiences for undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars
• Building a network among early-career investigators to support each other as peer mentors
• Sharing tools to integrate DEI into research according to the UIUC Provost Communication 9 guidelines

Benefits

• Access to academic leadership experts, including resources and tools
• Participation in a peer network
• Activities can count toward new DEI requirements for Provost Communication 9
• Certificate of completion at the end of the program

The program exceeded my expectations. I found the exercises thought-provoking and valued the opportunity to interact with peers in different departments, who all brought very different perspectives.

It was a great opportunity to meet other assistant professors in different programs and discuss our common struggles, challenges, and potential solutions. The advice offered on how to deal with situations, what we might encounter, and how to prioritize our time was insightful.

I felt like the program was very useful for thinking big-picture about how I want to approach this phase of my career, finding resources online and on campus, and getting to know the cohort.

Application

Interested applicants should discuss their potential participation with their department chair/head, institute, or center director with the understanding that this time commitment is significant for a junior investigator since, if accepted, the participants must attend the entire course. Participants in the course will be selected in a competitive review process; 10-15 applicants will be accepted each year.

Please have the following ready to upload before you begin filling out the application:

• 200-400 word personal statement describing why you should be selected for this leadership development program
• A current CV

Applications are currently open for the Spring 2025 cohort.
 

Course content and dates

A total of five 2-hour workshops will be held approximately every three weeks during the spring 2025 semester on Tuesdays, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m. in room 2043 Lincoln Hall. Lunch will be provided.