The Foundations of Union Leadership course is a residential leadership program delivered over two sessions, offering an intensive, practice-based learning experience.

Session 1
5-day residential: Participants move through a structured learning journey, from values, purpose and self-awareness to strategic planning, influence and alliance-building, finance and management, and finally forward planning and practical application.

Session 2
3-day follow-up: Participants return for a practical consolidation, drawing on the group’s collective expertise to work through real leadership challenges, deepen staff management capability, and embed tools and habits that support ongoing development.

2026/2027 program dates:
Part 1: October 12–16, 2026 | Southern Highlands, NSW
Part 2: March 2–4, 2027 | Sydney, NSW

Registration process
Registration for this event is completed through the ACTU Learner Portal and requires sign in.
After signing in, you will select your payment method, you can pay via credit card or via invoice. If you are having issues registering, please contact [email protected]

A leaders-only forum is convened between Congress periods to connect leaders and provide a dedicated space to share ideas, test emerging strategies, and progress movement growth initiatives.

The forum supports strategic collaboration and builds movement strength on shared priorities, while enabling leaders to identify opportunities, respond to emerging challenges and maintain momentum between major decision-making points.

The Academy offers an annual workshop series that brings together respected movement leaders and subject-matter experts to provide practical, applied learning and facilitate candid discussion on complex leadership and organising challenges.

Workshop topics are wide ranging, including skill development in defined topic areas including governance, organisational management, media and communications, strategy, financial management and emerging areas of change and innovation, including AI.

Open only to senior leaders, discussion-based workshops are grounded in real-world experience and personal insight. They provide a dedicated space for thought leadership, learning, and development, enabling participants to deepen capability in specific areas, share approaches across unions, and take away tools and frameworks that can be applied immediately in their roles.

The Academy offers a structured mentoring program that pairs new leaders with experienced leaders from across the movement to strengthen leadership practice and support professional development.

The program provides a confidential, practical space for leaders to test ideas, reflect on challenges, and build the confidence and judgement required for the role. Mentoring relationships are designed to broaden networks across unions, share institutional knowledge, and provide supportive and practical spaces for reflection and growth.

A monthly leadership newsletter supports ongoing learning between Academy activities by curating relevant leadership and organising articles, ideas and reflections from across the movement and beyond.

It will highlight emerging issues, practical tools and recommended resources. The newsletter is designed to keep leaders connected, prompt reflection and discussion, and provide accessible development content that can be applied in day-to-day union leadership practice.

The Australian Trade Union Institute has partnered with the Australian Graduate School of Management at University of NSW Business School to design a Certificate in Executive Management and Development for Union Leaders (CEMD), available exclusively to ACTU affiliates.

The CEMD comprises core modules and electives purposefully contextualised for the needs of union leaders, equipping participants with practical skills and capabilities to lead in an accelerating and complex world.

This is a high-quality program driven by the union movement’s purpose and values. Completion of all four core modules and two out of three electives is required to achieve the CEMD.

If you are not currently enrolled in the full CEMD program you can enrol in the electives. To read more about the electives and enrol please visit CEMD for union leaders

If you are not currently enrolled in the full CEMD program you can enrol in the electives.

Elective 1: Project Management for Leaders
Facilitator: Jürgen Oschadleus
From incremental tactical changes to major strategic and complex initiatives, project management has become an essential skill set for modern leaders and managers. This course will teach you about project governance and sponsorship and how to engage and align project stakeholders to the project objectives and optimise performance and team productivity.

Jürgen Oschadleus is an international speaker, educator and consultant on project leadership, influence and effective communication. He has taught post-graduate project management classes at UNSW since 2006. Jürgen combines his background in history, education and technology projects with a fascination for sport and psychology, and uses this to challenge people’s thinking and help them create new mental connections, apply knowledge and achieve the outcomes they seek. His qualifications include a Master’s degree in History and an MBA in International Project Management and Organisational Development.

Elective 2: Leading for High Performance

Facilitator: Ursula Stroh A positive team culture can drive performance, increase innovation, engagement and productivity, and attract and retain high performers. This course will equip you with a practical toolkit to enhance your people management skills and shape a performance culture within your team to maximise performance.

Ursula Stroh is an adjunct faculty member of the Australian Graduate School of Management at UNSW and currently teaches in AGSM’s General Manager Program and MBA programs. Her previous roles include Senior Change Communication Manager at UNSW and Communications Director at GE ANZ. Ursula holds a PhD in Change and Communication Management, and has published internationally on leadership, strategy and relationship management, international business, and culture. She is also a certified change practitioner, executive coach, and wellbeing expert. Ursula is a strategic thinker and her most valuable contributions include providing visionary insights and analytical support across a breadth of strategic development projects; being a trusted advisor and coach to board level executives; leading strategy development and culture transformation and building relationships to engage all stakeholders to achieve organisational goals and wellbeing.

Elective 3: Implementing Strategy for Results

Facilitator: Jeffrey Tobias
Leaders require the tools to assess, interpret and implement an organisational strategy in the context of their role, so they can contribute positively to the realisation of the organisation’s objectives. This course will assist you to understand why strategy is important, how it relates to different stakeholders and parts of an organisation and how to translate strategy into action.

Jeffrey Tobias is the Founder and Managing Director of The Strategy Group and an Adjunct Professor and Fellow at UNSW AGSM. An accomplished strategist with years of commercial and business experience, Jeffrey works with organisations to improve customer experience and increase revenue growth by transforming the way they do business. He is a thought leader on innovation and collaboration, and his work is being applied in some of the world’s largest corporations and governments around the globe. Jeffrey’s career has spanned the worlds of academia, big and small business, government and research. In each environment his leadership, clarity of thought, creativity and drive have generated cutting edge advances and successes far beyond expectation. His broad and deep experience and extraordinarily wide skill set are almost certainly unique within the region.

Testmony from 2022 elective participant (National Elected Official):“This has been the most valuable course I’ve undertaken since I started in my role. We all know the need for a strategic approach but putting this into practice is difficult. This course gave me much greater clarity on what strategy is and how to work with others to deliver on a strategic plan. Jeffrey is a highly experienced and engaging facilitator I am much clearer and more confident in decision making and delivery having completed this course.”

From 2028, the Academy will offer a biennial study tour and international engagement program. Enabling leaders to learn from international unions and bring back insights through presentations and written reflections for personal and movement-wide learning.