RisingWISE: An enterprise course by and for women
RisingWISE: An enterprise course by and for women
RisingWISE is an award-winning joint programme for women researchers in STEMM from Cambridge and Oxford universities, that is consistently described as “life-changing” and “transformative”.
Since 2018, RisingWISE has supported more than 360 women across 50+ disciplines through skills, leadership and entrepreneurship development, building networks and contacts with industry, and forming collaborative peer networks across the two Universities.
Apply now for your place - but please check all dates first - see below!
Application Deadline: Friday 4 September
Queries? Email Louisa: mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk
uniquely for women in STEMM
RisingWISE is a unique initiative that is designed by women, for women, and delivered entirely by women, with the goal of providing enterprising early-career researchers with the confidence and skills they need to build their careers across academia, industry or entrepreneurship.
The RisingWISE programme was a recent winner of the University of Oxford Vice-Chancellor’s 2026 award in the Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) category.
Following RisingWISE, I felt equipped with the confidence and skills to pitch myself, put myself forward for the things I wanted to do. It made me recognise and value my existing skill set.
—Dr Hannah Rana
RisingWISE offers tools for personal and professional development, including networking, communication, and leadership. With overwhelmingly positive feedback, it’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss!
Building networks of enterprising women
The push for more women to pursue STEMM careers has revealed consistent excellence among these burgeoning researchers, yet we continue to find a huge gender disparity in continuing career success and leadership roles. RisingWISE aims to address this disparity by creating a community of women in STEMM professions.
Through RisingWISE, these leaders of tomorrow develop strong connections with successful women in industry and commerce, along with wide-ranging peer networks. RisingWISE alumnae continue to form professional partnerships, uplift each other in consequential career moves, engage in challenging conversations and encourage one another.
It was a privilege to participate in this gathering of amazing and intelligent women and to be taught by world female experts in communication, entrepreneurship and mindfulness. It was a very inspirational experience that help us not only to grow as entrepreneurs but also to grow in all the other areas of our life.—Dr Meritxell Nus Chimeno
Expanding opportunities beyond academia
After years of advancing through research and scholarship, it can be challenging to conceptualise career possibilities outside the academic sphere—especially when faced with isolation in a male-dominated STEMM research culture.
At RisingWISE, we bring those possibilities to you: dozens of our alumnae are leaders in competitive industry roles and founders of paradigm-shifting startups. We aim to expand your knowledge of industry and collaborative research & development. Throughout the programme, you will cultivate helpful tools and techniques to understand and plan out your chosen path as a leader, mentor, idea-maker and problem-solver.
RisingWISE was a big inflection point for me. I went from feeling uncertain at the prospect of leaving academia, to feeling excited about exploring new possibilities. I wasn’t scared anymore. I stopped thinking that I wasn’t enough for academia, and instead realised that academia was no longer enough for me!
—Dr Stephanie Flude
Enduring career impacts
Almost 300 women from 56 different STEMM disciplines have passed through the RisingWISE programme, and the skills they gain here reverberate throughout their professional endeavours.
RisingWISE alumnae have given an overall rating of 9.5/10 for the cumulative experience, and 100% of attendees say they would recommend RisingWISE to a friend or colleague. Each RisingWISE cohort’s peer-to-peer connections, along with mentoring relationships with past RisingWISE alumnae, contribute to an international network of women leaders, entrepreneurs and visionaries in STEMM.
Read more in the RisingWISE Impact Report 2024! [PDF downloadable version]
I think the intrinsic value of the RisingWISE programme lies not only in the content of the learning sessions and the network of peer-to-peer support, but also the foundational resilience it builds in participants, so that they are equipped both practically and emotionally to build their future careers.
—Dr Sheen Gurrib
Achieving excellence
RisingWISE received the2019 MPLS Equality and Diversity Award for ‘Best Team Effort,’ a recognition of the crucial collaboration between women at the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and across academia and industry.
In 2020, RisingWISE was shortlisted in the ‘Diversifying participation’ category of the Vice-Chancellor’s Diversity Awards at the University of Oxford.
It’s very empowering to have a programme directed by women for women. It was a real confidence booster and has contributed to enhance my skills and provide me with new perspectives. I cannot recommend it highly enough.—Dr Martine Abboud
Contact the RisingWISE team
Queries? Email Louisa Trevail at mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk for more information about the RisingWISE application, schedule, alumni opportunities, industry collaborations and more.
Please find the Privacy Notice associated with RisingWISE applications here.
You can apply for RisingWISE as a current member of staff from the University of Oxford or University of Cambridge working as an early career researcher in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical sciences (STEMM) in academia. We also welcome a small number of industry postdocs or DPhil students who are nearing the end of their studies and are thinking about next steps.
Please find the privacy notice associated with RisingWISE applications here.
We are aware that weekend participation can create challenges for those with caring responsibilities. As such (and although the programme is run on a limited budget), we welcome input and feedback regarding how we can support families and help facilitate your attendance on the programme. Please contact Louisa at mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk to explore potential arrangements.
Our highly practical, immersive and collaborative programme is divided into six key themes:
Personal values: What’s most important to you? What competencies do you bring to your work?
Networking: Who can help you discover new opportunities? How can you find those collaborators?
Value propositions: What do you offer? What do others need? Where do these intersect?
Leadership: What makes a compelling leader? What kind of leader are you?
Negotiation: When can you push for more? Where might you decide to compromise in the pursuit of shared aims?
Communicating your ideas: What do you want to do? How can you convince others to do it with you?
Collaboration: How can you work as a team to come up with an idea and pitch it effectively?
We will shortly open applications for this next iteration. To receive an email letting you know when we are live for applications please do email Louisa on the below email address, or if you have any queries: mpls.enterprise@mpls.ox.ac.uk
Before applying or registering interest, please check the dates below. Attendance to all dates is expected from participants.
apply here for your place!
Application Deadline: Friday 4 September
| DATE & TIMING | PROGRAMME | VENUE |
|
Saturday 7 November 2026 In-person kick-off; timings tbc |
Programme DAY ONE | LONDON In-person, venue tbc |
|
Saturday 21 November 2026 0900 - 1545 |
Programme DAY TWO | Online |
|
Saturday 5 December 2026 0900 - 1545 |
Programme DAY THREE | Online |
|
Saturday 16 January 2027 0900 - 1545 |
Programme DAY FOUR | Online |
|
Saturday 6 February 2027 0900 - 1545 |
Programme DAY FIVE | Online |
|
Friday 5 March - Saturday 6 March 2027 Two full days; coach transport for all participants provided and finishing at 1600 on Saturday. Accommodation for all participants provided for one night at venue. |
Programme DAYS SIX and SEVEN | In-person, Cranfield University |
Please note that successful applicants will be required to pay a £100* deposit to confirm a place - if this will be a problem, please contact us in confidence.
All deposits will be returned on completion of the programme in full (April 2027).
*One tenth of the total cost of the programme per person.
oxford team
LOUISA TREVAIL, ENTERPRISING WOMEN PROGRAMME MANAGER
Louisa is the Programme Manager for RisingWISE and the Enterprising Women programme of activities at the University of Oxford. A trained professional coach, she facilitates and presents on a range of leadership and development programmes, including Leadership in Action, where she delivers coaching skills training for leaders. Her coaching and facilitation are underpinned by an extensive background in education, communication, and event management: she is a qualified teacher with experience in Oxfordshire and London schools, and has previously worked as a Conference Manager at Oxfam GB and in commercial events and consumer PR with clients such as Samsung and Sky. Louisa holds a degree in Sociology and a Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisa-carson-700740191/
Sally Charles, Enterprise Programme Manager
Sally is the divisional lead for Enterprise Training and Events curated for the Researcher community within MPLS. She has responsibility for the running and strategic development of a portfolio of programmes and initiatives that support the growth of mindsets and skillsets for Innovation, Impact, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-charles-sweet/
cambridge Team
helen alexander
Helen Alexander
Helen is the Manager for IE Cambridge, the University of Cambridge’s entrepreneurship hub. Her career started in broadcast news, working as a business journalist and producer for CNBC in London and Mumbai. This was followed by freelancing as a print journalist, writing for publications such as the Times, the New Statesman, Marie Claire and the Hindustan Times. She then worked as a content producer, advising global clients on their communication strategies and creating content from videos to thought leadership articles. She also worked with clients on events such as the World Economic Forum in Davos and EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year awards.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-alexander-9484b6/
Katia Smith-Litière
Katia joined the Postdoc Academy, University of Cambridge in 2017 as a development consultant with a passion for bringing entrepreneurial spirit, know-how and skills training into professional development for postdoctoral researchers. Katia manages the international Postdocs to Innovators (p2i) Network. She has over 15 years’ experience in life sciences and healthcare sectors, initially as an academic researcher at Cambridge and subsequently as a technology and innovation consultant for healthcare organisations and government. Prior to joining Cambridge, Katia co-founded and was Director of Programmes and Partnerships of the Cambridge Science Centre, an interactive science learning space. Katia is a former Director of Makespace and Biomakespace Cambridge.
Watch these videos on YouTube
