Senior leaders from across Australia will soon have the opportunity to participate in an immersive learning experience on Worimi Country as part of a new partnership between the University of Sydney’s National Centre for Cultural Competence (NCCC) and the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council’s Gudida team.
Delivered over four days on Worimi Country in Williamtown, NSW, the Cultural Immersion Executive Leadership Program is hosted at the Murrook Cultural Centre and guided by Worimi Elders, Gudida cultural educators and University of Sydney academics. Participants are welcomed onto Country and take part in experiential learning activities that focus on connection to land, story, and community.
The program will launch to external audiences for the first time in 2026. It was previously delivered to senior leaders at the University of Sydney over seven years and has since been adapted for a broader audience. To date, more than 700 University of Sydney leaders and invited external participants have completed the program.
Gudida, meaning family in the Worimi language, is a core value underpinning the program. It guides the work of the educators, who are cultural custodians and ensures participants Worimi Country with responsibility and ongoing learning.
"The strength of Gudida lies in the bridge we have built between academic rigor and the living, breathing knowledge of Culture, Community and Country,” said Andrew Smith, CEO of the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council.
“After seven years of successful collaboration, we are proud to open this circle to external leaders.
“This isn't just a course; it is an invitation to step out of the 'Ego-system' and into a profound 'Eco-system' where leadership is redefined by connection and truth-telling about our shared responsibility to Mother Earth as ‘custodians together’."
The Cultural Immersion Executive Leadership Program is delivered on Worimi Country. Photo credit: Gabrielle Russell / The University of Sydney
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LinkThe Cultural Immersion Executive Leadership Program is designed to help senior leaders gain practical insights to inform decision-making and leadership. Participating organisations can benefit from stronger relationships, better decisions, and lasting organisational change.
The program differs from traditional leadership development offerings by emphasising presence, connection and truth-telling. Through cultural immersion and critical self-reflection, participants are encouraged to question assumptions, confront uncomfortable histories, and examine how culture shapes identity, power and leadership practice.
“We’re very pleased to open the program to senior leaders across Australia. This program has been developed over many years of close collaboration with the Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council, and reflects our shared commitment to values led engagement, respectful learning and community‑led design”, said Professor Gabrielle Russell, Director of the National Centre for Cultural Competence.
Participants of the program at the Murrook Culture Centre. Photo credit: Gabrielle Russell / The University of Sydney
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LinkWe encourage participants to arrive with open minds, ready to sit with discomfort as a necessary part of genuine growth and transformation
Professor Gabrielle Russell
Academic Director, National Centre for Cultural Competence
Applications now open
The 2026 Cultural Immersion Executive Leadership Program will run from 11–14 August 2026 at the Murrook Cultural Centre on Worimi Country. Applications are now open to senior leaders and executives from across sectors who demonstrate a commitment to culturally responsive leadership and organisational change. Spaces are limited, and early applications are encouraged.
For further information, visit the National Centre for Cultural Competence webpage. Questions can be sent to nccc@sydney.edu.au
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