The Global Leadership Experience brings together passionate and driven young people aged 15-17 from across the globe for a community-centred learning programme designed to cultivate global engagement, self-awareness, and leadership skills.

Creating social impact and driving positive change is both essential and powerful in today’s fractured world. To become a changemaker and innovator capable of tackling social, environmental, political, and economic challenges at both local and global levels, you must first develop your leadership, critical thinking, and decision-making skills while gaining a global perspective. The Global Leadership Experience offers you the opportunity to embark on this transformative journey and make a real difference.

2025 Course Information

Date: 2nd-16th August 2025
📍 Location: UWC Atlantic, St Donat’s Castle, Wales, UK CF61 1WF
🏠 Accommodation: Included
Ages: 15-17 year olds
👥 Course capacity: 48 places
💷 Fee: £2,995 GBP per person
💸 Scholarships: 8 places at 50% reduced fee
Application open: mid-March. Deadline to apply: 20th April 2025

Course Fees

£2,995 GBP per person, including all boarding, catering, activity fees and GuardMe insurance (if applicable). Fee is also inclusive of optional transfer to/from Heathrow Airport. The fee does not include flights or assistance within the airport such as unaccompanied minor services with airlines, participant spending money, visa fees or travel costs outside of the transfers.

SCHOLARSHIPS

8 places are available with financial assistance of 50% of the course fee (£1,497.50). If you require financial support, please be sure to complete the scholarship application form. Please note that scholarship places are limited and highly competitive, so it is recommended that you apply for the scholarship only if you are unable to cover the full course fee. You cannot apply to both and the application cannot be transferred. Financial support is available for the course fee only.

SUPPLEMENTS

Additional charges that you may incur as a fee to GLE are as follows:
– If you plan to use the unaccompanied minor airline service with your airline you are required to book an airside service at Heathrow Airport. We can provide service suggestions.
– If you have unexpected changes to travel a fee of £200 GBP per person plus additional transport costs (i.e. taxis) applies).

Course Information

The course will be held at UWC Atlantic from Saturday 2nd to Saturday 16th August 2025 for up to 48 participants. Applications are open to 15-17 year olds. As GLE is conducted in English, all participants must be proficient in the language.

Contact Us

If you need to get in touch, contact us by email gle@uwcatlanticexperience.com or call (+44) 1446 799 000

Insurance

As part of GLE, international students living outside of the UK will benefit from GuardMe insurance as part of the course fee:

The policy provides cover for participants including:
– extensive medical coverage up to £10,000,000 that includes treatments at any clinics or hospitals – public or private – for any unexpected medical condition
– medical and quarantine expenses related to Covid-19 if there are no travel restrictions in place
– Digital Doctor: students will be able to schedule an online appointment with a doctor who will also be able to send prescriptions online. This will avoid any long wait for a GP appointment in person.

The Global Leadership Experience is a two-week residential programme held at UWC Atlantic, a 12th-century castle on the South Wales coast, UK, and an accredited official UWC short course. Delivered in collaboration with Where There Be Dragons, the programme is filled with engaging workshops, thought-provoking discussions, and outdoor exploration – challenging you mentally, emotionally, and physically to foster inner growth and personal development.

Working in Collaboration with Where There Be Dragons

Since 1993 Where There Be Dragons has pioneered the field of cross-cultural experiential education, guiding small groups of high school, college, and adult students through community-immersed learning programmes that foster global engagement, self-awareness, and leadership skills. Dragons is known for challenging dominant cultural paradigms and fostering holistic growth in participants through highly mentored experiential education.

The Global Leadership Experience aims to create a global community of young thinkers and changemakers dedicated to developing the leadership required for a sustainable and equitable future. The programme is designed to help participants explore key leadership themes:

• Exploring Leadership Styles – Understanding different leadership approaches and their impact.
• Discovering Your Own Leadership – Identifying personal strengths, values, and leadership potential.
• Leading with Purpose – Aligning leadership with meaningful goals and social impact.
• Resilient Leadership – Developing adaptability, emotional intelligence, and perseverance.
• Ethical Leadership & Decision-Making – Navigating complex moral and ethical dilemmas.
• Collaborative Leadership – Building effective teamwork and communication skills.
• Cross-Cultural Leadership – Understanding diverse perspectives in a globalised world.
• Systems Thinking & Leadership – Examining how leaders influence and navigate complex systems.
• Leadership in Action – Applying leadership skills to real-world challenges and initiatives.
• Making a Difference – Turning leadership skills into meaningful change at local and global levels.

Programme Aims

The Global Leadership Experience seeks to foster global collaboration by bringing together passionate young people from diverse backgrounds to work towards common goals for a better future. You will gain the skills needed to lead effectively, ethically, and purposefully in a rapidly evolving world. By stepping outside your comfort zone, you will experience personal and professional growth, develop self-awareness and cultivate a mindset of curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving to tackle complex issues and create innovative solutions. You will also gain a global perspective, deepening your understanding of current global challenges and the interconnectedness of people, systems, and cultures.

Skills Development and Exploration

Through experiential learning created and facilitated by Where There Be Dragons, you will have the opportunity to build a strong foundation in critical thinking and personal reflection on issues of identity, diversity, and social responsibility. Engaging in a range of workshops and activities, you will explore what defines you as a person and aspiring leader, how this shapes your vision for change, and what type of leadership is needed to create the future world you imagine.

Leadership in Action and Reflection

Guided by facilitators from Where There Be Dragons, you will have the opportunity to reflect on your learning journey through various activities and self-reflection sessions. Throughout the programme, you will work in groups, putting into practice the lessons you’ve learned, and actively contributing to shaping and leading sessions.

Outdoor Adventures

Drawing upon the resources that the beautiful surroundings offer, The Atlantic Experience Team at UWC Atlantic will challenge you to develop your leadership skills through creative and exciting outdoor adventures. These experiences will (safely) push you beyond your comfort zone as you work together with your peers to overcome fears whilst discovering your strengths and potential.