Character, Service and Leadership Programme

The Rhodes Scholarship Character, Service and Leadership Programme (CSLP) is a bespoke learning programme that runs alongside Scholars’ main study commitments. It offers varied opportunities for Rhodes Scholars to come together as a community, to share their own knowledge and experience and learn from each other about how to navigate a world in which they will encounter complex and difficult problems, in whatever sphere they are working and living.

The CSLP distinguishes the Rhodes Scholarship from other postgraduate fellowship programmes.  It enables Scholars to reflect on and develop their own self-awareness and refine their internal compass; it encourages them to connect with others, learn through difference and build a community together; and it equips them to engage with the world, in all its complexity.  

The time commitment expected of CSLP is designed in quantity and scheduling to allow Scholars to engage alongside the other demands of their academic programmes and life in Oxford.  There are some core (mandatory) elements and other elements which are opt in, and Scholars are encouraged to participate in the parts they find interesting or relevant.

Scholars Elect are introduced to the CSLP as they are preparing to come to Oxford. The programme provides an environment for Scholars to develop their own understanding of leadership, and builds a dynamic community of Scholars who support each other on their unique journeys. Self-discovery, critical thinking and learning from each other are at the heart of the programme. 

Experiences at CSLP are varied: from interactive workshops to speaker sessions, from enriching trips and cultural events to Scholar-led initiatives that focus on the needs of the community of Scholars.  We celebrate our Scholars’ commitment to a shared mission and vision, as well as enabling Scholars to develop and reach individual goals.

This interactive graphic shows how the CSLP provides different opportunities for Scholars to learn during their time in Oxford, as well as providing the spaces for them to engage with other communities - both locally and more broadly in the UK. It centres Scholar-led learning, as this reflects our commitment to building a learning community in which Scholars are each others' best teachers. The spiral indicates our understanding of learning as non-linear and the programme enables Scholars to follow their own paths to ensure that the CSLP is relevant and accessible to everyone.

The primary learning and reflective format utilised is the ‘Learning Pod’, which are set up during Welcome Weeks, and provide a more intimate environment for Scholars, right from the beginning of their time in Oxford. Each Learning Pod comprises about 8 to 10 Scholars, with a Scholar Alumni Facilitator (typically around 5 to 15 years out from their Oxford experience). These small groups collaborate throughout the time in Oxford, co-creating micro-cultures that evolve into learning spaces. Scholars build rapport, reflect and engage with each other in these spaces more fully and openly.

Scholar Alumni pod facilitators and upper year Scholar Programme Facilitators role-model and facilitate these interactions, using curated readings and exercises as primers to explore themes such as leadership, identity, courage, risk and impact in the world.

Additional programming organised by the Trust includes big issues and themed lectures, fireside chats, town halls, immersive learning experiences, salon dinners, trips in the UK to explore issues around the Rhodes Trust’s ongoing work on Legacy, hiking trips to Patagonia. There is also additional programming for upper years, including DPhil (PhD) Writing Retreats, and other ways to come together to share and learn from each other.

The Scholar-led programme for and by Scholars in Residence is responsive to Scholars’ own energies and priorities. It can include open mics, cultural events and festivals, a liberation fellowship reading group, and Scholar led evenings called ‘Show Me Why You Love It’ and ‘Show Me Why You Love Home’ sharing passions and understandings of home with each other. Other programming can often be with different communities, including Afrisoc, OxfordHub, engaging with the Rhodes Artist in Residence, and the Oxford Story Museum.

Over the years, the CSLP has evolved significantly in its quest for inclusivity and accessibility. It has developed a unique identity, continuously evolving based on feedback from Scholars. With the Rhodes Trust having recently marked its 120th anniversary, it has been vital to continue to consider constructive feedback about the programme and to ensure that Scholar perspectives are adequately represented. 
The culture of CSLP and Rhodes Scholars in Residence is built on principles of accessibility and consent. Scholars are introduced to these ideas as Scholars Elect, and in mandatory workshops during Welcome Weeks, facilitated by 2nd and upper year Scholars.