What we learned from the 8th ARLM Master Class
November 25, 2025
The Crawford Fund for Food Security recently wrapped up its 8th Agricultural Leadership and Management Master Class, held in Penang. The Master Class hosted 22 participants, representing 13 nations and 22 global organisations. The feedback from participants paints a clear picture. In summary they reported:
- leaving the week feeling more confident, more capable, and more connected,
- felt their leadership and management capabilities had grown,
- rated the course as highly useful and relevant,
- and would encourage their peers to attend.
Many participants spoke of how the Master Class afforded them the value of learning through doing. Activities like role plays, group exercises, and roundtable discussions helped them link leadership ideas to everyday challenges.
One participant noted that the “discussions and the subjects were highly relatable across all stages of careers. The activities and interactions helped get over any imposter syndrome very quickly.”
Several mentioned a shift in mindset, seeing “leadership less as a position and more as influence.”
Topics such as values-based leadership, communication styles, conflict resolution, theory of change and project design clearly resonated. The diversity of the group also made a difference; sharing experiences across countries and disciplines created a rich learning atmosphere.
One participant said: “As one of the less experienced individuals in the room, I found it very helpful to hear of others real life examples of challenges in management and leadership and then talk through how these have been overcome.”
Overall, the evaluation confirms that the Master Class continues to hit the mark while offering clear guidance for future improvements as we support the next generation of research leaders.
ARLM#9 will be run in Penang from the 26 April – 1 May 2026. For expressions of interest to be a part of this 9th Master Class, please email [email protected].
