This chapter outlines the Building Programme Leadership Strategy employed by an Australian research-intensive university. The strategy had two desired outcomes: for programme leaders (PLs) to see themselves as leaders of learning and teaching and; for the University community to recognise, enable and support the leadership role of PLs. The chapter focuses on three core principles that underpinned the professional learning approach deployed: leadership with a purpose; developing leadership as well as leaders; and PLs as agents of change.

Through a participatory action research method, the authors in collaboration with PLs developed and facilitated a series of activity over a 4 year action-research cycle: a Leadership Series of professional learning workshops for PLs and team members; a Programme Leaders' Network; and programme-level action learning projects for programme teams. The chapter provides a brief overview of the programme leadership development strategy, focuses on the professional learning approaches and how these approaches influenced a shift in perceptions and practices of programme leadership by individual PLs and teams along with the valuing of programme leadership by the broader university system. In the Practitioner Response Karatsiori, a PL working in a Greek HEI, considers how this approach could work in Europe.