Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Leadership and Management Essentials Program is a comprehensive course designed to equip emerging, mid-level, and senior business leaders and executives with the skills and knowledge necessary to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in their organizations.

Program Benefits

This program offers numerous benefits for both individuals and organizations, including:

• Gain awareness and understanding of the entrepreneurship and innovation imperative
• Build knowledge and skills to evaluate and apply innovation tools and frameworks
• Acquire enhanced understanding and application of design thinking
• Move innovation from intention to practice
• Gain insight about the cultural and behavioral shifts needed to adopt entrepreneurial and innovative approaches to business

For organizations, the benefits include:

• Recognize the triggers for innovation and assess the potential of entrepreneurial opportunities
• Identify opportunities within the organization to capture innovation and leverage entrepreneurial behavior
• Build internal capabilities to apply design thinking to enable small and large-scale innovation and continuous improvement, building and improving customer experience in organizations
• Be ahead of the curve by providing pathways for the organization to innovate and stay relevant

Key Information

• Dates: 2 full day modules, 9:00am to 4:30pm, 21-22 Sept 2026
• Delivery Location: Adelaide University, L7, 10 Pulteney Street, Adelaide
• Who this is suited to: Emerging, mid-level, and senior business leaders and executives from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors

What You Can Expect

This course will cover the following topics:

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fundamentals
• Design and Entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurial Growth
• Recognising Opportunities
• From Product to Enterprise Design
• Entrepreneurship in the Corporate Setting

Key areas of consideration will include:

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation – Global, organizational, and individual perspectives
• Innovation and the entrepreneurial process
• Sources of opportunity
• The push and pull dynamics of opportunity
• Your business opportunity landscape
• When is an idea an opportunity?
• Design as an economic concept
• Design thinking and process
• Designing the value proposition
• Business growth principles including evolutions and revolutions, stage transitions, and dynamic states
• A systems view of enterprise
• The paradox of entrepreneurship
• Differences in strategic approach
• The Ambidextrous Organisation

Learning Materials and Catering

All participants will receive a hard copy workbook upon arrival. The course is fully catered, including morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea.

Learn from the Experts

The program features expert instructors, including Sarah Curtis-Fawley, who brings a wealth of experience in entrepreneurship, innovation, and business management.

Sarah Curtis-Fawley

Sarah Curtis-Fawley is a dual citizen of Australia and the United States, with a background in psychology and business. She has managed national research projects, launched and sold a successful specialty wholesale bakery and hospitality company, and currently serves as a Non-Executive Director for several start-ups and scale-up businesses. Sarah lectures at UniSA Business and is the Managing Director of R&D Pumps and Power and Thinkwater Fleurieu.

Customization

If this program isn't exactly what you are looking for, customized education solutions can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization.

Cancellation Policy

The University of South Australia reserves the right to cancel events and issue refunds. In the event that an attendee cannot attend, a substitute is welcome to attend in their place. No refunds will be given unless 21 days' notice is given in writing prior to the date of the planned event. If less than 21 days, the fee can be used for the same course at a later stage or another course of the same value.