The project aimed to establish a solid foundation for future transnational collaboration, with focus on high-quality adult learning opportunities, especially for 15 women leaders including disadvantaged women. The objectives included transferring know-how between partners in integral leadership, EU project management, leadership program design for women, and enhancing visibility and outreach. Key results envisioned were effective cooperation structures, a ACE Women’s Leadership program for 15 women leaders from the non-profit sector, including public administration and academia, from 10 EU countries. The ACE program provided participants with competencies for transcultural communication and leadership, and fostered inclusion, diversity, and civic participation. The selection criteria took into consideration geographic and economic disadvantages women face. We consider that women working in the non-profit sector are disadvantaged compared to women in the corporate sectors and that participants from Central European (Czech Republic) and Eastern European countries (Bulgaria) are economically disadvantaged compared to their colleagues from Nordic Europe or Western Europe.
The partner organizations from the Czech Republic, Leadership Associates (LA), a newcomer to EU-funded programs and the Institute for Integral Studies (IFIS) in Germany, joined their forces to address the limited availability of high-quality leadership development opportunities for women in the non-profit sector, including public administration and academia, in the EU. LA aimed to expand their expertise in integral leadership and partnership management in EU-funded projects, while IFIS planned to build upon previous EU-funded achievements and expand its expertise in leadership development for women. Both organizations aimed at developing their competencies for visibility and outreach, and design and delivery of a high-quality leadership program for at least 15 women-leaders and change-makers from at least 5 EU countries. This collaboration sought to bridge the gap in leadership development services, which predominantly cater to the corporate sector, leaving women in non-profit and public sectors underserved