Three students selected as Laidlaw Scholars in most competitive year to date

The  Laidlaw Leadership and Research Programme is a prestigious programme in which students embark on ethical leadership journeys and undertake unique research. Despite being the most competitive application round in the history of this prestigious programme, Ellie Barton, Lauren Landowski and Chuqing Tang have all been selected, which means Murray Edwards received the joint highest number of students across all of the Cambridge Colleges.

Before 2026, the programme was open to only a handful of colleges – Murray Edwards, Trinity Hall, Newnham and Fitzwilliam. This year, however, the programme has been opened up to everyone from the University, making the selection process even more competitive.

Dr Gavin Stevenson, Deputy Senior Tutor and Director of Student Development said:

“I’d like to extend my congratulations to the new cohort of Murray Edwards Laidlaw Scholars who secured a place through the most competitive application round yet. A fabulous achievement and I look forward to hearing about their experiences going forward."

Students commented:

"Being accepted to the Laidlaw Scholars Programme excites me because it offers the opportunity to meet likeminded individuals who are driven and want to make a positive impact on both the local and global community. I hope to get a better understanding of ethical leadership, whilst also exploring cultures which I don’t have previous knowledge of. The programme is certainly important; it offers students the chance to significantly improve their leadership and collaborative skills alongside academic learning." Ellie Barton

"I’m incredibly excited to have been accepted into the Laidlaw Programme, where I’ll have the opportunity to develop my leadership skills and put these into practice over the 2-year programme. I’m looking forward to the summer placement this year, where I can apply my new skills to lead a project in Cambridge, and to connect with an international community of Laidlaw Scholars. I’m especially excited for the international research component next summer, and to see where that takes me! What makes this programme so important is the emphasis it places on ethical leadership (something our world is in desperate need of!) and I’m proud to be a part of that." Lauren Landowski

“Being accepted onto this programme is a meaningful step in my journey as an engineer working across biomaterials and computational modelling. It gives me the chance to deepen my research skills and learn from leading experts. I hope to broaden my perspective and contribute to projects with real scientific impact. This programme matters because it empowers young researchers to tackle complex challenges through interdisciplinary innovation.” Chuqing Tang

Now in its new home at King’s E-Lab, the Laidlaw Foundation Leadership & Research Programme at Cambridge University is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders. The partnership between the E-Lab and the Laidlaw Programme brings a dynamic fusion of innovation and entrepreneurship, strengthening the programme’s commitment to data-driven decision-making and leadership rooted in integrity.