20 May 2026 - Emma Piercy, Head of Climate Change & Energy Policy at Food and Drink Federation and a student on the Master’s in Sustainability Leadership Flexible Route. Emma shares a day of her workshop in Cambridge.
My day begins with…
When in Cambridge, I like to stay at my college – Fitzwilliam – and that’s where my days start when on a workshop residential. At breakfast, I sit with people from the course and across other disciplines, all with such a wide range of backgrounds. The college experience is one of the great things about studying at Cambridge and CISL, so it's always exciting to see who you’re going to meet next, even at the start of the day!
After breakfast, I head back to my room, prepare for the day ahead and then make my way across to the workshop venue. I like to leave lots of time to walk different routes and to collect my thoughts – after all, it will be a long day ahead!
The workshop starts with…
The day’s workshops start with some networking and a top-up of coffee before starting the morning sessions.
After an intro to the day, there is a range of session types with interactive features to make sure that everyone is engaged and participating. These are presentations, panel sessions, small group work with industry representatives, academics and others which are all very engaging. There is a mid-morning break with some snacks, and then at lunchtime I head to one of the cafés where I can also use my student discount.
Between sessions we…
Between sessions and in our free time, there are many opportunities to engage with other students. Sometimes you’ll enjoy sharing lunchtime with others, and at other times you may wish for a bit of quiet time after the intensity of the morning and the afternoon to come. If the weather is good, spending some time outside or a walk to the supermarket also helps to get the steps in!
The break times are also good for that opportunity to catch the person you want to introduce yourself to and find out more about – maybe they’ve said something in one of the sessions that has really resonated with you, or you think they may be a good contact for your work – and so that’s your chance to go and say hello.
After lunch we…
After lunch, the interactive afternoon sessions start, and on Wednesday afternoon consist of leadership sessions with really inspiring speakers – a privilege to attend. A particularly memorable one was the life story of a gentleman who survived the genocide in Rwanda, and now is undertaking a PhD at Cambridge looking at reconciliation in post-conflict zones. Very illuminating perspectives of leadership which really make you think.
After sessions finish, I have the opportunity to...
There are many different things you can do in the evenings. I like to go to the supermarket and then prepare some food back at the accommodation and eat outside on the lawn at Fitzwilliam, taking in the atmosphere and the nice weather. I’ll use the college gym and will also join a social event that’s laid on – recently enjoying a wine tasting organised by the cohorts' social team.
After a day of learning, I feel…
After a full day, my head can be so full of information and ideas on what I can take back to the office or indeed thinking about the fascinating people I’ve met!
I think it's really nice to be able to get out of the workplace into this workshop environment, and on a course with such standing that stretches you on competencies that you’re perhaps not familiar with. You really grow as a person, both in credibility and confidence, and with all the people you meet, the connections you make and the life stories you here, you see that anything is possible, and that it is up to you as an individual to make and take the opportunities that you can.
I am excited by…
The workshop leaves you brimming with ideas on things you can do, and how you could apply the principles of what you’re learning to your own work context. Like working through a literature review to hone your research question, it’s good to get all your ideas down and then start funnelling to help you prioritise on what to focus on first – so many great ideas!
I think also, although the workshops are quite intense, and your head is full of all the great things you’ve learned and ideas you’ve created, you also leave feeling energised and inspired. One of the great things about Cambridge is the people that you meet, whatever discipline they are in, and how passionate and motivated they are in their subjects. For us on the sustainability journey, it can sometimes feel quite lonely, pushing a big stone up the hill – but these opportunities to come together with like-minded people, at a setting outside the workplace, to develop ourselves but for a common cause, give that feeling of reset and a recharge of batteries that we all need!
The Master’s in Sustainability Leadership is designed to develop leaders who can respond effectively to the economic, social and environmental challenges facing the world and lead others to achieve positive change. The Master’s Flexible Route is studied part-time over 5-10 years and is designed for working mid‑career professionals. Contact the team to find out if applications are still being considered for 2026 entry. Find out more, download the brochure and apply here.
