Governance Conference 2025: Shaping the Future of HE Governance

Last year's conference explored what it means to govern with humanity in HE. We took time to reflect on how the complex and ever-changing landscape makes it more difficult than ever to navigate policy, politics, and people. Through engaging discussions and collaborative sessions, we drew on lessons learned from the past and examined how to build effective long-term governance strategies. Distinguished speakers from politics, higher education, and other sectors joined us for keynotes, panels, and interactive sessions. The conference provided valuable opportunities for Governors in higher education, Governance Professionals, and Executives to connect and learn about developments across the higher education sector, both in the UK and internationally.

Building on the success and insights from 2024, this year's conference will explore practical applications of governance with special emphasis on navigating the rapidly evolving landscape, financial sustainability, and changing student expectations. The day will also include workshops on emerging challenges in the sector, and dedicated networking sessions to facilitate deeper collaboration among institutions.

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Programme

Governance Conference 2025 Programme

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Sponsor

Peridot Partners

Established in 2009, Peridot Partners is a values-led company committed to developing the leadership of socially focused organisations through executive and board recruitment. The strength of our organisation comes from our cross-functional networks, our exceptional research team and our experience of attracting people from all sectors. In the Education Practice, we provide a bespoke and personal approach towards the recruitment of executive, academic and professional services leaders and non-executive directors across the higher education sector. Visit our website to find out more.

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Speakers

The Rt Hon Baroness Jacqui Smith

Minister for Skills

Jacqui has been Minister for Skills (including apprenticeships, Further and Higher Education) since July 2024, when she joined the House of Lords. She is also Minister for Women and Equalities, taking on lead responsibility for gender equality, women’s rights, and the UK equality framework.

Professor Edward Peck CBE

Chair of the Board
,
Office for Students (OfS)

Professor Edward Peck became Chair of the OfS board in July 2025. He has many years of experience in the higher education sector and was the Vice-Chancellor of Nottingham Trent University for over ten years. Before that, he held various senior roles at the University of Birmingham, including Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Social Sciences, Head of the School of Public Policy, and Director of the Health Services Management Centre.

Malcolm Press CBE DL

Vice-Chancellor
,
Manchester Metropolitan University

Professor Malcolm Press CBE DL is an ecologist and was appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University in 2015. He previously held positions at the Universities of Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester and UCL. He was elected as President of Universities UK to serve from 2025-27 and is also a trustee of the British Council.

Malcolm has held board level positions as a non-executive at several organisations including the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the WWF, UCAS, and the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education.

He was appointed a CBE in 2022 and a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester in 2024.

Alistair Jarvis CBE

Chief Executive
,
Advance HE

Alistair is Chief Executive of Advance HE, a member-led charity that supports higher education institutions to develop and improve with a particular focus on excellence in teaching and learning, effective governance, leadership development and embedding equality, diversity and inclusion. Advance HE has over 450 members – in the UK and internationally working with people, education providers and systems around the world, to understand challenges in higher education, and to deliver solutions. 

Khadir Meer

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Finance and Operations
,
SOAS, University of London

Khadir Meer was appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor, Finance and Operations, and Clerk to the Board of Trustees in September 2021. He joined SOAS at a time of enormous institutional turmoil with profound operational, financial, and cultural challenges, and has successfully led a process of transformation and change that was vital not only to secure the future of SOAS, but also to cultivate a fresh approach to leadership within the institution, and a thriving staff and student community.

Professor Joe Wilson

Principal of Leeds Conservatoire

Professor Joe Wilson is Principal of Leeds Conservatoire, the largest small and specialist institution in the UK in terms of student numbers. He leads an innovative institution with a broad offering of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in music and performing arts.

Ben Vulliamy

Executive Director at the Association for Heads of University Administration (AHUA)

Ben Joined the AHUA as Executive Director summer 2024 supporting the association as it developed new strategies to increase its advocacy and influencing work, develop new and existing executive level governance, operations and administration professionals and to strengthen the communities of people in those roles.

Mary Curnock Cook CBE

Independent Education Expert

Mary Curnock Cook is an independent education expert serving in a non-executive capacity on a number of Boards.

Mary is chair of Pearson Education, its UK arm, and also chairs the governing body of the Dyson Institute. She is a non-exec Director at the Student Loans Company, the London Interdisciplinary School, the Student Room and Education Cubed, and a Trustee at the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI).

Joy Elliot-Bowman

Director of Policy and Development, Independent Higher Education (IHE)

Joy leads policy development and public affairs activity for Independent Higher Education (IHE), as well as facilitating good practice across the independent sector.

Marion Lowe

Chief Executive Officer for SP Jain London School of Management and Board Member for Independent Higher Education (IHE)

Marion is the Chief Executive Officer for SP Jain London School of Management, the London branch of the SP Jain Global group, which aims to provide transformative global education opportunities for its students.

James Dunphy

Chief Executive of the Committee of University Chairs

James Dunphy is the inaugural Chief Executive of the Committee of University Chairs. He brings a background of building relationships and driving transformation - working with colleagues, stakeholders, and students to develop and make more successful higher education.

Professor Jacqueline Labbe

Lead Consultant

Professor Jacqueline Labbe is an AHEP Lead Consultant and HE Consultant specialising in governance, strategy, and developments in higher education culture. She has held a variety of senior leadership roles at both Russell Group and modern universities. She is currently Interim Dean of Academic Strategy at Central St Martins, part of the University of the Arts.

Alison Benson

Deputy Secretary and Head of Compliance
,
De Montfort University

Alison Benson is Deputy Secretary and Head of Compliance at De Montfort University, where she deputises for the Registrar and Secretary and provides strategic leadership for governance and compliance activities.

Katherine Wass

Governance and Projects Officer
,
University of Bradford

Katherine Wass has been a Governance and Projects Officer at the University of Bradford since 2018, working across corporate and academic governance processes including support for the Audit and Risk Committee and University Senate.

Kim Ansell

Senior Consultant Governance and Leadership
,
Advance HE

Kim has worked across higher and professional education providing support to groups at all levels including senior leadership teams and Boards, to facilitate change, strategic thinking, planning and performance improvement.

Dan Tinkler

Governance Development Manager
,
Advance HE

Dan joined Advance HE in January 2020 and has been in the post of Governance Development Manager since October 2021. Dan works on developing our approach to supporting Advance HE’s member needs across our governance portfolio of work.

Aaron Porter

Associate Director (Governance)
,
Advance HE

Aaron leads on Advance HE governance activity through the delivery of our national Governor Development Programme which engages with around 900 governors across the UK on an annual basis. He has extensive experience leading reviews of over 25 governing boards. Aaron was previously President of the National Union of Students (NUS) and also chair of trustees for the organisation.