Skip to main content
GDP: Induction to Higher Education Governance for New Governors banner

GDP: Induction to Higher Education Governance for New Governors

This one-day event provides an opportunity for new Governors to come together to understand their roles and responsibilities as members of the governing body.

Overview

This will provide new governors in higher education institutions with the necessary background, briefing and understanding to enable them to perform their duties and act as an effective member of the governing body.

The event will introduce attendees to the higher education policy environment and the consequences of recent and ongoing policy developments and debate for the role and responsibilities of a governor, and how institutions face current and future challenges. 

Attendees will receive a comprehensive overview of governance approaches and policies across higher education institutions. They will have the opportunity to learn from the valuable experience and expertise of current governors in various areas, including the student experience and the intricate relationships between university management and governance. This knowledge will enable you to effectively hit the ground running and make a meaningful impact as governors.

This is a standalone 1 day event, which takes place twice during the academic year. 

 


 

Who is this event for?

This event is designed to support and prepare those new to higher education governance for their roles and duties, and to inform individuals who might be considering embarking on a governance role within their institution.

 


Learning Outcomes

  1. Enable you to understand your role and responsibilities as an HE governor and gain knowledge of the structure and responsibilities of a governing body.   
  2. Enhance your understanding of the HE policy environment.   
  3. Improve your skills as a governor and how to effect change.  

     


Agenda

10:00   Welcome and Introductions - Aaron Porter, Associate Director (Governance), Advance HE

10:20   What new Governors Need to Know About the Higher Education Policy Environment - Alex Bols, Chief of Staff, University of East Anglia

11:00   Understanding the Role and Responsibilities of a Higher Education Governor - Alison Jones, University Secretary, University of Huddersfield

11:45   Break

12:00   The Student Experience - Jonathan Neves, Head of Research and Surveys, Advance HE

12:20   Governance in Higher Education - Aaron Porter, Associate Director (Governance), Advance HE

12:35   Sharing the Experiences of Being a Governor - Kim Ansell, Senior Consultant Governance and Leadership, Advance HE & Alison Allden, Associate, Advance HE

13:00   Close


Speakers

Speakers and presenter for the event are being approached and will include experts from Advance HE and experienced policy and governance professionals from higher education.

Aaron Porter

Associate Director (Governance)
,
Advance HE
AP
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.

Alex Bols

Chief of Staff
,
University of East Anglia
Alex Bols
Dr Alex Bols is Chief of Staff at the University of East Anglia before which he was Deputy Chief Executive Officer at GuildHE – one of the representative bodies in UK higher education – from 2014-2024. He was previously Executive Director of the 1994 Group, Head of Higher Education and Assistant Director (Research) at NUS, Senior Campaigns, Conferences and Events Officer at Universities UK and Secretary General of the European Students’ Union.

Jonathan Neves

Head of Business Intelligence & Surveys
,
Advance HE
Jonathan-Neves
Jonathan joined Advance HE in 2015, bringing with him 16 years’ experience in customer insight and market research. Jonathan graduated from the University of Liverpool with a degree in Geography, and is a full member of the Market Research Society. Heading up the insights and student surveys portfolio at Advance HE, Jonathan is co-author of the Advance HE-HEPI Student Academic Experience Survey report, and is responsible for the overall strategy for the UK Engagement Survey as well as the Postgraduate Taught and Research Experience Surveys (PTES and PRES). Jonathan has also worked across the sector collaborating on the use of the UK Engagement Survey within Learning Gain pilots.

Kim Ansell

Senior Consultant Governance and Leadership
,
Advance HE
Kim Ansell
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.

Alison Allden

Associate
,
Advance HE
Alison Allden
Since retiring as Chief Executive Officer of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), Alison has developed a non-executive portfolio and consultancy career. She is currently Deputy Chair of Regents University London Ltd and on the Board of Study Group UK. She is also a member of the Bar Standards Board responsible for the regulation of barristers.

Alison Jones

University Secretary
,
University of Huddersfield
AlisonJones
Alison joined the University of Huddersfield in 2020 as University Secretary and has worked in professional higher education administration, leadership and management for over 30 years. Prior joining Huddersfield, she provided interim leadership and guidance on strategic and operational planning at Oxford Brookes University following five years as the University Secretary and Director of Planning, Legal and Governance at the University of Bradford.

Alison studied for an undergraduate degree in Literature and Philosophy at Middlesex University and for a Masters in Strategic Decision Making at the University of Leeds, specialising in research and analysis into University governance structures and decision making following the publication of the Dearing Report.

Alison’s role at Huddersfield incorporates support for executive and governing body governance; legal and statutory compliance; information governance and health and safety. She served as the Chair of the Higher Education Strategic Planners Association (HESPA) for a number of years, through which she served on the Complete University Guide Steering Group and the HESA Data Futures Programme Board. She was formerly the Legal Blog Champion for the Association of Heads of University Administration.

 

"I'm new to the sector so it was a great introduction to the differences and similarities in governance"

Beverly Shears, Independent governor, De Montfort University


 

Delivery

This event will be delivered virtually through Zoom, with joining instructions sent out by the governance team two weeks before the day of the event.

Along with the joining instructions and links delegates will receive a copy of the programme, with finalised timings, topics, and speakers.

The event will be delivered as as a series of presentations, discussions and panels, with time after each for questions and comments.

For any enquiries regarding the event please contact the Programmes and Events Team at:

[email protected]

 


 

Rachel Hewitt HEPI

Three key lessons for new governors

Rachel Hewitt, HEPI’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, advises new governors on how to navigate the policy environment
Your form submission could not be saved. Please try again.
Your form submission has been successful.

Enquire about GDP: Intro to HE Governance for New Governors

Please complete the form below to register your interest in GDP: Intro to HE Governance for New Governors. We use the information we collect to ensure that the event you are interested in is right for you and to contact you about your interest in the event.


You can also choose to sign up to our email list to receive the latest news, reports and research from around the sector, information on Advance HE services and awards that can support you in your role.

Why not also subscribe to our newsletters to stay up to date?

Please ensure you understand our terms of use, cookie policy and privacy policy.

We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.