Available to Advance HE Members only
Higher education is at a crossroads—student needs are evolving rapidly, technology is disrupting traditional models, and financial pressures demand innovative approaches. Our (Re)Designing Higher Education programme connects you with global educational leaders through three focused sessions on students, workforce, and institutions. You’ll gain access to cutting-edge case studies, evidence-based strategies, and opportunities to collaborate with peers to help your institution not just survive but thrive in this transformed landscape.
Are you interested in joining?
Booking now open for Institution Session. These sessions are for Advance HE members, don’t miss out!
Ready to Lead Educational Transformation?
Join institutional leaders from around the world in this exclusive member benefit programme.
Higher Education at a Crossroads
The landscape is changing faster than ever.
Student Evolution
Student needs and expectations are rapidly evolving. Digital natives demand personalized, flexible learning experiences that traditional models struggle to deliver.
Technology Disruption
AI and emerging technologies are challenging established assessment models while creating new opportunities for educational innovation.
Financial Pressure
Institutions must diversify income streams and improve efficiency while maintaining quality and regulatory compliance.
Global Competition
International recruitment, reputation management, and the need for global perspectives have never been more critical.
Workforce Transformation
Changing job roles require new approaches to workforce development and institutional capacity.
Success Metrics
The imperative to improve student success rates directly impacts both financial sustainability and institutional reputation.
Key Programme Elements
Three Sessions, Three Transformations
Join global education leaders in reimagining the future.
Each session combines global case studies, expert insights, and collaborative planning opportunities with institutions facing similar challenges worldwide.
Institutions
(Re)thinking structure, strategy and sustainability in higher education
Date: 16 June 2026
Time: 14:30-16:00 BST
Higher education institutions are under increasing pressure to rethink how they are organised, governed and sustained. This session explores how institutional models must evolve in response to financial constraints, technological disruption, and changing expectations from students, staff and regulators.
Through provocations from sector leaders, participants will examine:
- The future shape and purpose of the university as an institution
- New organisational and governance models to support agility and resilience
- How institutions can balance financial sustainability with educational quality and mission
- The role of partnerships, globalisation and diversification in institutional strategy
The session will combine insight, peer exchange and structured reflection to support leaders in reimagining institutional design over the next 3-5 years.
Chair: Alistair Jarvis CBE, Chief Executive, Advance HE.
Speakers: Professor Nic Beech, Vice-Chancellor, University of Salford and Professor Zoe Radnor, Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Aston University.
Workforce
Making deliberate but good organisational choices in conditions of constraint
Took place on 18 March 2026
Higher Education is facing unavoidable workforce trade-offs amid sustained financial and operational constraints. This session creates space for open discussion of the difficult design choices shaping roles, structures and institutional capacity across academic and professional services. Moving beyond incremental efficiency, it focuses on how deliberate workforce design can strengthen delivery, resilience and the ability to deliver the core mission. Participants will leave with clearer insight into how workforce configuration can better support institutional priorities amid ongoing reform.
Chair: Charles Knight
Speakers: Professor Sam Grogan, Lisa Mann and Emma Bates
Student Needs: (Re)thinking support, success and belonging in higher education
Took place on 21 January 2026.
Higher education is experiencing significant shifts in who students are, what they need, and how they experience learning and institutional life. This session invites institutional leaders and practitioners to step back and critically reflect on how well current approaches are aligned with today’s realities.
The session will include short provocations from senior sector leaders, offering perspectives on:
- The changing nature of student need and expectation
- Persistent challenges around access, wellbeing, belonging and progression
- Where sector responses may need to evolve over the next 3–5 years
The format is highly interactive, combining expert insight, peer discussion and applied reflection to support strategic thinking and institutional learning.
Speakers:
Is This Programme for You?
- Designed for educational leaders driving institutional transformation
- Institutional leadership teams.
- Heads of Learning and Teaching, Workforce Development, and Digital Transformation.
- Senior staff responsible for educational strategy, curriculum design, and student success.
- Teams leading innovation or transformation projects in higher education.
Speakers
Alistair Jarvis CBE
Chief Executive
Advance HE
Professor Nic Beech
Vice-Chancellor
University of Salford
Professor Zoe Radnor
Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic
Aston University
Jim Dickinson
Associate Editor
Wonkhe
Dr Sammy Li
Assistant Director
University of Birmingham
Dr Jummy Okoya
Associate Professor and Dean of the Office for Institutional Equity
University of East London
Professor Sam Grogan
Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience
University of Salford
Lisa Mann
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer
Arts University Bournemouth
