Advance HE Clerks and Secretaries Network Event

Overview

This event is for a nationwide network of governance professionals, where Secretaries, Clerks, and governance staff come together to collaborate, share best practices, and exchange experiences regarding the central challenges they face in their roles and within their respective institutions.

As governing bodies and senior management teams rely on the expertise of professional staff, including Clerks and Secretaries, this event provides a valuable opportunity to collectively address the changes necessary to meet the evolving demands of the operating environment. Attendees will have the chance to explore the shifting policy and regulatory landscape that the sector faces, understanding its implications for the ongoing development of governance professionals' roles and requirements.

Moreover, this event serves as a platform for governance professionals in higher education to gain insights from the approaches and experiences of other institutions. Learn from lessons garnered in various sectors and explore how they can be adapted and applied within the unique context of higher education.

This is a standalone one-day event.

Join us at Advance HE Clerks and Secretaries Network Event

13 May 2026
London

Broadway House, Tothill St, London SW1H 9NQ

T+Cs

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Who is the event for?

This event is designed to support and bring together Registrars, Clerks, Secretaries and governance professionals and will be of use to those with experience in university governance along with individuals just starting out on their career.

Learning Outcomes

Further build networks with other governance professionals across higher education.
Explore the shifting policy and regulatory landscape that the sector faces, understanding its implications for the ongoing development of governance professionals' roles and requirements.
Learn from lessons garnered in various sectors and explore how they can be adapted and applied within the unique context of higher education.

Agenda

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

10:15 In Conversation with Philippa Pickford - Philippa Pickford, Director of Regulation, Office for Students

11:05 The New CUC Code: What it Means for Sector Governance - James Dunphy, CEO, Committee of University Chairs

12:00 Lunch

12:50 Councils are from Mars and Executives are from Venus: The complicated leadership relationship between a Board and an Exec - Ben Vulliamy, Executive Director, AHUA & Helen Galbraith, incoming Chair, AHUA

13:30 Refreshing the AHE Governance Framework - Kim Ansell, Senior Consultant, Governance and Strategic Transformation, Advance HE

14:15 Table Discussions: Changing Governance Landscape

15:00 Close

Speakers

Speakers for the event are being approached and will include University leaders and regulators, along with senior governance professionals from both inside and outside the HE sector.

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.

Philippa Pickford

Director of Regulation
,
Office for Students (OfS)

Philippa Pickford is Director of Regulation at the Office for Students. She leads on the OfS’s approach to regulation, including the development, implementation and continuous improvement of our approach to regulatory decisions, interventions and enforcement.

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.

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.

Dr Helen Galbraith

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience)
,
University of Chester

Helen joined the University in February 2021 after spending five years at Keele University as Academic Registrar and Secretary. Helen's role at Keele encompassed oversight of student welfare and support services, planning and registry services, and corporate and academic governance.

Before arriving at Keele in 2016, Helen spent her career in a range of professional roles at the University of Bristol, latterly as Director of Strategic Planning and Projects. Other roles Helen held at Bristol encompassed research development, education and governance. While at Bristol Helen also pursued her own research, completing a PhD in Russian music and poetry through part-time study.

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.

Delivery

This event will be delivered in-person, 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 a day of presentations, discussions and panels, with ample time given to allow networking and interaction between attendees.

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

[email protected]