Governance Conference 2026: Governing and Leading Transformation

Building on the success and insights from 2025, 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.

Governance Conference 2026

Date: 8 December 2026
Location: Leonardo Royal Hotel London City

Booking Information

We are pleased to offer a 5% early booking discount on bookings made before 30 September 2026:

Member Ticket (Early Booking): £380
Non-Member Ticket (Early Booking): £505

Standard pricing:

Member Ticket: £400
Non-Member Ticket: £530

Book your place

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.

Esther Roberton

Chair of Court
,
University of Dundee

Esther Roberton is an expert in civic, corporate and constitutional governance. She has spent a lifetime in public service, recently elected as Chair of Court at University of Dundee. Before that Interim Chair of NHS Lothian, Chair of NHS24 and a Non-Executive Director of the Scottish Government. In 2017 she was asked to Chair the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation for the Scottish Government and was a Press Complaints Commissioner from 2007 to 2014. In the 1990s, Esther was Coordinator of the Scottish Constitutional Convention whose 1995 publication ‘Scotland's Parliament, Scotland's Right’ provided the route map for devolution.

Professor Jane Harrington

Vice Chancellor and CEO
,
University of Greenwich

Professor Jane Harrington has been a senior leader in HE for the last 22 years and for the last 6 years as Vice Chancellor and CEO of the university of Greenwich. Prior to that she was Deputy Vice Chancellor and Provost at the university of the West of England. Jane is currently leading with Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura the merger of the University of Greenwich and the University of Kent to create a multi university group. Jane’s teaching and research interests have been focussed on access and inclusivity and employment studies. Jane is passionate about collaboration and partnerships and is proud of the role that the University of Greenwich has played in TNE.

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.

Catherine Sykes MBE

Vice Principal Governance & Compliance
,
Hull College

Catherine is Vice Principal Governance & Compliance at Hull College and a National Leader of Governance with the Department for Education. At Hull College, she played a key role in leading the institution out of intervention while enhancing the effectiveness of its board. In her role as Chair of the AoC Governance Professionals regional network, alongside her wider national contributions to governance development, Catherine offers a broad sector perspective, strong regulatory understanding, and a continuous improvement approach to board evaluation and review.

Anne currently serves in multiple senior board roles, including Chair of The Sandwell Colleges, Chair of Council at Lincoln Bishop University, Vice Chair of Nacro, and Deputy Chair of the National Residential Landlords Association. Recent governance experience also includes Trustee of AQA and former Chair of a multi academy trust.

From skills audit to strategic advantage

How can university boards ensure they have the right people around the table to deliver an increasingly complex strategic agenda? This interactive session explores a shift away from traditional, backward-looking skills audits towards a strategic, risk-led approach to board recruitment, aligned with the expectations of the CUC Code of Governance 2026. Attendees will consider how to identify the skills, networks and perspectives needed to address institutional risks and opportunities - and how to build a board that can provide effective challenge, insight and support. Drawing on lessons from the FE sector’s governance transformation over the past decade, alongside cross-sector insights from health, charity and education, the workshop will also examine how to attract and retain more diverse board talent. Attendees will leave with practical ideas to strengthen board composition, enhance governance culture, and ensure their governing body is truly equipped to deliver long-term institutional success.