09:30-10:30

Registration 

10:30-10:35

Welcome to Empower Vision

Mark Pickett

A welcome and introduction to Empower Vision from Tribal's CEO, Mark Pickett.

10:35-11:15

Welcome

Emma Woodcock - Chief Information Officer, York St John University

UCISA has been supporting its members to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of higher education for over 30 years. In that time, the role of digital has grown in importance, and digital leaders are now expected to drive institutional transformation and change forward. However, delivering the great digital experience that our students and staff expect is easier said than done. It is now widely appreciated that digital is a “team sport”, relying on high levels of engagement and leadership from all areas of the organisation.

Join us to hear Emma share insights into the various challenges and opportunities that digital leaders face and the role UCISA plays in support. 

11:20-12:00

How Vice-Chancellors are leading the Transition of Higher Education

Ian Matthias - Head of Higher Education, PA Consulting

This engaging presentation will unveil the latest findings from PA's Survey of Vice-Chancellors, providing an overview of the higher education landscape. The session will guide you through the survey's results, offering valuable insights and perpectives from Vice Chancellor's within the sector.

12:00-13:00

Networking Lunch

13:05-13:40

The Power of Change - Turning Challenges into Opportunities (Panel Discussion)

Cheryl Watson - Executive Director, Tribal Group
Professor Alister Jones - Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Waikato
Lydia Devenny - Director of Finance, University of Huddersfield
Nick Moore - CIO, Birmingham City University
Paul Westmore - CDIO, Swansea University
Kuldip Sandhu - Transformational CIO

University leaders are skilled navigators regarding technology and process change, but today's higher education institutions face change at a scale and pace previously unimagined.

How do you effectively manage these changes? How do you ensure a successful strategy that limits disruption and the impact on productivity and budgets? How do you prioritise innovation?

Hear from our panel as they share their thinking and insight into how the ever-changing world of Higher Education provides opportunities to turn challenges into innovative strategies for success. 

13:45-14:15

Building a culture of change in HE

Paul Davies - Global Professional Services Director, Tribal Group
Jak Wood - Product Manager, Tribal Group

A look at challenges on the horizon for the sector and how to drive agility with a continuous cultural and technology mindset, not only for the project but also for post go live.

14:15-14:35

Afternoon Break

14:40-15:20

Roundtables

Roundtable 1 - How do we do more with less and continue to generate value?
Navigating evolving education demands with limited resources requires strategies that boost brand, reputation and finances in the face of changing learning needs and regulatory scrutiny. Despite increased demand, how do you begin to solve this conundrum?

Roundtable 2 - How do we scale institutional decision making?
Decision making is a core part of any senior leader's role, but fewer than 37% trust the data they need to rely on. Silos of brilliance and leadership can only move an organisation so far and so fast. How do you create a data and experience rich organisation that enables your strategy with effective decision making?

Roundtable 3 - How do we create unique, sustainable experiences for staff and students?
Experiences define engagement. Engagement creates the energy to translate strategy into success. How do you create the experiences that generates the engagement to deliver on your ambitions?

15:20-15:45

Roundtable Roundup

15:50-16:50

The Future of Student Experience: Authentic Student Voices for Meaningful Change

Reza Mosavian - Head of Student Engagement, Tribal Group
Vanessa Kutlu - Business Applications Technical Specialist, Microsoft
Robin Hallows - Principal Consultant, Surveys & Benchmarking, i-graduate
Zaynab Hussain - Student Advisory Council Member, Kings College London
Jaspreet Singh - International Student, PhD Business, Birmingham City University
Somayeh Abkar - International Student, MSc Management, Birmingham City University

In this interactive and thought-provoking session, we will delve into the critical topic of student experience within higher education. With a focus on authentic student voices and meaningful change, we will explore how students can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of their educational journey.

Together with a panel of passionate student representatives, colleagues who face daily debates on these topics and Microsoft, we will discuss challenges, opportunities, and actionable solutions to enhance the student experience. This session aims to move beyond tokenism and truly empower students to become catalysts for change within higher education institutions.

16:50-17:00

Closing note

18:00-19:30

Drinks Reception

Sponsored by Afd Software

19:30-22:30

Dinner

Sponsored by Flywire