University Alliance Annual Summit 2015: Anticipation. Disruption. Excellence.

The Annual Summit welcomes University Alliance colleagues including Vice-Chancellors, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellors, Communications Leads, Deans and anyone else at Alliance universities who is interested in our work.

The outcome of the 2015 General Election is impossible to predict. Government policy and spending post-election is even more of an unknown. From the economy to immigration down to the detail of higher education policy, we just do not know what the future holds. What we do know is that over the next year we are going to face some tough announcements and tougher choices.

The University Alliance Summit on 4 June will be an early opportunity for staff at Alliance universities to come together to reflect on the General Election one month on. We will get sector, industry and political insight into the post-election landscape and have the chance to discuss what it means for us. We will be inviting the new ministers responsible for UK science and English higher education to speak at the Summit.

We also want to use the Summit to consider how Alliance universities can support UK-wide competitiveness and facilitate and foster disruptive change and innovation by acting as challenger institutions.

The Summit is being held at the Newport City Campus of the University of South Wales from 12.00 until 18.30.

Last year’s Summit provided over 120 delegates from across Alliance universities with a valuable opportunity to build our collective voice in the face of an increasingly competitive and political environment in the run up to the General Election in 2015.

Programme

10.30 – 12.00

Pre-summit Morning Fringe events

• Wonkhe workshop: Twitter Surgery

  Mark Leach, founder, Editor in Chief and Director, Wonkhe, on how to get the most out of Twitter. One-to-one and group session.

• Teaching and Learning DVC / PVC Network on HE teaching quality, can it really be measured?' (11.00 - 12.00)

• Communications Network

• International Network

• DTA Management Group meeting

12.00

Registration opens for UA Summit 2015

12.00 – 12.45

Networking lunch

12.45

Welcome by Professor Julie Lydon, Vice Chancellor of University of South Wales

Brief welcome from Bob Bright, Newport City Council Leader

12.50

Opening plenary

Professor Julie Lydon: Introductory Speech – weathering the storm of change

1.00

Disruption and challengers

Speeches and Q&A discussion chaired by Professor Lydon

Alliance universities as challenger institutions

Maddalaine Ansell, Chief Executive, University Alliance

The changing HE landscape

Paul Woodgates, Partner, PA Consulting

Insight into demand for HE

Mark Corver, Director of Analysis and Research, UCAS

Future challenges, trends and innovation in context of HE

Dr Martin Rhisiart, Reader in Futures and Innovation, University of South Wales

2.15

Wonkhe panel - A new government: what it means for universities

• Mark Leach, founder, Editor in Chief and Director, Wonkhe

• Professor Andy Westwood, Associate Vice President Public Affairs, University of Manchester and Professor of Politics, Winchester University

• Professor Huw Morris, Group Director - Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning, Welsh Government

• Professor Edward Peck, Vice-Chancellor, Nottingham Trent University

3.00

Refreshment Break (15 mins)

3.15

Workshops (75 minutes)

Workshop 1

Reputation Management in context of REF 2020

Ben Verinder, MD, Chalkstream Communications

Workshop 2

Universities driving UK-wide competitiveness

Katie Wake, Senior Policy Adviser, HM Treasury

Liz Shutt, Head of Policy, University Alliance

Workshop 3

Using data to drive decisions – 35 minute session led by JISC/HESA followed by 35 minute session led by Tableau

Janette Hillicks, Subject Specialist in technology to support enterprise, JISC

Sophie Haworth, Trainer, HESA

Yusaf Mirza, Account Manager - Higher Education, Tableau Software

4.30

Closing Plenary

Building on our strengths

Professor Steve West, Chair of University Alliance and Vice Chancellor of the University of West of England Bristol

5.00

Drinks reception

6.30

Official close