AUA Annual Conference 2022
Programme and timings

This group discussion will look at the challenges we are facing leading non teaching/professional services teams balancing the expectations of our students with the expectations with our staff. The promise of dynamic working was very attractive to many staff who are professional services staff but depending on the specific role it is not always possible either as desired, or possible at all. We have to lead our teams as we navigate through these new challenges. This session will look at where we are now compared to where we were in in September 2021 and discuss what the challenges have been and how we have met them through the lens of enhancing the student experience, providing value for money for our students and maintaining staff morale.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Have an understanding of many of the challenges managers and their teams have been facing this academic year
– Get the best from their staff whilst ensuring the student experience is at the heart of service improvements/changes
– Ensure that students feel they are receiving an excellent student experience from the professional and support services at their institutions

Speaker:
Alison Levey, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor Students, Aston University

Session Format:
Group discussion

Conference stream(s):
Work cultures
Leadership

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Student services | Equality and diversity | International | Registry | General administration

This session is aimed at:
General administration | Mid-level management | Senior management

This session will look at: Why you should consider writing for a journal; What you might write about for a professional journal; How you set about writing for a journal. There will be opportunity for participants to draft ideas for an article or to discuss something that they have already prepared.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Understand the personal and career benefits of writing for publication
– Examine events and experiences in their professional lives that might form the basis for a journal article
– Feel confident about setting out, and submitting, a journal article

Speakers:
Bland Tomkinson, Editor, Perspectives: policy and practice in higher education

Session Format:
Workshop with introductory talk

Conference stream(s):
Professional development

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Finance | Legal | Student services | Governance | Events | Quality | Research | Planning | Marketing | Equality and diversity | International | Teaching and learning | Registry | General administration | Other

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management | Senior managemen

This session will be an insight into how Academic Voice works within Students’ Unions and ways of using this structure to get an insight into the student voice around your area of administration as well as how to start working with your Students’ Union to get a more diverse student experience when actively investigating student opinions.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Have a better understanding of student voice systems in Students’ Unions outside of sabbatical officers
– Learn from current practices of incorporating student voice into administrative departments
– Develop an initial personal action plan around how to start incorporating student voice within delegates’ departments

Speakers:
Ashley Storer-Smith, Student Voice Manager, University of Nottingham Students’​ Union

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk

Conference stream(s):
Working practices
Work cultures

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Student services | Governance | Quality | Teaching and learning | General administration | Other

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management

How good will you feel to get some of your steps for the day done, whilst building your professional network! Come netwalking with us to Whitworth Park, for a Covid-friendly change from the usual networking encounters, whilst we stretch our legs, share our learning from the conference and take time to get to know a few more people.

Speakers
Sara Corcoran, Co-chair, ODHE Network
Sophie Lovejoy, Administrator, ODHE Network

Session Format:
Walk

Conference stream(s):
Professional development
Wellbeing

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Finance | Legal | Student services | Governance | Events | Quality | Research | Planning | Marketing | Equality and diversity | International | Teaching and learning | Registry | General administration | Other

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management | Senior management

Want to know more about the history that shaped our present and our future? This session will cover founding moments, transformations, and battles (real ones and academic tussles). Useful for people new to the sector or a chance to join the dots on how we got here. There will be quizzes.

By the end of the session delegates will…

– Engage with key aspects of the history of higher education in Britain
– Understand the historical background to current policy debates
– Understand how the HE sector has changed through history

Speakers
Mike Ratcliffe, Academic Administrator, HE Blogger and Historian

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk

Conference stream(s):
Work cultures

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
General administration

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration

The Covid-19 pandemic brought an end to large scale gatherings, including Graduation ceremonies, leaving many students feeling deflated and without an opportunity to celebrate their achievements. For some, events were cancelled, for others postponed, and some celebrated online. At the University of Suffolk students were invited to mark their achievement in a different way focusing on an on-campus, personalised experience. The success of these events has set out a new way of graduating in the future.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Reflect on the range of ways in which student achievements can be marked, managing and balancing the expectations and needs of different stakeholders
– Consider approaches to managing resources and budgets in uncertain and changing circumstances
– Feel better equipped to work in different ways, whether this is planned or in response to an emergency situation

Speakers
Laura Pennie, Deputy Academic Registrar, University of Suffolk

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk

Conference stream(s):
Working practices

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Other

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management | Senior management

Aidan will present a summary of the latest findings on student expectations and motivations from research undertaken with the student body at the University of Leeds. This includes both primary data gathered directly from the student body and secondary data from a range of literature and sources used to inform this work. This research is for the purposes of future planning for Leeds University Union and identifies the priority work required to address strategic impact. Aidan will propose how the role of the students’ union might be developing in response to these findings and discuss what this might mean for work alongside other University professional services. 

About Aidan
Aidan has worked at the University of Leeds for 20 years, firstly as the Director of Membership Services & Development and for the last 12 years as Chief Executive of Leeds University Union. Prior to Leeds he held roles in Further Education and the students’ union at York St. John University. Aidan has served on the National Union of Students Board during a period of turnaround and restructure where he chaired the Finance & Audit Committee. Aidan is in his final term as Governor of Leeds Trinity University where he also chairs the Academic Assurance and Student Experience Committee. Outside Education Aidan is also Chair of Trustees for the Huddersfield Town AFC Foundation and a member of the UK Territory Advisory Board for The Salvation Army. Amongst his voluntary commitments the most important is that he is a Coach/Helper with Norristhorpe Juniors FC Under-10s. 

More than ever, it is important for leaders to grapple with the impact of their emotions, for themselves and for the people that they lead.  In particular, to understand what keeps them afloat and what threatens their buoyancy; and how they impact (intentionally or otherwise) on the emotional energy of others around them. These questions were important ones before the onset of the covid-19 pandemic; since then they have had even greater salience.  This session will explore how greater awareness of the impact of emotions can be powerful in leading change in difficult, uncertain times.  It draws from my personal experience as a senior leader in the University of Edinburgh; and my recent research on the impact of emotions and emotional energy on senior leaders in Universities and Government. 

About Sarah
Sarah Smith is Vice-Principal, Strategic Change and Governance; and University Secretary at the University of Edinburgh.  Sarah leads the professional services group within the University that is responsible for a range of staff, student and external services, including human resources, student services, communications, recruitment and admissions, international, legal and development and alumni.  Sarah also has a cross-University responsibility for strategic thinking; and for governance.  Sarah is a qualified Advanced Executive Coach and has recently completed the Executive Masters in Change at Insead.  Before joining the University of Edinburgh, Sarah was a senior policy official in both Scottish and UK Governments, working in areas as diverse as international negotiations, international development, children and young people’s services and strategy.  She was also Head of Policy Profession for Scottish Government. 

In his keynote address, Richard will provide an update on the Teaching Excellence Framework. This session will provide a recap on the proposals for the future TEF framework and outline key themes emerging from responses to the consultation. Richard will also discuss next steps in finalising the framework and preparing for implementation.

About Richard
Richard Smith is Head of TEF at the Office for Students. He is responsible for the development and implementation of the Teaching Excellence Framework, which is a scheme for assessing the quality of teaching in UK higher education.

Richard previously worked for the Higher Education Funding Council for England, where he led a range of work relating to learning and teaching, widening participation, and the funding of higher education. During this time Richard also served in an advisory capacity for a number of academic groups conducting research into social mobility and student outcomes.

Prior to joining HEFCE in 2011, Richard spent five years working on policy and communications at the Office for Fair Access.

Why is there a lack of ethnic diversity in senior leadership positions and does it matter?
 
This session will explore ethnic diversity in higher education.  It will raise questions and challenges as to why there is a lack of diversity and how we can reshape our future to be more inclusive.

About Patrick
Patrick became Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at the University of Law in January 2021 after working for 20 years at the University of Manchester.

He is a member of the University Executive Board and has specific responsibility for EDI, Student Support and Widening Participation.
Patrick has worked in EDI for the last 15 years and has been an active member of the HE community, collaborating with a wide range of institutions and supporting sector wide groups. He was a:

· Board member at the Equality Challenge Unit (now part of Advance HE) for six years
· Deputy Chair of the Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel, Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
· Advisor and member of the Diversity Steering group at the Wellcome Trust
· Member of the Minister of State for Universities Diversity in Research and Innovation Committee

Patrick is currently a Commissioner with the Disabled Students’ Commission, an independent and strategic group that advises, informs and influences higher education providers to improve support for disabled students.

The session is aimed at professionals in quality assurance and standards, those in administrative and managerial roles and academics involved in teaching, learning, and assessment strategy development and implementation in higher education. The talk will focus on three key aspects:

• QAA’s vision for developing inclusive learning subject communities through the review of Subject Benchmark Statements (SBS).
• QAA’s approach to build inclusive subject learning communities through SBS review process.
• Support for higher education sector to build inclusive subject learning communities. E.g. QAA resources.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Have an enhanced understanding of vision and approach for QAA’s on-going review of subject benchmark statements
– Explore opportunities for participation in next round of reviews in 2022-2023 and onwards
– Share their suggestions and inputs on the work QAA Membership is currently developing and delivering

Speaker:
Andy Smith, Quality and Standards Manager, QAA
Amrita Narang, Quality Enhancements and Standards Specialist, QAA

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk

Conference stream(s):
Wellbeing
Work cultures
Leadership

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Quality | Equality and diversity | Teaching and learning

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management | Senior management

In a world where some can be quick to complain, are universities doing enough to use student complaints as a form of feedback? Based on research into the complaint-making behaviours of students at one University, this discussion group will consider institutional attitudes to student complaints, what they can tell us about our students, and how we can use the information they provide to enhance services and the student experience. There will be opportunities to consider complaints in an institutional context, but also to focus in on the behaviours and experiences of different groups of students, in particular students from a widening participation background. Finally, we will consider what impact, if any, the pandemic has had on student complaints and make predictions for how this will inform our practice in the future.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Understand key consumer complaint behaviour theories and how these might apply in today’s higher education setting
– Share good practice and glean ideas from others regarding the effective handling of student complaints and effectively utilising these as a form of feedback
– Consider practical steps they may take back to their own organisation, including opportunities to explore institutional data or changes to process and practice

Speaker:
Laura Pennie, Deputy Academic Registrar, University of Suffolk

Session Format:
Group discussion

Conference stream(s):
Working practices
Work cultures

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Quality

This session is aimed at:
General administration | Mid-level management

A deep dive, interactive exploration focussed on where we have been, where we are now, and where we need to be to meet new challenges and opportunities as the landscape of Higher Education continues to evolve. This is a hands-on, interactive session where we are going to focus on Agile working, staff wellbeing at work, digital practice and new ways of working. We will introduce scenario planning, design thinking and some other take away tools and strategies that delegates cab use in their roles, as well as food for thought in terms of skills development and areas of focus for the next 5 years.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Gain confidence around emerging working practices and be able to understand the basics to develop further and experiment in their own roles
– Apply design thinking tools to assist them when identifying problems and creating solutions
– Consider the importance of staff wellbeing and team diversity to enable long-term resilience and sustainability

Speakers:
Jennifer Robertson, Head of Service Design, University of Glasgow
Lee Carlton, Senior Business Analyst and Service Designer, University of Glasgow

Session Format:
Interactive workshop

Conference stream(s):
Working practices
Work cultures

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Student services | Governance | Planning | Registry | General administration | Other

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management | Senior management

During the session, you will have the opportunity to understand our motivations in becoming AUA branch advocates wanting to add value to our network. We will share an overview of our CPD session plans and allow time for attendees to ask questions about the content and purpose and how this might be adapted and used at your institution.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Work towards strengthening their AUA branch network by bringing colleagues together and empowering each other to progress their CPD journey
– Use peer learning to support colleagues in demystifying CPD tools and see how they can be used effectively alongside the AUA CPD Framework
– Develop and deliver a series of CPD workshops which lead towards a final goal such as AUA accreditation and the creation of a PDP

Speakers
Bridget Williams, Assistant Faculty Registrar, Coventry University
Rosella Brennan, Head of Registry Services, Arden University Samima Hussain, Operations Support Manager, Coventry University

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk

Conference stream(s):
Professional development
Leadership

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Finance | Legal | Student services | Governance | Events | Quality | Research | Planning | Marketing | Equality and diversity | International | Teaching and learning | Registry | General administration

This session is aimed at:
Mid-level management | Senior management

Science backs up what we intuitively know; getting out into nature is good for our wellbeing, and yet you might be surprised just how good. Did you know that nature can restore our capacity for attention and walking can boost creativity? Find out how you can bring nature into your own working practice in this interactive session.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Understand the benefits of working in and with nature
– Enhance their wellbeing, creativity and focus through taking their thinking outside
– Draw on seasonal coaching questions to support the development of themselves and others

Speakers
Sophie Lovejoy, Director, Thinking Outside
Sara Corcoran, Director, Thinking Outside

Session Format:
Interactive workshop

Conference stream(s):
Wellbeing
Work cultures

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
General administration | Other

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management | Senior management

Do you have a strategy but don’t know how to deploy it? Or do you get handed KPIs or Targets and need to know how to track progress? This session will give you some practical tools about how to identify the benefits of achieving your strategy and how to track these so your entire team can align activity to strategy and been engaged with it.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Track action through to strategy
– Know what a benefit is and how to track the measurement of them
– Know how an alignment matrix could be used to align activity within an organisation

Speakers
Luke Phillimore, Senior Lean Practitioner, University of Nottingham

Session Format:
Interactive workshop

Conference stream(s):
Working practices
Leadership

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Finance | Legal | Student services | Governance | Events | Quality | Research | Planning | Registry | General administration

This session is aimed at:
Mid-level management | Senior management

How can you effect culture change if you don’t understand your starting point, or clearly articulate the desired culture? Come and unpack your institutional culture using Johnson and Scholes’ Cultural Web model and understand how it can be used to support change.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Navigate the Johnson and Scholes model and apply it
– Use the model to explore differences between institutions and similarities across the sector
– Appreciate the model’s relevance in processes of organisational change

Speakers:
Sara Corcoran, Co-chair, ODHE Network
Sophie Lovejoy, Administrator, ODHE Network

Session Format:
Interactive workshop

Conference stream(s):
Work cultures
Leadership

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Equality and diversity | General administration | Other

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management | Senior Management

Pandemic pressures challenged our Student Education Service team to rapidly change our working practices, communications, team culture and leadership approaches. This session will share our approach to leading, developing, and supporting our management team as we go through the process of occupying new campus spaces and adopting a hybrid working model. You will have the opportunity to discuss and share your own experiences as we work through our model.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Describe the approach taken with a management team to deliver major service change across two faculties and the opportunity that navigating through a global pandemic has provided
– Clearly articulate challenges and successes experienced in the approach to implementing hybrid working
– Identify elements of the described approach that you may be able to apply in your own work

Speaker:
Charlotte Armstrong, Student Education Operations Manager, University of Leeds

Session Format:
Group discussion

Conference stream(s):
Working practices
Leadership

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Student services | Teaching and learning | General administration

This session is aimed at:
Mid-level management

We are living in VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) times; this has been exacerbated with the pandemic of the in the last two years. We have to learn to adapt to a new normal. This session hopes to give a positive spin on VUCA, from a South African perspective. While South Africa has its own uniqueness and challenges but it also has a lot in common with the rest of the world and other HEIs. By learning to recreate ourselves we learn new hybrid ways of administering and developing flexible administrative systems and enhancing our own professional practices in a diverse society and culture.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Understand the impact the pandemic had on the professional services in HEIs in South Africa, what they did to cope with the challenges they faced, and what they are doing now to better equip themselves for the evolving and volatile times we live in
– Get a perspective on how to take negative experiences and turn them around to work for them in a way that will assist them in achieving their goals and finding fulfilment in their roles
– Be open to finding new ways to carry out tasks, to evolve and embrace changes that will allow them to move into the future with the new generation of students, stakeholders, and a new HEI ethos

Speaker:
Ranithadevi Ramdeyal, Manager for Academic Services in the College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu – Natal – (UKZN)

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk

Conference stream(s):
Working practices
Professional development
Leadership

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Student services | Planning | Equality and diversity | International | General administration

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management

Delegates will learn and practise a variety of meditation and mindfulness techniques via demonstration, online resources and straightforward short practice sessions, with opportunity for questions and feedback.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Promote and support their own wellbeing and resilience through the practice of simple mindfulness, meditation and breathing techniques
– Develop an awareness of where stress and tension are held and practice straightforward techniques to release them
– Undertake a short mindfulness practice and a longer meditation practice

Speakers
Amanda Ostermann, Interim Registry Project Manager, University of East London

Session Format:
Interactive workshop

Conference stream(s):
Wellbeing

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Finance | Legal | Student services | Governance | Events | Quality | Research | Planning | Marketing | Equality and diversity | International | Teaching and learning | Registry | General administration

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management | Senior management

Working from home during 2020/21 has meant adapting the way we work and communicate – not only within our own teams but across our employing institution and the sector as a whole. This adaption hasn’t always been consistent or connected so how could we have approached it differently to make life easier for ourselves? This session will provide a question-based framework for thinking through what we did and how potentially we could have done it better, enabling participants to further enhance their current working practices.
The interactive nature of the session will allow delegates to actively question and respond to challenge of their own working practices as well as allowing them space to think through how their office practice impacts their ‘outside’ life.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Use the Stop, Start, Continue, Change framework to review their working practices
– Understand how to effectively question their own and others’ working practices by starting to understand processes of managing/directing team workload and resources (for those aspiring to management roles)
– Reflect on how they might ‘leave’ the office at the end of the day to concentrate on life outside work

Speaker:
Lara McCarthy, Head of Governance, University of Oxford
Alison Benson, Strategic Planning Manager (Governance), University of Leicester

Session Format:
Interactive workshop

Conference stream(s):
Working practices
Wellbeing

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Governance | Planning | Teaching and learning | General administration

This session is aimed at:
New to the sector | General administration | Mid-level management

A number of strengths and vulnerabilities were uncovered as institutional leaders responded to operating during a global crisis. As we look to the future, institutions must resist the urge to return to business as usual, but should center their planning on executing strategies that support success moving forward. This session will focus on highlighting some of the current challenges faced by higher education leaders and will provide recommendations for recalibration, including implementation of protocols that augment equity and agility.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Identify some of the challenges that directly impact their work or the work of their teams
– Consider how policies impact people differently based on different circumstances
– Think beyond the present as they prepare proactive action plans

Speakers
Tina DeNeen, Associate Executive Director, AACRAO

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk

Conference stream(s):
Leadership

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
General administration

This session is aimed at:
Mid-level management | Senior management

The session will explore the roles and responsibilities of being an Academic Registrar or similar role in UK Higher Education. It will look at how the role interacts at a senior level and the conflicting demands on the post holder.

Through looking at two personal experiences it will explore the potential routes to becoming an Academic Registrar. Through that lens it will also consider career and professional development in general and participants will be encouraged to consider what their next steps might be to developing their career further.

The style of the session is discursive, with some information sharing and group discussion as well as considering some case studies and CVs.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Consider what their next steps might be in developing their career towards becoming an Academic Registrar
– Explain techniques for evaluating ones own skills and experiences against a potential future role
– Explain the role of an Academic Registrar and its place in an institution

Speakers
Jim Irving, University Secretary and Registrar, Solent University
Fiona Fisk, Academic Registrar, University of Suffolk

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk

Conference stream(s):
Professional development

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Student services | Governance | Quality | Planning | International | Teaching and learning | Registry | General administration

This session is aimed at:
Mid-level management | Senior management

Every Higher Education establishment has undergone radical changes in their modes of delivery over the last couple of years. Arguably, these changes, fundamentally technical in nature, have not been underpinned by disruptive innovation. Instead, the pandemic has thrown sharper focus on the working relationships which exist in institutions, both locally and inter-professionally. The circumstances under which colleagues have worked have had a significant impact on HE colleagues’ perceptions of collaborative working relationships and leadership. Likewise, the management of relationships with internal and external stakeholders has become more important than ever. In this session, David Duell, a recent graduate from NTU’s MSc HE Administration, Management and Leadership will report on his research. David considers how empathy and perspective taking can impact the inter-professional context of UK HE. Results from a survey of 272 academic and professional staff illustrate the benefits of perspective taking in the workplace. Implications at organisational and individual levels are discussed. Dr Hulya Oztel, who leads the course, will discuss the broader changes affecting Higher Education and asks what a Fourth Generation University (4GU) looks like, taking into account those most recent transitions.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to… – Recognise the role of perspective taking and empathy in facilitating collaborative inter-professional collaborative working
– Reflect on staff development implications of perspective taking and empathy in UK HE.
– Reflect on the notion of Fourth Generation Universities (4GU) and explore parallels with one’s own organisation
– Reflect on the implications for stakeholder engagement and influence within the context of a 4GU.

Speakers David Duell, Business Manager (Academic Registrar’s Office), University of Birmingham
Dr Hulya Oztel, course leader MSc HE Administration, Management and Leadership, Nottingham Trent University

Session Format: Combined session

Conference stream: Professional development | Working practices

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in: General administration | Staff development

Managing a complex and changing curriculum including hundreds of programme specifications, modules, units and delivery models can be very challenging. In 2019, Manchester Metropolitan University embarked on a critical mission to streamline the end-to-end management of its curriculum by enabling both academic and professional services staff to work together on one software platform – Worktribe. In this session, we will hear about some of the key drivers, challenges and learnings from MMU’s journey. We will explore how MMU’s considered approach, focused, expert team and clear objectives resulted in the successful implementation and rollout of a new curriculum management system. There was no talk of magic bullets, big launches or overnight transformations. Instead, the team focused on steady, positive change with a clear goal in mind – improved data integrity. Hear how the team have tackled a number of challenges including: competing priorities within the institution; a global pandemic; and complexity around integrations.

By the end of the session delegates will be able to…
– Explain the strategic importance of having a single source of truth for curriculum information.
– Understand how small, focused teams can deliver focused and positive change to administrative processes in their universities.
– Outline the key strategies that will support a successful administration
management change project

Speakers
Julie Watson, Director of Curriculum Management, Manchester Metropolitan University
Lucy Mullan, Curriculum Management Systems Coordinator, Manchester Metropolitan University

Session Format:
Lecture/Talk
Conference stream(s):
Working practices

This session will be of interest to those working in, or with an interest in:
Student services | Governance | Quality | Teaching and learning | Registry | General administration

This session is aimed at:
Mid-level management | Senior management

Most institutions have been changed by the pandemic.  What does it mean for the future of work. 
The pandemic has affected all organisations. Many have discovered new capabilities and approaches which have changed what they do and how they do it.  Drawing on experience in the UK, Australia and internationally, the session will explore what this has meant for how we work in universities and colleges, and what it might mean for leadership, careers and career choices in the future. It will also examine what we might need to do to get the best from the diverse talent we recruit.

About Ken
Professor Ken Sloan joined Harper Adams as Vice-Chancellor on 1 November 2021.  Professor Sloan has extensive international experience in leadership, governance, administrative and commercial activities.   

Previously, Professor Sloan was at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, serving as the inaugural Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise and Governance). As a member of the University Executive, Professor Sloan was responsible for providing University-wide leadership and strategic support for the creation and acceleration of major partnerships, government relations, precinct development, new revenue creation, commercialisation, innovation, entrepreneurship, strategic intelligence, group governance and institutional risk. 
 
Professor Sloan has previously held roles as Registrar and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Warwick; as a Business Development Director, Universities and Higher Education, with SERCO; and as Special Advisor to the Stephen A. Schwarzman Education Foundation, based at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. He continues to serve as a panel chair for the Schwarzman Scholars annual selection process. 
Professor Sloan has chaired and served on the boards of a number of institutional subsidiary companies, boards and international fundraising and development trusts. He chaired the boards of Monash Investment Holdings and Monash College, the Audit and Risk Committee of the IITB-Monash Academy and the Monash Technology Transformation Institute (Shenzhen) Executive Committee. He served on the boards of BioCurate Pty Ltd, Warwick University Enterprises (Australia), and as Chair of the Victorian Heart Institute Strategic Advisory Board. He served as sector representative on the Federal Austrade Agriculture 4.0 Steering Committee and previously as Chair of the Coventry Partnership, ethics adviser to Coventry City Council, Chair of Governors of Woodway Park School and Community College, governor of the WMG Academy for Young Engineers and a board director of the Midlands Arts Centre. He was chair or member of the University of Warwick’s fundraising trusts in Singapore, South Africa and Hong Kong. 

Professor Sloan graduated with an MA (Hons) from the University of Glasgow, an MBA from the Warwick Business School, and is a member of CPA Australia. He is a Fellow of the Association of University Administrators (FAUA) and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA).