Change in higher education is no longer an occasional disruption. It is a constant feature of working life. This session offers a practical and accessible exploration of the different types of change currently shaping the UK higher education sector.

Rather than treating ‘change’ as a single concept, the session introduces participants to a range of lenses through which change can be understood, including sustaining, breakthrough and disruptive change. Drawing on the Spectrum of Change, the session focuses on sense-making and confidence-building, helping professional services staff better understand what kind of change they are experiencing and what that means for their role, their team and their influence within the organisation.

Why attend?

For many people working in higher education, change can feel like something that happens to you rather than something you are part of shaping. New systems, shifting priorities and increasing pressures often arrive without clear language or shared understanding.

This session helps demystify change by giving you practical ways to identify what kind of change is actually happening. Understanding whether a change is incremental, transformational or disruptive can increase clarity, agency and confidence, particularly in a sector where sustained uncertainty has become the norm.

Who is this session suitable for?

This session is suitable for professional services staff across the sector who are experiencing change directly, or who are supporting others through it. It will be particularly relevant for those leading teams, managing services, or navigating change at a local or organisational level, regardless of career stage.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

1.  Understand the different types of change

2. Understand how different types of change may effect your work and teams

3. Strengthen your ability to thrive through the changes

What you will do in this session:

You will be guided through different types of change using clear examples and shared language. The session includes opportunities for discussion and questions, with space to reflect on how different forms of change affect workload, expectations, culture and ways of working.

How does this session align with the AHEP Professional Framework?

Being Agile and Adaptable: This session supports the AHEP Professional Framework by strengthening participants’ ability to understand and respond constructively to change within higher education. It builds confidence, professional judgement and reflective practice, enabling members to navigate uncertainty, support others through change and contribute more effectively to organisational improvement.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event.