HEPN SOUTH 2025 AGENDA

Delivering tangible solutions for real-world issues

HEPN is a unique, two-day learning and networking event which brings together the most inspirational leaders and transformational suppliers in the Higher Education sector to share cutting-edge insight, knowledge and experience. Our agenda is carefully curated to address the most relevant and emerging challenges in the sector.

13 - 14 November 2025, Radisson Blu, Heathrow

Day 1
Day 2

13 November 2025

8:00 am - 9:00 am

Main Room

Registration
9:00 am - 9:10 am

Main Room

Chair's opening remarks

Welcome to the Higher Education Partnership Network (HEPN)
9:10 am - 9:55 am

Main Room

Opening keynote panel – Leading change in a fractured higher education sector

Andrea Walters

Chief Operating Officer
University of Sunderland

Wendy Robinson

Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education
Lancaster University

This is a moment for decisive leadership – and honest dialogue. UK higher education has passed a tipping point. With over 40% of institutions now operating in deficit, declining enrolments, ongoing policy ambiguity, and uncertainty aro...

This is a moment for decisive leadership – and honest dialogue. UK higher education has passed a tipping point. With over 40% of institutions now operating in deficit, declining enrolments, ongoing policy ambiguity, and uncertainty around international recruitment, the sector faces an unprecedented convergence of financial, operational and cultural challenges.

The opening keynote panel for HEPN UK 2025 will cut through the noise to explore the interconnected fault lines that define the 2025/26 landscape – and the real choices universities are facing. From financial sustainability and digital transformation to workforce resilience and student belonging – not to mention the growing imperative for shared services and other modes of partnership, our panellists will offer vital perspective, necessary provocation, and clear purpose.
10:00 am - 10:20 am

Main Room

Headline sponsor presentation

Interested in sponsoring?
10:25 am - 10:55 am

Main Room

Dragons' Den - Speed presentations

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a short pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challenges.
...

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a short pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challenges.
11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Main Room

Networking and business meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
12:20 pm - 1:05 pm

Main Room

Quick fire case study session – Making AI real

Malvina Gooding

Former Interim Chief Information Officer of IT
Goldsmiths, University of London

Everyone is talking about AI, but where is it actually making a difference?

This fast-paced session will bring together three executives who have taken artificial intelligence from concept to reality. From assessment and curricul...

Everyone is talking about AI, but where is it actually making a difference?

This fast-paced session will bring together three executives who have taken artificial intelligence from concept to reality. From assessment and curriculum redesign to student services and internal operations, these case studies will show how universities are embedding AI tools to support sustainable transformation.

Each speaker will have 5-6 minutes to share what problem they were trying to solve; what AI solution or tool they used; what worked, what did not – and what is next. This will be followed by a short discussion to identify themes, risks, and lessons for others who are getting started.
1:10 pm - 1:30 pm

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

Interested in sponsoring?
1:30 pm - 2:15 pm

Main Room

Networking lunch

An opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers to talk over the learnings from the event. Lunch is served buffet style and a range of options are available to cater for different dietary requirements.
2:20 pm - 3:00 pm

Main Room

Group roundtable discussion – Belonging, voice and value

Kate O’Riordan

Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students
University of Sussex

Helena Gillespie

Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Inclusion
University of East Anglia

At a time of growing mistrust in higher education – fuelled by rising fees, loan burdens, industrial action, and the cost of living – universities must work harder than ever to demonstrate transparency, deliver on their commitments, ...

At a time of growing mistrust in higher education – fuelled by rising fees, loan burdens, industrial action, and the cost of living – universities must work harder than ever to demonstrate transparency, deliver on their commitments, and co-create meaningful experiences with students. For students – whether online or on-campus – experience remains at the heart of why education matters.

This interactive session puts belonging, voice, and value at the centre of the conversation. We will open with short provocations from sector leaders and a current student, before opening up to the room. Around their tables, attendees will discuss how to deliver a meaningful experience – not just for students, but with them. This is a chance to talk candidly, connect across institutions, and bring energy and authenticity back in the room.
3:05 pm - 3:25 pm

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

Interested in sponsoring?
3:30 pm - 4:45 pm

Main Room

Networking and business meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
4:45 pm - 5:30 pm

Main Room

Closing keynote panel – Redesigning for long-term value

Financial sustainability in higher education now demands more than cost control – it requires design. This cross-functional panel will bring together leaders in finance, digital, education, and student experience for an honest conversa...

Financial sustainability in higher education now demands more than cost control – it requires design. This cross-functional panel will bring together leaders in finance, digital, education, and student experience for an honest conversation about the decisions that shape long-term sustainability. Covering areas such as programme viability, digital infrastructure, student needs, and staff capacity, our speakers will share how they are working across silos to make properly informed decisions and shape universities that are not only financially sustainable but fit for the future.
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Main Room

Hotel check-in / free time
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Main Room

Drinks reception & networking dinner

14 November 2025

9:00 am - 9:05 am

Main Room

Chair's opening remarks

Welcome to the Higher Education Partnership Network (HEPN)
9:05 am - 9:45 am

Main Room

Opening keynote panel – Data, insights and governance

Universities are data-rich, but often insight-poor. Our day two opening panel will showcase how institutions are redesigning their approaches to data, insight and governance to support better decisions, better service, and better outcome...

Universities are data-rich, but often insight-poor. Our day two opening panel will showcase how institutions are redesigning their approaches to data, insight and governance to support better decisions, better service, and better outcomes. From financial forecasting and portfolio planning to student engagement and regulatory compliance, speakers will share how they are breaking down silos, aligning ownership, and building trust in data. We will look at how institutions are creating centrally accessible data environments, embedding value into project design, and ensuring initiatives deliver sustained impact. With AI on the rise and the ever-increasing pressure to “do more with less”, this session will uncover the critical enablers that can turn data from a reporting tool into a strategic asset.
9:50 am - 10:10 am

Main Room

Platinum sponsor presentation

Interested in sponsoring?
10:10 am - 10:15 am

Main Room

Breakout workshop sessions

Our breakout workshop sessions will focus on three tracks:

Reimagining the student experience
Digital delivery, data and infrastructure
Financial resilience and strategy
10:15 am - 10:45 am

Main Room

Reimagining the student experience – What do students really want?

With rising fees, economic pressures, and digital alternatives, students are thinking like customers – and their expectations are changing rapidly. This session will bring together student voice, institutional insight, and labour marke...

With rising fees, economic pressures, and digital alternatives, students are thinking like customers – and their expectations are changing rapidly. This session will bring together student voice, institutional insight, and labour market trends to unpack what learners value now, and how universities can design experiences that meet real needs, not just assumptions.
10:50 am - 11:10 am

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

Interested in sponsoring?
11:15 am - 12:15 pm

Main Room

Networking and business meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
12:20 pm - 12:50 pm

Main Room

Reimagining the student experience – The digital experience is the student experience

Laura Munday

Chief Information Officer
Goldsmiths, University of London

From application to graduation, students move through a series of digital touchpoints that shape how they feel, learn, and succeed. This session will focus on how institutions are mapping, designing, and optimising the digital student jo...

From application to graduation, students move through a series of digital touchpoints that shape how they feel, learn, and succeed. This session will focus on how institutions are mapping, designing, and optimising the digital student journey to increase satisfaction, reduce friction, and deliver personalised support at scale – without losing the human touch.
12:55 pm - 1:25 pm

Main Room

Keynote panel – What can we do now? Practical takeaways from the breakout tracks

Jane Mooney

University Academic Theme Lead for Digital Skills and Literacy
University of Manchester

Laura Munday

Chief Information Officer
Goldsmiths, University of London

Craig Clark

Chief Information Security Officer
University of East London

Antonius Raghubansie

Pro Vice-Chancellor for International
Keele University

This panel brings together leaders from each breakout track to share the most actionable ideas from the day. What can you take back tomorrow that helps you move forward – without breaking everything else? Expect no fluff, no jargon...

This panel brings together leaders from each breakout track to share the most actionable ideas from the day. What can you take back tomorrow that helps you move forward – without breaking everything else? Expect no fluff, no jargon – just smart, doable steps on student experience; digital, data and technology; and financial strategy.
1:30 pm - 1:50 pm

Main Room

Closing keynote address

Our closing keynote address will come from a special guest speaker potentially from outside the higher education sector.
1:50 pm - 2:00 pm

Main Room

Chair's closing remarks
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Main Room

Networking lunch

An opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers to talk over the learnings from the event. Lunch is served buffet style and a range of options are available to cater for different dietary requirements.
10:15 am - 10:45 am

Breakout Room 1

Digital delivery, data and infrastructure – Designing spaces and systems for lifelong learning

Jane Mooney

University Academic Theme Lead for Digital Skills and Literacy
University of Manchester

Most institutional infrastructure still centres around traditional term-time delivery. This session will focus on how universities are evolving their digital environments, physical spaces, and network capacity to support hybrid, immersiv...

Most institutional infrastructure still centres around traditional term-time delivery. This session will focus on how universities are evolving their digital environments, physical spaces, and network capacity to support hybrid, immersive and flexible learning – from apprenticeships to CPD to online degrees.
12:20 pm - 12:50 pm

Breakout Room 1

Digital delivery, data and infrastructure – Resilience by design

Craig Clark

Chief Information Security Officer
University of East London

Cyber-attacks are rising – and data breaches, outages or service failures can bring academic delivery, operations and reputation to a halt. This session will bring together leaders responsible for digital risk, protection, and recovery...

Cyber-attacks are rising – and data breaches, outages or service failures can bring academic delivery, operations and reputation to a halt. This session will bring together leaders responsible for digital risk, protection, and recovery to share how universities are embedding resilience, protecting data, and building cyber-aware cultures across every function.
10:15 am - 10:45 am

Breakout Room 2

Financial resilience and strategy – Making commercial strategy stick

Universities are exploring new revenue streams – but not all growth is good growth. This session unpacks how higher education institutions are navigating commercial strategy in a constrained environment. This is about understanding wha...

Universities are exploring new revenue streams – but not all growth is good growth. This session unpacks how higher education institutions are navigating commercial strategy in a constrained environment. This is about understanding what is working, what is sustainable, and how to mitigate costly distractions.
12:20 pm - 12:50 pm

Breakout Room 2

Financial resilience and strategy – Diversifying international markets and models

Antonius Raghubansie

Pro Vice-Chancellor for International
Keele University

The international post-graduate market is tightening – yet many institutions still rely on it to prop up core budgets. In this workshop, we will discuss how universities are reassessing risk, diversifying markets, and reimagining value...

The international post-graduate market is tightening – yet many institutions still rely on it to prop up core budgets. In this workshop, we will discuss how universities are reassessing risk, diversifying markets, and reimagining value in international recruitment. The focus: sustainable growth, strategic alignment, and student experience across the entire journey.

Day 1
Day 2

HEPN SOUTH 2025 AGENDA

Delivering tangible solutions for real-world issues

13 - 14 November 2025, Radisson Blu, Heathrow

13 November 2025

8:00 am - 9:00 am

Main Room

Registration

9:00 am - 9:10 am

Main Room

Chair's opening remarks

9:10 am - 9:55 am

Main Room

Opening keynote panel – Leading change in a fractured higher education sector

Andrea Walters

Chief Operating Officer University of Sunderland

Wendy Robinson

Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education Lancaster University

10:00 am - 10:20 am

Main Room

Headline sponsor presentation

10:25 am - 10:55 am

Main Room

Dragons' Den - Speed presentations

11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Main Room

Networking and business meetings

12:20 pm - 1:05 pm

Main Room

Quick fire case study session – Making AI real

Malvina Gooding

Former Interim Chief Information Officer of IT Goldsmiths, University of London

1:10 pm - 1:30 pm

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm

Main Room

Networking lunch

2:20 pm - 3:00 pm

Main Room

Group roundtable discussion – Belonging, voice and value

Kate O’Riordan

Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students University of Sussex

Helena Gillespie

Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Inclusion University of East Anglia

3:05 pm - 3:25 pm

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

3:30 pm - 4:45 pm

Main Room

Networking and business meetings

4:45 pm - 5:30 pm

Main Room

Closing keynote panel – Redesigning for long-term value

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Main Room

Hotel check-in / free time

7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Main Room

Drinks reception & networking dinner

14 November 2025

9:00 am - 9:05 am

Main Room

Chair's opening remarks

9:05 am - 9:45 am

Main Room

Opening keynote panel – Data, insights and governance

9:50 am - 10:10 am

Main Room

Platinum sponsor presentation

10:10 am - 10:15 am

Main Room

Breakout workshop sessions

10:15 am - 10:45 am

Main Room

Reimagining the student experience – What do students really want?

10:50 am - 11:10 am

Main Room

Gold sponsor presentations

11:15 am - 12:15 pm

Main Room

Chief Operating Officer
University of Sunderland

Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education
Lancaster University

Former Interim Chief Information Officer of IT
Goldsmiths, University of London

Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students
University of Sussex

Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Student Inclusion
University of East Anglia

Chief Information Officer
Goldsmiths, University of London

University Academic Theme Lead for Digital Skills and Literacy
University of Manchester

Chief Information Officer
Goldsmiths, University of London

Chief Information Security Officer
University of East London

Pro Vice-Chancellor for International
Keele University

University Academic Theme Lead for Digital Skills and Literacy
University of Manchester

Chief Information Security Officer
University of East London

Pro Vice-Chancellor for International
Keele University