Imagine a world where universities could see and understand the whole picture, every interaction, every barrier, every bit of useful information and could use that insight to design learning, support, information systems and engage with students and colleagues in a way that actually works. This session seeks to understand what’s possible when institutions move beyond compliance and towards a truly data-driven culture. One where data isn’t just for those with “data” in their job title, but for all to use to enhance and make their work more efficient.

Join Clare Walsh and Martha Horler to look at where the sector is now when it comes to data capability, how we can utilise our existing strengths and to imagine what would be possible if higher education became fully data capable.

With AI reshaping the labour market, what skills and attributes should universities prioritise to future-proof graduates, and what is the value of a degree in an AI normalised world? Appealing to academic leaders, and digital strategy, careers and curriculum design professionals, this forward-looking session brings together labour market data, employer insights, curriculum innovation and the existential question for all universities. 

Key questions include: What would universities look like if we were designing them in current times?   What new forms of employer engagement and curriculum design are needed to keep pace with rapidly evolving labour markets? What are the implications on assessment and research at our institutions? What does employability mean in an AI-driven economy, and how should universities redefine their role in preparing students for it? How can institutions embed AI literacy and future-facing skills across all disciplines without reinforcing existing inequalities?

Making the case for research-informed policy, Sarah Chayter from Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) explores the argument for evidence-based policymaking in practice. Key questions include: Why is it important to increase the use of research evidence in policymaking? What’s difficult about it, and why? What strategies can be employed to address barriers, particularly in the current climate? What examples (approaches, projects, etc) do we have of things which have worked well? Fundamentally, how do we make the case for this in the context of squeezes on university budgets and the public purse?

Higher education’s social licence requires constant renewal. Universities UK Director of Communications Seb Gordon has been leading a project to explore public perceptions of higher education and work through what universities need to be doing to sustain public trust and confidence in the sector. He joins us to share some of the findings and invites discussion of their implications.

Green jobs, green skills, green training: looking beyond the stock photography, we discuss what skills we actually need for a sustainable future and whether the sector is set up to deliver them.

Higher education institutions and staff are experiencing great change with a need for transformation in the context of financial pressures, changing student demands, international uncertainty and digital developments. Alistair Jarvis will lead a discussion with a panel of expert with deep experience and success in transforming institutions and leading people through major change. What can we learn from past experiences? How can we best support leaders to manage change effectively? What can we learn from other sectors? Ultimately, what works?

Questions around demand for higher education continue to occupy the minds of university leaders – especially as cost-of-living pressures increasingly shape student decision making.

But what does the data really tell us about demand for higher education? What are students themselves telling us? And how does this vary across the sector?

Join Maggie Smart, UCAS’ newly appointed Director of Data and Analysis and Ben Jordan, Director of Strategy and Policy for a thought-provoking briefing. They’ll unveil the latest applicant trends, share exclusive survey insights, and explore what these shifts mean for the future of student demand.

Federated universities have long embodied collaborative structures and ways of working, based on mutual capabilities and strengths, often bringing together a diverse range of institutions with different missions and focus areas. Today, they have vital lessons to offer policymakers and the wider sector as it looks to find new ways of working together.

The Wonkhe Show is your weekly way in to this week’s higher education news, policy and analysis. Join us for a live recording of the show, where we’ll be getting across the week’s policy developments and reflecting on highlights from the festival. Bring your lunch, and feel free to dip in and out. It’s all coming up!