HESPA Showcasing Good Practice Week 2026 is now well underway! It's been a jam-packed couple of days already, with some really thought-provoking content. We will be putting slides and recordings up here as soon as possible after sessions are finished.
For sessions still to come, you can book your places here.
Future-Proofing IT Strategy - Using Scenario Games to Tackle Sector Uncertainty
Speakers: Frankie Baines, Planning Manager, IT Services; Kim Comer, Head of Planning, Capability and Culture
Institution: The University of Manchester
Strategic Coordination for Technical Excellence - Establishing a Permanent Skills Development Hub
Speakers: Mike Brown, Executive Director of Research Technology Platforms and Institutional Lead for UCL’s Technician Commitment; Isabel Goncalves Cattuzzo, Technical Skills Development Hub Manager
Institution: University College London (UCL)
Insight for Inclusion - Slicing and Dicing EDI data to operationalise strategy
Speakers: Stephen Walsh, Planning and Insight Manager; Loren Dean-Austin, Senior Faculty Planning and Operations Manager, Amraze Khan, Head of EDI; Dan Swain, Head of Planning
Institution: Manchester Metropolitan University
It’s emotional! Understanding emotions as drivers of value in higher education
Speakers: Tanya Dunne, Assistant Director Student Experience & Enhancement; Marine Andre, Assistant Head Student Services
Institution: The University of Sunderland in London
Finding the Story - Supporting curriculum enhancement with a dialogic approach to data
Speakers: Annie Yonkers, Head of Institutional Performance; Hilary Wason, Head of Curriculum Development
Institution: Kingston University
A Holistic view of Programme Viability
Speakers: Tadhg O’Donovan, Deputy Principal – Education and Student Life; Angela Herkes, Information Analyst
Institution: Heriot-Watt University
Enhancing Planning Through the Narrative, Commitment, Task approach and Power BI
Speakers: John Hurst, Director of Strategic Planning & Insight; Graeme Smith, Head of Planning & Performance
Institution: De Montfort University
Speakers: Cassie Moran, Strategic Planning Manager; Jess Hollway, Data Analyst; Zoe Newton, Data Analyst
Institution: University of Reading
Better processes with less effort - The case of the Time Allocation Survey (TAS)
Speakers: Constanza Arias-Aldana, Senior Data and Insights Analyst; Rebecca Crowe, Data and Insights Analyst; Juan Camilo Gomez, Data and Insights Analyst
Institution: University of Cambridge
Making the Case - UCL’s Evidence-led Approach to New Programme Development
Speakers: Monique Lee, Strategic Planning Partner; Lucy Emanuel, Senior Marketing and Student Recruitment Manager, Faculty of Medical Sciences
Institution: UCL (University College London)
Understanding Successful Applicant Withdrawals
Speakers: Niall Booth, Head of Strategic Insight and Analysis; Karen Payne, Strategic Insight and Analysis Manager; Aurora Broom, Senior Strategic Insight Analyst; Maria Watson-Hyde, Strategic Insight Analyst
Institution: University of York
Programme Profitability and Workforce reporting
Speakers: James Smith, Project Manager; Drew Saunderson, Data Analyst
Institution: The University of Manchester
Dynamic Portfolio Development
Speakers: Julian Hughes, Portfolio Development Manager; Prof. Russell Crawford, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Institution: Falmouth University
Lessons That Change the Game - Reimagining Project Excellence
Speakers: Andreea Lupu, Strategic Projects Comms and Info Officer; Helen Walker, Senior Project Manager; Naomi Aspden, Project Manager
Institution: Manchester Metropolitan University
Impactful evaluation - exploring what works for strategic planning
Speakers: Philippa Try, Senior Evaluation Officer; Shivani Wilson-Rochford, Head of Curriculum Development; Cain Clark, Associate Professor in Statistics and Life Sciences
Institution: Birmingham City University
