Teaching and Learning Conference 2025: Future-focused education: Ensuring successful student outcomes for all

Overview

Student success means different things to different people – from academic achievement and career readiness to personal growth and social mobility. But one thing unites us all: ensuring every student reaches their full potential.

In today's evolving regulatory landscape, institutions need strategies that not only drive student outcomes but also demonstrate quality and accountability. That's why hundreds of educators from around the world are gathering at Advance HE's Teaching and Learning Conference 2025.

The mission? Maximising student success through:

Connecting and recognising all student achievements
Defining graduate attributes that respond positively to regulation
Delivering authentic, work-based learning experiences
Supporting the complete student journey with clear goals and effective assessment
Building skills that employers want
Creating communities where everyone belongs
Preparing global citizens for an interconnected world
Offering flexible learning that fits real lives

Whether you're a practitioner, senior leader, or professional services colleague – especially those with Advance HE Fellowship – this is your platform to network, influence, and showcase what works.

Event Information

Date: 1-3 July 2025

Place: The Wave, University of Sheffield

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Conference themes

The theme Future-Focused Education: Ensuring successful student outcomes for all will address the following areas and themes:

1. Future-Focused Education: Ensuring successful student outcomes for all

2. Education for the future

3. Education beyond borders

4. Education beyond place and space

5. Education for social impact

6. Education for all

7. Workforce for the future

Who should attend?

Any teaching practitioner, including department heads, academic programme leaders and developers, lecturers, academic and support staff, and learning technologists.

A digital badge award will recognise presenters at this event.

Speakers

Day 1

Keynote from Professor Philip Hanna

AI in Education: Defining the Challenges, Shaping the Solutions

This talk addresses the pressing question of AI’s impact on education, dissecting the challenges across pedagogy, technology, and people, all within an environment of rapid change. Rather than seeing these challenges as barriers, the talk explores how they can inform a structured approach to the integration of AI within education. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of the challenges and, importantly, a set of practical, actionable steps to harness AI’s potential within their own educational
settings.

Philip Hanna

Dean of Education for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
,
Queen’s University Belfast

Prof. Philip Hanna is the Dean of Education for the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast. With a background as a Professor of Computer Science, he is passionate about the role of technology in shaping the future of education in an increasingly fast-paced and evolving world. A Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2017 for his work in strengthening alignment across primary, secondary, and tertiary education.

Susan Loughlin

Designate Depute President
,
Highland Theological College UHI

Susan is the Designate Depute President for the Highland Theological College with HISA and a member of the Leadership Team for the National Society of Apprentices. She has a diverse background in education, student engagement, and policy work across the UK and Europe. She has contributed to national campaigns, international training programmes, and student-led initiatives focused on equity.

Kary Elle-Louise Jayne Dobb

Applied Humanities Student
,
Birmingham Newman University

Kary is a first year Applied Humanities student at Birmingham Newman University with a strong academic passion for history, linguistics, anthropology, power and memory. A goal-driven person, Kary returned to study as a mature student after feeling unfulfilled in previous career roles, becoming interested in the way higher education supports neurodivergent students. Their hobbies include music, knitting, and gardening, also enjoying collecting second-hand items—particularly books and clothing, reflecting a love for reuse, creativity, and thoughtful living.

Meifang Zhuo

PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics
,
University of Warwick

Meifang Zhuo is a final-year PhD candidate in Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick, specializing in language teachers’ professional development and well-being. She is a Student Fellow of the Warwick International Higher Education Academy (WIHEA) and the PGR teacher mentor for the Warwick Postgraduate Teaching Community. Originally from China, Meifang is committed to fostering inclusive and empowering educational environments for international students. She has led two funded projects aimed at enhancing the academic productivity and wellbeing of international PhD students in the UK. Her recent work explores visual and arts-based research methods and the use of AI in education, including two ongoing funded research projects at her university.

Rik Thornton

Occupational Therapy Student
,
University of East Anglia

Rik Thornton is a final year BSc Occupational Therapy mature student, at the University of East Anglia. He is a student member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, and a member of the Community of Allied Health Professions Research. Rik has clinical interests in neurological recovery, equipment provision, and mental health, and is a passionate advocate for the use of nature-based interventions in promoting physical and mental health.

Keynote from Dr. Eleni Meletiadou

Dr. Eleni Meletiadou

Senior academic and researcher

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eleni Meletiadou is a multi-award-winning senior academic and researcher with over 20 years of international experience, committed to transforming higher education through leading the integration of EDI, multilingualism, and digital pedagogy into curricula to ensure equal access for all students. She is a National Teaching Fellow and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She leads the Education for Social Justice and Sustainable Learning (ESJ/ESD) Development (RILEAS) and the Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Research Groups.

Professor Colin Riordan CBE

Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer

Professor Colin Riordan studied German at the University of Manchester, gaining his PhD from there in 1986. He was Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer in German at Swansea University from 1986 to 1998, when he moved to Newcastle University to become Professor of German.

Sam Pordale

Sanctuary Scholar
,
University of Warwick

Sam Pordale is a Sanctuary Scholar at the University of Warwick and is currently working as a Research Assistant, specialising in identifying and addressing barriers to higher education for refugees and asylum seekers. He is an active member of the Faith Strategic Partnership Group (FSPG), the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Owen Ward

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Programme Manager for Race Equality
,
University of Galway

Owen Ward is a native of Galway City and is a member of the Irish Travelling community. An early school leaver with no Junior or Leaving Certificate, he graduated from the University of Galway with a B.A. (Hons) and Masters in Post Primary education (PME). He was also a member of Údarás na hOllscoile (University of Galway Governing Authority), the first Irish Traveller elected to a University Governing authority in Ireland.

Keynote from Debra Gray

From Gatekeepers to Guides: Teaching and Learning When AI Knows Everything

For centuries, higher education held the keys to advanced knowledge. But in 2025, those keys are digital, shared, and probably floating in a student’s back pocket on a phone running GPT-4. So, if AI knows everything, where does that leave us? In this keynote, we’ll explore how educators can move from being gatekeepers to guides, designers of meaning, curators of insight, and co-navigators in a world of abundant knowledge. We’ll look at how AI is changing what students learn, and how, when, and with whom they learn. Spoiler: they’re not always waiting for next Tuesday’s lecture.

The role of the educator isn’t disappearing, it’s evolving into something more human, more creative, and more essential than ever.

Debra Gray MBE

Principal and CEO
,
Hull College

Debra brings over 25 years of education and commercial experience to her current role. Her dedication to education was recognised with an MBE from the Queen in 2020. Debra is currently undertaking a doctorate focused on the skills needed to address the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the Humber region – actively researching crucial areas such as green skills, artificial intelligence and the risks associated with automation. She has an extensive publishing record covering a wide range of educational topics, particularly in the realms of digital and industrial transformation. She currently serves as the Principal and CEO of Hull College.

Fay Short

Professor in the School of Psychology and Sport Science
,
Bangor University

Fay Short is a Professor in the School of Psychology and Sport Science at Bangor University and a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society. She is also a qualified therapist, and a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and an Accredited Registrant of the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society. Having previously worked as Director of Teaching and Learning for the College of Human Sciences, her current professional roles include Course Director for the MSc in Counselling and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Employability at Bangor University.

Richard Steadman-Jones

Richard Steadman-Jones
,
University of Sheffield

Richard Steadman-Jones is Professor of Creative Education in the School of English at the University of Sheffield and his research and teaching revolve around the point where literary scholarship, linguistics, and creative practice meet. For more than twenty years he has run creative modules offering students of English Language and Literature the opportunity to explore the properties of digital media through a process of practice-as-research. In this context he focuses on critical and creative approaches to multimodal story-telling, the elements of creative coding, and the challenges and opportunities that the rise of AI presents to writers and artists.

Andy Mew

Head of Startup Support
,
University of Essex

Andy is Head of Startup Support at the University of Essex and is responsible for embedding entrepreneurship across the institute. He led on the inclusion of student enterprise in the university’s Enterprise and Innovation Sub-Strategy, with a specific focus on co-curricular development to enhance entrepreneurial mindsets and skills in students. Andy is passionate about raising the profile of entrepreneurship as an alternative route after graduation. He has previously worked on projects with the British Council to develop enterprise initiatives in Georgia and Armenia and is currently the UK Chair for Practitioner Pathways for Enterprise Educators UK.

The programme

Day 1 - Part 1

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Day 1 - Part 2

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Day 2 - Part 1

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Day 2 - Part 2

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Day 3 - Part 1

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Day 3 - Part 2

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Day 1 - 3 - Poster Presentations

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Accessible Programme

Day 1 - Accessible Programme

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Day 2 - Accessible Programme

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Day 3 - Accessible Programme

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Abstracts

Poster - Abstracts T_L Conference

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Day 1 - Abstracts T_L Conference

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Day 2 - Abstracts T_L Conference

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Day 3 - Abstracts T_L Conference

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Festival of Fellowship Networking Mornings

Join us at our Fellowship networking events, taking place each morning during the Teaching and Learning Conference 2025.

Date: 1-3 July 2025
Time: 8:45 AM - 9:30 AM

These networking events provide a wonderful opportunity to connect with Fellows and aspiring Fellows of Advance HE before the start of the day's conference activities. You'll have the chance to engage with members of our Fellowship team and meet likeminded peers, committed to advancing teaching excellence in higher education.

This year's networking events hold special significance as we celebrate reaching 200,000 Advance HE fellowships worldwide - a remarkable milestone that demonstrates the growing commitment to professionalism in teaching and supporting learning across global higher education.

Group Discounts for Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference 2025

Maximise your institution's participation with our exclusive group booking discounts for the Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference 2025.

5% discount for booking 10-19 delegates
10% discount for booking 20+ delegates
50% discount for students

Contact [email protected] for more details or to access the discounts.

Accommodation

Below you will find a list of hotels which have set up preferential rates for attendees to the conference.

Accommodation

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Event Mobi

At Advance HE our conferences and events are powered by a platform called Event Mobi. Event Mobi can be accessed via any web browser or an app two weeks prior to events, and provides great opportunities to interact with other delegates, presenters and speakers. You also have the ability to personalise your own event agenda and many more things prior to, and on the day of the event.

Key features of Event Mobi include:

Easily accessible: Via their app on the go, or on any web browser
Personalised schedule: Create your own itinerary based on your interests and preferences
Discussion board: Actively engage prior to and during the event with other attendees on key topics
Speaker profiles: Learn more about our amazing speakers and their sessions
Session abstracts: Find all the details on each session to support your agenda planning
Event map (in-person events only): Navigate the venue with ease using our interactive map
Networking opportunities: Connect with other attendees, arrange meet ups and build valuable relationships
Access resources: Any relevant supporting links and documents will be provided on the platform
Activity feed: The Activity Feed provides attendees with a fun and interactive social media-like experience within the event app, fostering open conversations and sharing of images and text in a secure environment.
Latest updates: Stay informed with real-time announcements and updates

Teaching and Learning Conference 2025: Future-focused education: Ensuring successful student outcomes for all

Overview

Event Information

Conference themes

Who should attend?

Speakers

Day 1

Keynote from Professor Philip Hanna

AI in Education: Defining the Challenges, Shaping the Solutions

Panellists Day 1

Day 2

Keynote from Dr. Eleni Meletiadou

Panellists Day 2

Day 3

Keynote from Debra Gray

Panellists Day 3

The programme

Day 1 - Part 1

Day 1 - Part 2

Day 2 - Part 1

Day 2 - Part 2

Day 3 - Part 1

Day 3 - Part 2

Day 1 - 3 - Poster Presentations

Accessible Programme

Day 1 - Accessible Programme

Day 2 - Accessible Programme

Day 3 - Accessible Programme

Abstracts

Poster - Abstracts T_L Conference

Day 1 - Abstracts T_L Conference

Day 2 - Abstracts T_L Conference

Day 3 - Abstracts T_L Conference

Festival of Fellowship Networking Mornings

Group Discounts for Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference 2025

Accommodation

Accommodation

Share and celebrate your achievements with digitally recognised learning

Event Mobi

Sponsors