Alistair Jarvis CBE, Advance HE's new Chief Executive, is to chair the headline panel discussion at this year’s Governance Conference in December.
The conference, Shaping the Future of HE Governance, will focus on the practical applications of governance with special emphasis on navigating the rapidly evolving landscape, financial sustainability and changing student expectations.
Jarvis will be joined by newly elected President of Universities UK (UUK), Professor Malcolm Press, and Professor Cara Aitchison, Chair of the Scottish Funding Council, to examine the lessons and implications of Advance HE’s new report, 'Shaping the Future of HE Governance', which builds on the insights gained during the ‘Big Conversation’ – a collaborative project with sector partners the Committee of University Chairs (CUC), UUK, GuildHE, Independent Higher Education (IHE) and Association of Heads of University Administration (AHUA).
The report, which will be published next month, points to 10 critical priorities for improving institutional oversight and strategic decision-making across the higher education sector.
Alistair Jarvis said: "I am delighted to have the opportunity to chair this headline panel at the 2025 Governance Conference in my role as Advance HE Chief Executive.
"I've been involved with the Big Conversation throughout this year, working alongside other sector partners, so bringing it all together at conference and maintaining this ongoing dialogue is an excellent way to help us identify what elements of governance are working well and what could be improved across our sector.
"I'm looking forward to welcoming delegates to my first conference in this new role. In such challenging times for higher education, and with governance very much in the spotlight, this event is a great opportunity to hear the latest thinking, share experiences and build the networks that are so essential when institutions are facing complex pressures.
"The governance challenges we're confronting now require collaborative solutions, and events like this enable us to learn from each other and develop more effective approaches."
Professor Edward Peck, the newly appointed Chair of the Office for Students (OfS), will also attend the conference in a keynote conversation with Aaron Porter, Advance HE’s Associate Director of Governance, to explore the future of higher education governance from a regulatory perspective.
The session will examine critical issues that governing bodies must address to ensure institutions remain sustainable, agile and focused on continuous improvement for students, staff and society.
The programme will feature sessions on artificial intelligence in governance, led by the Association of Heads of Educational Partnerships (AHEP), while AHUA will discuss its organisational efficiency maturity model.
GuildHE will lead conversations on new models of governance, reflecting the sector's need for innovative approaches to leadership and oversight.
A plenary session will explore the Committee of University Chairs (CUC) Code of Conduct and its 'direction of travel', alongside discussions on lessons that can be learned from governance practices beyond the higher education sector.
Aaron Porter will draw on insights from Advance HE's Governance Effectiveness Reviews and this broader sectoral conversation to inform discussions throughout the day.
The conference will also include dedicated networking sessions designed to facilitate deeper collaboration among institutions at a time when collective action and shared learning are more important than ever.
Advance HE will publish the full programme in coming weeks.