Wednesday 21 October 2026, 12pm - Thursday 22 October 2026, 5:30pm
In person
Hartpury University and Hartpury College
Sponsored by Shakespeare Martineau, Easy Transfer, Cairneagle, Knowledge Exchange UK

View the conference agenda: 21 - 22 October 2026

We are delighted that this year’s GuildHE Annual Conference will be hosted by Hartpury University and Hartpury College.

GuildHE’s Annual Conference is our flagship event, bringing together Vice-Chancellors, Principals, CEOs and senior leaders from across our diverse membership, alongside policymakers, sector organisations and partners. Our provisional theme, Building a better future: radical ideas and innovations for sharing, will explore how higher education institutions, sector bodies and partners can work together to address emerging challenges, share innovative practice and shape the future of the sector.

The programme will feature keynote speakers, policy discussions and interactive panels on leadership, student engagement, institutional resilience and sector transformation.

Hot on the agenda are keynote speeches from senior leaders including The Rt Hon Baroness Jacqui Smith, Minister of State for Skills at the Department for Education, Professor Dame Jessica Corner DBE, Executive Chair of Research England, UKRI, and Polly Payne, Chief Executive Officer of the Office for Students.

On the jam-packed agenda, you can also expect:

  • An 'in conversation' session with Jonathan Simons, Partner and Head of Education at Public First, to talk about what a Burnham government might look like for higher education, and how the HE sector should position itself with regards to future political possibilities.
  • John Blake, Director at The Post-18 Project, joining the panel session 'Adaptive Leadership: What is needed for a strategic response to sector transformation', exploring how institutions can respond strategically to rapidly changing higher education landscape.
  • Sarah Cowan, Head of Higher Education and Research Policy at The British Academy leading an interactive breakout session unpicking the timely question: "What are universities for?"
  • Ewan Robertson, Principal at Cairneagle, bringing his insight to the conversation around the future of higher education and financial sustainability.
  • New feature for 2026: Speed executive coaching with Tessa Harrison, giving delegates the opportunity to experience a short, focused coaching session and explore how executive coaching can support their leadership and development.
  • ... And so much more in store! Further exciting announcements coming soon.

Delegates will also have opportunities to connect with colleagues from across the sector during the evening networking reception, conference dinner and entertainment.

For those arriving earlier on Wednesday, an optional light lunch and campus tour will take place from 12:00, before the conference formally begins later in the afternoon. The event will conclude at 17:30 on Thursday, allowing delegates to travel home that evening.

Registration

Regular registration is now open for members and non-members. Standard conference rates are:

  • GuildHE Member (Full/Main) £365
  • GuildHE Member (Associate, Research, Creative) £465
  • Non-member £500
  • Non-members - Networking dinner only £295

Member registration   Non-member registration   

The conference fee covers attendance for the full two-day programme, including the conference dinner and evening networking on Wednesday. Single-day or pro-rata tickets are not available. Prices are VAT exempt.

Our Partners and Sponsors

We are pleased to be delivering the conference with our sponsors Shakespeare Martineau, EasyTransfer, Cairneagle and Knowledge Exchange UK this year. Their support enables us to deliver this flagship event, reflecting their shared commitment to supporting transformation and innovation across the higher education sector. 

We will release an updated list of partners and sponsors shortly, once information has been firmed up. In the meantime, we are inviting further expressions of interest to sponsor the conference - sponsorship package details are available here.

We very much look forward to welcoming you all to Hartpury for what promises to be an engaging and energising conference! If you have further enquiries, please email Amanda Suwart, Membership and Partnerships Manager ([email protected]).