Group to meet at Sports Central CUBO Welcome Desk.  Introductions to the Northumbria team and a brief history of the building and University.

Please register here if you would like to attend the campus tour 

Kirsty Woodward, CUBO Chair & Director of Estates & Campus Services, University of Leicester and Nysa Pradhan, CUBO Executive Director

Professor John Woodward, Pro Vice-Chancellor International, Northumbria University

Kate Ancketill, CEO & Founder, GDR

Most people aren't really comfortable with change, particularly at the pace we're seeing today. This provides an opportunity for those who study to apply the principles of business futurism. How do the world's most successful companies bake innovation into their culture? 

Rody Vonk, Innovation & Creativity Training

Creativity is the driving force behind successful innovation—but too often, great ideas are shut down before they have a chance to grow. The biggest barrier? The ‘Yes, but…’ mindset, where skepticism stifles creativity instead of fueling it. Discover how shifting to a ‘Yes, and’ approach unlocks creativity, fuels bold thinking, and drives real innovation.

Kirsty Woodward, CUBO Chair & Director of Estates & Campus Services, University of Leicester 

Transport will be provided to transport you to Motel One

Student accommodation is more than a place to sleep — it's where university life begins. With over 48,000 student voices captured in the Spring 2025 Global Student Living Index, this session draws on the latest joint GSL and CUBO report to explore the evolving role of residence life in shaping the student experience across the UK and Ireland.

This session will examine how well-designed residence life programmes contribute to community, belonging, and wellbeing — and why these elements are essential for academic success, social connection, and retention. We'll explore the data behind what students want, what works, where gaps persist, and how universities and private providers can deliver more impactful, inclusive, and engaging residence life strategies.

Key themes include:
•    The influence of the moving-in experience on long-term satisfaction and belonging
•    Barriers to extracurricular engagement including for vulnerable groups, such as students with a disability, students who are neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ students
•    The rising importance of specialist accommodation such as quiet or lifestyle-based communities
•    The changing expectations of students — with growing demand for wellness, academic, and employability-focused programming

This session offers evidence-based insights and practical takeaways for anyone working to enhance the student living experience.

Creative Collaboration: From Chaos to Clarity: - Rody Vonk - (Corry - Sports Central)

Many brainstorms drift into unstructured discussions, where ideas get lost, dominant voices take over, and decisions remain vague. In this active, hands-on workshop, you’ll learn by doing, experiencing how structured collaboration can transform idea generation into a more focused, inclusive, and effective process—a critical skill for driving innovation.

Innovation and Creating in Foodservice Sustainability - Sam Roth, Operations Director - Universities and Charlotte Thwaite, Sustainability Manager Universities, Gather & Gather - (LIB 001- Library)

Session summary to follow

One region, one vision - Ian Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, NewcastleGateshead Initiative - (LIB 002- Library)   

NewcastleGateshead Initiative is a destination and inward investment agency that delivers for Newcastle, Gateshead, and the wider region. Our vision is to create an internationally recognised destination, a great city to enjoy, visit, live and invest.

Campus development: the future of university partnerships - Robert Kingham, Head of Advisory at Student First Group (SFG) - (LIB 003- Library)   

Financial pressures are causing most universities to consider partnering with the private sector to deliver their capital programmes. Some are looking at well-established forms of partnership such as Design, Build Finance and Operate, and some at new structures such as Joint Ventures. Robert Kingham, Head of Advisory at Student First Group (SFG), will talk through the pros and cons of existing and emerging models. He will highlight some exciting and innovative partnerships that SFG is working on, that include academic space as well as student accommodation; these are more than just property deals, aiming to transform the way that Higher Education is delivered.3

Preparing for Generation Alpha – Digital Immersives - Peter Moore, Lolly Founder & CEO - (Corry - Sports Central)

Presentation on how our next generation of students are the first true digital natives, more apptly Digital Immersives. Technology is integral to all parts of their lives including hospitality and the connectivity and choice that it drives.

The Value of Sport at Northumbria University – Daryl Dixon, Head of Sport, Northumbria University - (LIB 001- Library)

Over the past four years, aligned with our then-new Sport Strategy focused on increasing participation at all levels and enhancing the student experience, Sport at Northumbria has achieved significant growth.

Two standout areas are:
•    Sport Club Membership, which has increased by 60%, and
•    Fitness Membership, which has grown by 56%.
Sport is central to student experience, supporting both the recruitment and retention of students at Northumbria University.

The session is a presentation on the transformational journey of Sport and broader impact highlighting the value of sport within the university.

Contracting Out! - Catering at Northumbria - Sean Brown, Head of Operations, Chartwells & Barry Nicholson, Head of Conferencing & Event Operations, Northumbria University - (LIB 002- Library)

Session details to follow

From Low Uptake to 99.7% Completion -Transforming E6 Compliance Training - Steph Fisher, Senior Residential Life Coordinator, University of Manchester & Mike Ritchie, Digital Director, CampusLife - (LIB 003- Library)

With the upcoming E6 Condition of Registration from the Office for Students, universities across the UK are being called to improve student training on sexual misconduct and harassment. But how do you ensure students actually engage with this critical topic?
The University of Manchester, in partnership with CampusLife, completely reimagined how sexual consent training was delivered—moving from a low-engagement model to an approach that saw delivery increase from 1,256 to 7,965 students, reaching an amazing 99.7% completion rate.

Care and learning in higher education in 2025: the latest picture on care-experienced and estranged students at university. - Fiona Ellison, Director, Unite Foundation - (Corry - Sports Central)

The session will give delegates the current picture on access and success for care-experienced and estranged students nationally, with up-to-date reference points and an insight into the particular barriers this cohort of students face in succeeding in higher education and what intervention activities that already exist and what is known about what works

The impact of the student lifestyle report on Newcastle Students - Laura Bosworth, Chief Marketing Officer, This is Real Agency - (LIB 001- Library)

Session details to follow

Facing the Challenge of Providing Commercial Services - James Ellerby, Senior Consultant, The Russell Partnership Collection - (LIB 002- Library)

This workshop will explore the challenges and creative solutions of providing hospitality services within the HE sector in the current financial climate

Workshop Four - (LIB 003- Library)

Session details to follow

Shirine Khoury-Haq, Group Chief Executive Officer, Co-op

How do you transform commercial performance while staying true to your values?

In an engaging fireside chat, Shirine will share how she steered Co-op from financial instability to a thriving, purpose-led business. She’ll discuss the tough decisions, strategic vision, and cultural transformation that made it possible, whilst preserving Co-op’s ethical commitments and identity.

With leadership experience spanning McDonald’s, IBM, Lloyds, and now leading the £11 billion member owned Co-operative, Shirine offers exceptional insights into leadership through adversity.

Her journey parallels the challenges facing our universities today - navigating unprecedented financial pressures, making bold decisions and redefining purpose. Expect an honest and thought-provoking discussion on balancing financial sustainability with values-driven leadership, with the chance to ask your own questions.

ACUHO-I’s Future of the Profession Initiative: An Overview of the Phase II Discovery Report - Michael Griffel, PhD, Associate Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management, University of Oregon - (Corry - Sports Central)

ACUHO-I’s Future of the Profession Initiative: An Overview of the Phase II Discovery Report
This session will provide an overview of ACUHO-I’s Future of the Profession, a multi-year multi-phase initiative, involving hundreds of volunteer experts, emphasizing the need for housing and residence life departments to align with university missions, learning goals, and strategic priorities. Housing and residence life professionals must adapt to changes and embrace a holistic approach to their work in an ever-evolving higher education landscape. The ACUHO-I Future of the Profession Phase II Discovery Report focuses on eight essential components for the evolution of housing and residence life, offering actionable insights for professionals.

Driving Value Through In-House Catering - Mike Haslin, CEO TUCO, Chris Jarram, University of Nottingham and Matthew Mealing, University of Salford - (LIB 001- Library)

Session details to follow

Flexible Meal Plan: How to make millions and keep students happy and healthy - Matt Tebbit, Director of Dining Services, University of Reading - (LIB 002- Library)

Introducing a flexible Meal Plan system offers a unique opportunity for universities to enhance
the student experience while generating sustainable, predictable income. The University of
Reading’s Clever Cuisine Meal Plan is a leading example of how innovative meal plan
provision can meet multiple strategic goals, from improving student wellbeing to supporting
long-term financial health. 

AI in Events: From Buzzword to Backstage Assistant - Adam Calladine, Chief Operating Officer, Kinetic - (LIB 003- Library)

AI is everywhere — but what does it actually mean for those running conferences and events? In this interactive session, we’ll cut through the hype and explore how AI could enhance the planning, delivery, and reporting of events. From smart scheduling and delegate support to predictive insights and post-event analysis, you’ll collaborate with peers to imagine practical use cases and identify efficiencies and opportunities to enhance your customers' experience.

Beth Kume-Holland, CEO & Founder Patchwork Hub

Beth will be sharing a glimpse into her personal journey from Oxford undergraduate and researcher to award-winning CEO and international disability rights advocate. Disabled people make up 24% of the UK population and 1.85 billion people globally, but all too often disability and accessibility are afterthoughts across institutions, business and society. This keynote will explore some of the key challenges surrounding disability inclusion and accessibility, why it matters and crucially, how we can each play our part to make campuses and society more accessible, with some practical tips that we can all implement immediately.

Kirsty Woodward, CUBO Chair & Director of Estates & Campus Services, University of Leicester 

Coaches will depart the Motel One at 18:20 prompt to transport delegates to Domain

Hosted by Carl Hutchinson, Comedian