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 and 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

An exclusive presentation and panel discussion of the findings of this year's report, exploring Residence Life programmes in student accommodation.

Printed copies of the report are available exclusively to CUBO members and can be picked up from the GSL stand.

Creative Collaboration: From Chaos to Clarity:

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.

Rody Vonk

Innovation and Creating in Foodservice Sustainability

Sam Roth, Operations Director - Universities, Gather & Gather

Preparing for Generation Alpha – Digital Immersives - Peter Moore, Lolly Founder & CEO

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

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

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

Facing the Challenge of Providing Commercial Services - James Ellerby, Senior Consultant, The Russell Partnership Collection

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

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

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.

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

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

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