AUA Annual Conference
and Exhibition 2023
The University of Warwick
Sunday, 2 July – Tuesday, 4 July 2023
What to expect from AUA 2023
‘Becoming a Higher Education Professional: Continual reinvention in a transforming sector.’
Welcome from the AUA Chair and Executive Director
“The enduring nature of being human is to turn into something else” Professor John Kaag, Hiking with Nietzsche
Since the founding of the AUA, higher education has moved on and developments in our sector are taking all of us to new and exciting places. We are all in an enduring process of reinvention as the world around us transforms, and this includes the AUA and our annual conference. This year, we are doing annual conference differently and delegates will feel this significant difference across the event. We are excited to showcase this change in our exciting modes of session delivery and activities, in a brand new location, with an engaging programme designed to connect delegates and empower you to find your career pathway.
Our theme for this year is Becoming a Higher Education Professional: Continual reinvention in a transforming sector. Our theme centres on the career pathways of professional staff and explores a continual self-reinvention to navigate a changing and challenging sector. This theme challenges the notion of having a fixed identity as a HE professional and instead offers that our professional self is fluid and in a perpetual state of self-overcoming – always learning, always changing, always growing. In our becoming as professionals we are an active plastic force, a powerful energy that can transform – but we need to be able to imagine, to be creative and to dare to do things differently.
Our conference setting for this year is the beautiful University of Warwick. Located in Coventry, the birthplace of the UK motor industry, and, legend has it, St. George the dragon slayer and patron saint of England. The AUA Conference is a must for all HE professionals, as individuals and from an institutional perspective. From our excellent programme, delegates will be able to identify, develop and practice the knowledge and behaviours needed to equip themselves for their future in professional services.
Take this opportunity to engage, learn, network and perhaps, most importantly, celebrate your work.
It is with pride that we lead the AUA, an organisation with deep roots that nurtures professional growth and transformation. We very much look forward to sharing our own personal growth and transformation as an organisation at our conference this year, where we will unveil the future of the AUA alongside our brand new identity.
It is a privilege to bring together like-minded professionals as we welcome you all to the University of Warwick. So please take the opportunity to say hello to us during the conference and let us know your thoughts on how everything is going.
- Colin Ferguson, Executive Director
- Vikki Goddard, AUA Chair
Here is what some of our delegates thought of past AUA Annual Conferences:
We’re back and we’re different
This year marks a significant turning point for the AUA as we prepare to launch our new strategic direction. This year’s conference theme focuses on reinvention and transformation in the continual journey of our becoming, both for higher education professionals and the AUA as an organisation that champions and supports this rich and diverse community.
Not only does our theme embrace continual reinvention, but our conference itself has been reinvented based on your feedback. You will notice a new look and feel to our conference, from our impressive new location at the University of Warwick to our range of activities built to help you engage, develop and connect. This year’s conference celebrates the AUA’s beating heart: Our members! We will bring together new and established members at our Sunday Garden Party, included as part of your full conference package.
We will celebrate the presentation of outstanding research and best practice from delegates, including students completing the MSc Higher Education Administration, Management and Leadership programme. These students will receive special recognition for their exceptional work alongside this year’s successful PgCert students at our Awards Celebration Evening at Gala Dinner.
Our programme
As always, we are working hard to ensure that our members experience includes a varied and extensive programme with something for everyone. Please use the links below to access this year’s top-level agenda and the full conference programme, detailing the sessions available.
AUA Garden Party
Join us on Sunday, 2 July from 18:00-21:00, for the AUA Garden Party, hosted on the University of Warwick campus. Included with the full attendance package, you’ll be able to have a bite to eat, enjoy a welcome beverage and play garden games, with a bar and ice cream van also on-site!
Our garden party is a great informal networking opportunity for you to get to know colleagues from across the sector and around the globe. You can meet like-minded individuals and make lasting connections for you to share your experiences and learn from each other.
AUA Awards Celebration Evening and Gala Dinner
The AUA Annual Gala Dinner will take place at the University of Warwick on Monday 3 July.
Join us for a glittering evening to celebrate everything that makes the AUA what it is – you, our members! There will be a drink’s reception which is co-hosted with Seats Software. Followed by a sumptuous three-course dinner and entertainment, centred around marking the achievements of our members. Come along and celebrate with us in your finest attire!
During the evening we will celebrate the success of our PgCert students as we spotlight their achievements at our special awards celebration evening and Gala. Also, for the very first time, we will be recognising those who have progressed on to the MSc in HE Administration Management and Leadership and produced outstanding master’s theses with potential to contribute to the professional services. Our award winners will be joined by our Trustees, the AUA team, delegates and VIP guests, making for a truly special and intimate evening.
The University of Warwick
We cannot wait to welcome you back in person to connect and develop with colleagues from across the sector. Based in the heart of the UK, the AUA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2023 will be taking place at the University of Warwick. Situated on the outskirts of Coventry, surrounded by Crackley Woods Nature Reserve and only 3 miles from the city centre, The University of Warwick will host our Sunday Social, Conference and Gala Dinner, with accommodation also available on-site.
Accommodation
The University of Warwick offers a unique opportunity for delegates, providing you with the option to stay on campus, with multiple types of accommodation available to ensure that all budgets and needs are met:
+ This year, there is the option to reside in the University of Warwick’s budget-friendly on-site student rooms, Bluebell, costing just £57.75+VAT a night. These rooms include a 3/4 bed featuring a desk, and an en-suite inclusive of towels and wrapped soap as well as a shared kitchen, creating the perfect space to connect with fellow AUA members more personally.
+ Please note that the Radcliffe rooms have sold out. We apologise for any convenience caused.
Included with accommodation, you will also have free access to Warwick Sport’s Premium Leisure facilities on Campus. These facilities include a swimming pool and gym, open from 6:00 to 23:00 Monday to Friday.
This offer is exclusive to the University of Warwick. Booking can be completed directly through this link. If you have any queries regarding accommodation, please contact conference.events@warwick.ac.uk.
With the events of the previous few years impacting our ability to socialise, the AUA believe that campus accommodation will only heighten the world of wonderful and inclusive networking opportunities that the AUA has to offer at our Annual Conference. The campus accommodation offer is extremely beneficial in maximising your experience as a delegate as it promotes accessibility with every aspect of the conference in one location.
We also hope that this offer will make our Sunday Social more accessible as this will also take place on campus, with further details to follow.
Please note that accommodation and many other amenities on-site are cashless. However, there is a cash machine available outside Rootes Grocery Store should you require.
Bluebell Hallway 
Bluebell En-Suite 
Bluebell Bedroom 
Bluebell Bedroom 
Bluebell Living Area 
Bluebell Kitchen
Car Parking
There are a variety of parking facilities available during your stay at the University of Warwick, with accessible parking spaces available on campus. Furthermore, the premises offer step-free access across the campus with all venues host to accessible toilets. For specific enquiries into accessible car parking and additional requirements, please email events@aua.ac.uk.
Prior to the event, we would recommend that you register in advance of arrival. Please select ‘Conference Parking Warwick University’ and enter the AUA’s exclusive discount code ‘VPIBY‘ to receive free parking throughout the event.
Transport Links
The University of Warwick is accessible through a variety of modes of transportation.
Coventry Railway Station is approximately four miles from the campus, with taxis located at the Station as well as on Central Campus at the University. If you are travelling more locally, Tile Hill and Canley Rail Stations are close and conveniently located to the campus.
There are also regular bus services to the University Campus from Coventry City Centre and Railway Station, with the journey taking approximately 30 minutes. From the bus station, you can also catch the National Express bus 12X directly onto the main campus. You can find detailed information on Coventry’s bus services here.
Birmingham International Airport is approximately 20 minutes from campus by car, with a taxi rank available at the airport. Birmingham International Railway Station serves the airport, with weekday departures to Coventry Rail Station averaging every 10 minutes.
Leisure and Wellbeing
Whether you would like to focus on work or explore networking opportunities in your spare time, the University of Warwick has a selection of spaces available to accommodate your desires.
There are a variety of café’s, restaurants, bars, and retail spaces as well as a pharmacy on campus, all within walking distance of both the Conference venue and accommodation.
Delegates can also access Warwick Guest WiFi for free across the whole campus and accommodation, with working spaces available throughout the university.
The University of Warwick’s Chaplaincy is available to all delegates throughout conference. You can find more information on access to the Chaplaincy here.
Included with accommodation, you will also have free access to Warwick Sport’s Premium Leisure facilities on Campus. These facilities include a swimming pool and gym, open from 6:00 to 23:00 Monday to Friday.
The AUA Annual Gala Dinner will also take place on the University of Warwick campus on Monday 3 July, with a drink’s reception, a three-course dinner and the AUA award ceremony, all followed by the infamous AUA disco.
With accreditations covering waste management, recycling, energy, and water conservation, the University of Warwick showcases a commitment to sustainability, and we truly cannot wait for you to join the AUA in celebrating this.
Excluding the excitement of the AUA Annual Conference, Warwick itself has a great deal of culture to offer. Within walking distance of the University, you can follow paths into the ancient woodland of Crackley Wood to explore open glades and wildlife. In only a 20-minute drive you can find yourself at one of the UK’s top tourist attractions, Warwick Castle with much of Warwick’s medieval architecture still standing throughout the Old Town.
Conference Packages and Pricing
Bookings are now open for this year’s Annual Conference and Exhibition. Please note that any applicable discounts will be applied when you register your booking.
Please note if you’re booking on behalf of another delegate who is an AUA member, we recommend contacting the AUA directly to make this booking. Please contact us at events@aua.ac.uk or by telephone 0161 528 0497.
Full Attendance: Member: £465+VAT Non-Member: £620+VAT
Join us across three days and experience everything that this year’s conference has to offer.
– Our brand-new Sunday-Conference event – the AUA Garden Party!
– A choice of working sessions to choose from, providing you the opportunity to learn and connect with other HE professionals
– Keynote sessions featuring industry leading speakers
– A Spotlight session featuring an expert guest speaker talking about key theme affecting professional services staff working in higher education
– Plenty of networking opportunities
– Attendance to the AUA Gala Dinner and Awards Celebration Evening
– To be one of the first to know about what is next for the AUA, to be exclusively announced during the ‘Unveiling the new AUA’ session
Why not become a member and get access to the member discount when registering your place at conference! You can register your membership here. Alternatively, we are pleased to include a 12 month AUA membership for anyone who purchases the non-member full package.
Monday Day 1: Member: £330+VAT Non-Member: £440+VAT
– A choice of working sessions to choose from, providing you the opportunity to learn and connect with other HE professionals
– Keynote sessions featuring industry leading speakers
– A Spotlight session featuring an expert guest speaker talking about key theme affecting professional services staff working in higher education
– Plenty of networking opportunities
Monday Day 1 and Gala Dinner: Member: £430+VAT Non-Member: £540+VAT
– A choice of working sessions to choose from, providing you the opportunity to learn and connect with other HE professionals
– Keynote sessions featuring industry leading speakers
– A Spotlight session featuring an expert guest speaker talking about key theme affecting professional services staff working in higher education
– Plenty of networking opportunities
– Attendance to the AUA Gala Dinner and Awards Celebration Evening
If you are would like to purchase the ‘Monday and Gala Dinner’ package, please contact complete the registration for the Day 1 package and contact events@aua.ac.uk to confirm your attendance at the Gala Dinner. Please note that this additional cost will be added to your invoice upon confirmation of your attendance.
Tuesday Day 2: Member: £330+VAT Non-Member: £440+VAT
– A choice of working sessions to choose from, providing you the opportunity to learn and connect with other HE professionals
– Keynote sessions featuring industry leading speakers
– Watch a live debate “Vice Chancellors- academics do it better. Or do they?”
– Plenty of networking opportunities
– To be one of the first to know about what is next for the AUA, to be exclusively announced during the ‘Unveiling the new AUA’ session
In line with other institutions, the AUA operates a ‘no PO, no pay’ policy. In order to fulfil orders and deliver the services required, we require an authorised purchase order number at the time of the booking to ensure your place is reserved.
If you wish to pay by invoice, you will need to provide a valid PO number within 14 days of receiving your booking confirmation. If you fail to provide a valid PO number, your booking will be cancelled, and you may be required to rebook at a non-discounted rate. You can send your valid PO number along with your invoice number to events@aua.ac.uk.
Buddy Scheme
For our 2023 conference, we are launching a pilot ‘conference buddy scheme’ designed to support first-time delegates by connecting them with other delegates who are familiar with the conference. The scheme also aims to facilitate communication and collaboration across our delegates, as well as offering the opportunity for continued professional development and networking.
If you have never been to a conference before, the thought of attending a large event with lots of people you don’t know can be daunting. The AUA is a friendly community of professionals, but you may still feel anxious about visiting a new location and meeting large groups of new people. Perhaps you’re the only person from your university department coming to conference and you want to make the most of your experience by making sure you know someone as soon as you get there. We want to ensure that you have a familiar face to put you at ease from the start.
Buddies benefit most when they connect prior to the conference (via phone or video call) and then meet at the conference: during refreshment breaks, dinner, and/or activities. Buddies might discuss what sessions to attend, not-to-be-missed conference activities, ways to become more involved in AUA, key people to meet, and so on. The earlier and more often the buddies connect, the better. With this in mind, we will invite you to a meet and greet session at our Sunday Social of the conference in Warwick so you can meet in person, build your network, and get set for an enjoyable conference experience!
If you would like to participate in the Buddy Scheme, please register your interest using the form linked below.
To make this work, we also need experienced conference attendees! If you would like to be a point of contact for some conference first-timers, please register via the form linked below – we would love to have you involved!
If you are interested in participation, please complete this form by Friday, 9 June 2023 to ensure that you receive your buddy relationship in advance of conference.
Sponsorship and Exhibition
The AUA conference and exhibition is your opportunity to step foot into the world of higher education (HE) and meet career driven individual’s that work across a multitude of departments within the sector. Whether you’re new to the sector or a long standing sponsor or exhibitor, we’ve got a plethora of ways for you to support the AUA conference.
This year we are giving you the chance to get creative and engage with delegates on multiple levels. We’re aiming to make this year’s conference more engaging than ever, and this why you should you get involved:
- You can create and develop client relationships
- Increase your presence within the sector
- Establish and highlight your brand
- Engage with a variety of HE professionals from across Universities across the UK and the globe
Interested? Contact our events team at events@aua.ac.uk
