Space to Lead was a 12-month coaching pilot, offered at no cost to participating universities. Upon conclusion, 11 participants have received 115 hours of free coaching from Strive Higher.

The conversation reaffirmed something many of us feel instinctively: the old language of 'students as customers' simply doesn’t capture the depth, complexity, or potential of the student–university relationship. Yes, the consumer-rights framing sharpened standards and transparency, but as Jo noted, it has always felt a bit clunky, and it doesn’t speak to the personal transformation at the heart of higher education. Learning isn’t a transaction; it’s a developmental, human par

Against a backdrop of constrained public funding, fierce competition for students and a crowded sector, UK universities must reimagine how they support research - not only to advance academic excellence, but to increase institutional income. REF, KEF, and innovation funding streams offer significant opportunities, but only if support structures are aligned with income potential. Optimising research support is no longer a back-office function; it is a strategic imperative.

In this fast-paced world with increasing cost of living, advancements in technology, such as generative AI, and changing student expectations, is it time to consider how the student experience is changing, how far it might change and where our attention needs to focus?

We cannot think of AI in terms of efficiency alone. If adoption is transactional, we could lose the qualities that make higher education transformative: empathy, trust, and human connection. The real challenge is not whether to adopt AI, but how to integrate it in ways that amplify the human experience.

The student–university relationship is too important to be reduced to a service contract. In a world where challenges are complex and change is constant, partnership is not just an ideal; it’s a necessity.

The future of higher education lies not in eliminating organisational structure, but in making it more permeable, responsive, and human-centred.

Of late, I find myself increasingly reflecting on the importance of empathy in everything we do. We live in an ever-changing world with ever increasing expectations, opportunities, noise and threat. I keep coming back to the urgent need for empathy to be baked into our service design and delivery, into how we deliver change and into our leadership styles and how, in these times, we need to lean into this as much as possible.

Comprehensive and accessible disability services are essential to remove barriers and support diverse needs throughout the student journey.

The process of collating and submitting data regulatory returns is not unlike a Traitors Round Table.

Successfully implementing organisational strategy requires collective accountability from leadership teams during times of change.

Moving to a service culture with a clearly defined service catalogue enables everyone to understand the ‘what, how, who and when’.

What does it really mean to be in the middle of a university league table?

Providers are required to collect and submit data on the full range of their activities, and much of this is available as open-source data. Institutions are regulated and held to account on their basis of the data they submit. So why is it so complicated to penetrate? And how can the same data give rise to such difference of opinion? 

Fostering a strong sense of belonging amongst staff supports a shared sense of purpose and encourages a supportive and enabling environment. This can provide the foundation from which to build on an organisation's institutional and departmental strategic objectives.

Higher education students’ identities are constructed in different ways, by them individually, by higher education institutions and within society. This article introduces different ways of thinking about student identities, considers what this might mean for student expectations, and finally reflects on what this might say about different forms of student engagement.

The sign off date for the first HESA Data Futures (HDF) submission has now passed. What should have been a celebration of a significant milestone in the journey towards in-year data submissions has instead seen institutions limping towards the finish line, dragging their data with them. The regulator has announced the need for an independent review of the processes. So how did we get here, and what can be done?

Relatively recently in the sector, there has been an increased focus on social responsibility and civic engagement, generating more debate around the focus and the definition of these terms. There are now fifty-nine universities committed to creating a Civic University Agreement. This article introduces some factors driving civic engagement in the sector, and discusses some of the challenges related to scoping where civic engagement should apply.

This article outlines issues relating to defining belonging, explains why belonging is important and highlights the work Strive Higher has done to foster belonging in practice.

Taking the time to collectively articulate and embed shared values, beliefs and behaviours can positively impact business outcomes.