08 April 2026 - UCISA26 Ian Strachan Reflections
Reflections From My First Leadership Summit in Liverpool
It was a privilege to attend my first—though hopefully not my last—Leadership Summit in Liverpool. A massive thank you to the entire team for an incredible three days that were brilliantly organised. As a first‑time attendee, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but excited about the opportunity to learn, make connections, and gain a deeper understanding of the sector and its evolving landscape.What I Was Looking Forward To
I was particularly looking forward to stepping away from some of the day‑to‑day operational challenges and having the time to hear directly from sector leaders, innovators, and partners - to think more strategically. This was a great opportunity to broaden my perspective and knowledge, beyond my usual responsibilities, to understand the wider challenges and opportunities ahead of us. I was also eager to make connections with peers, share experiences, and measure our journey against others.First Impressions
From the moment we arrived - the warm welcome from the registration team, and the buzz within the exhibition hall, was fantastic. The agenda balanced inspirational keynotes with practical, relatable discussions that reflected the real issues we all face. The openness of the conversations impressed me too - there was a genuine willingness to share insights, challenges, and even frustrations. The atmosphere felt collaborative and vibrant, making it easy to engage and contribute.My Top Three Takeaways
- The power of shared purpose. Across the sessions, a key message stood out - our organisations may differ, however we share a common goal of creating meaningful, positive impact for students, researchers, staff and the community. Hearing how others pursue that mission helped endorse the actions we're taking in our own strategic direction.
- Leadership requires continuous development. Whether it's new technologies, responding to policy or cultural shifts, or adapting to workforce expectations, leaders who succeed are willing to evolve. The summit reinforced that leadership isn’t 'one size fits all' - it’s a continuous journey of learning, listening, and adapting.
- Collaboration strengthens resilience. The operational, financial, cultural and technological challenges we face can't be solved in isolation. The presentations and panel discussions demonstrated how we need to work in partnership to break silos and bring together different skillsets.
A Recommendation for First‑Time Attendees
If you’re attending the Leadership Summit for the first time, my biggest piece of advice is: be curious and talk to as many people as you can! Be open minded and don't be afraid to ask questions or share your experiences. For me, there was as much, if not more, value in the informal conversations and networking with attendees and exhibitors, over coffee and lunch breaks, as there was from the formal sessions. People were far more generous with their insights than I expected.
