05 May 2026 - UCISA26 Henry Maguire Reflections
Earlier this year, I made the journey down from Glasgow to Liverpool for the UCISA26 Leadership Summit, my first time attending what turned out to be one of the most useful education events I've been to in years. The conference brings together university IT leaders with a clear mission: inspiring and enabling outstanding leadership in IT across higher education. Safe to say, it delivered on every front.
I'll be honest, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect as a first timer. I was hoping for fresh thinking, meaningful conversations, and perhaps a nudge or two in the right direction for some of the challenges we're navigating at Strathclyde. What I found was all of that and more. The scale of the event genuinely surprised me, this is a well-organised, well-attended gathering that clearly matters to our sector. If you're heading along for the first time, my top tip is to make sure you get to the dedicated session for new attendees. It's a brilliant way to orient yourself and hit the ground running.
The conference was opened by Professor Tim Jones, Vice Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, setting an ambitious and forward-looking tone for the two days ahead.
From there, I found myself particularly drawn to the UCL presentation on their journey to a Digital Strategic Plan. One phrase has stuck with me since "Express the road map in their language." It's such a simple but powerful reminder that even the best digital strategy needs to speak to the people it serves, not just the teams building it.
I also attended the University of Oxford's session "AI, Authenticity, and Academia: Lessons from the Front Line" which offered a candid and practical look at how they've worked to build genuine academic buy-in for AI. Refreshingly honest, and full of lessons that I feel are directly applicable.
On day two, Cloudforce presented their Azure-based AI platform, “nebulaONE”, and it was one of those sessions where I found myself taking notes throughout. We've since arranged a follow-up conversation with them to explore how their offering could work for us at Strathclyde, which feels like a tangible outcome I can already point to. The University of Edinburgh also showcased their on-premises AI solution for researchers, staff, and students, a great example of the sector's genuine commitment to innovation in this space.
It will come as no surprise that artificial intelligence was the defining theme of UCISA26. But what struck me was the quality and depth of the conversation around it no hype just thoughtful, grounded discussion about real implementation challenges and real successes. That's exactly the kind of dialogue our sector needs right now.
Perhaps the most underrated part of any conference is the conversations that happen between sessions. The chance to speak candidly with peers from across the sector, to hear unfiltered perspectives from people navigating the same challenges was genuinely invaluable. I left with new contacts, three exhibitor follow-up meetings in the diary, and a renewed sense of momentum.
If you haven't been to the UCISA Leadership Summit, I'd encourage you to go. It's worth every mile of the journey.
