See how institutions like yours can enrich student experiences with more personalised, accessible learning, reinventing student engagement through intelligent, connected digital tools to bend the curve on innovation.

Speakers:

• James Gray (CEO, Kortext)
• Jen Wyatt (Director of Education, Microsoft UK)
  

UEL has delivered the most ambitious transformation in UK higher education, setting a benchmark and blueprint for how modern universities can lead national renewal, improve social equity and build a future-ready society

Speaker:

• Professor Amanda Broderick (Vice-Chancellor & President, University of East London)
  

Discover how Aston University has leveraged cross-institutional data to enable smarter, evidence-driven decision-making in partnership with Kortext and Microsoft.

Speakers:

• Helen Blaikie (Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Aston University)
• Deepa Shinde (Senior Director, Industry Advisor – Research & Innovation, Microsoft EMEA)
• Andrew Bates (Chief Product Officer, Kortext)

This session explores how Teesside University – THE Awards University of the Year 2025 – has turned raw data into actionable insights to personalise support, identify risks earlier and enhance student outcomes at scale, resulting in a TEF triple gold.

Speakers:

• Professor Mark Simpson (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Teesside University)
• Dr Rachel Maxwell (Director of Sector Engagement and Academic Research , Kortext)
  

With a national agenda on quality enhancement and an increasingly AI savvy student body, this session unveils new Wonkhe research on integrated quality followed by a panel of academic leaders discussing how we can support educators to reduce administrative burden, enhance pedagogy and evidence quality through student success.

Speakers:

• Debbie McVitty (Editor, Wonkhe)
• Professor Janice Kay CBE (Director, Higher Futures)
• Professor Sam Grogan (PVC, Education & Student Experience, Loughborough University)
• Dr Rachel Maxwell (Director of Sector Engagement and Academic Research, Kortext)

Looking at the issues faced by academics in practice and how Al-powered tools can alleviate workload, streamline workflows, enhance pedagogic practice and ensure alignment with institutional and regulatory expectations.

Speakers:

• Professor Osama Khan (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Aston University)
• Dr Miri Firth (Senior Lecturer, University of Manchester)
• Professor Janice Kay CBE (Director, Higher Futures, former Provost & Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Exeter)
• Raghav Sandhu (Senior Product Manager, Kortext)

How can institutions enable responsible Al use and ensure learners are prepared for Al-integrated workplaces? This session explores how Kortext study+ delivers interactive learning experiences using generative Al – safely

Speakers:

• Nick Hillman (Director, HEPI)
• Toby Vaughn Kidd (Assistant Director of Experimentation and Innovation, University of Exeter)
• Kevin Boulay (Senior Product Manager, Kortext)

Find out how Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, is piloting an Al-powered chat agent integrated into Canvas. This will cover lessons learned from design to adoption and the future of Al-driven student support.

Speakers:

• Mark Bramwell (Chief Digital Information Officer, Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford) in conversation with James Gray (CEO & founder, Kortext)
  

A Premier League executive share lessons from their Microsoft partnership, which is more than just tech deployment and instead about using data to transform engagement, insights and global reach.

Speakers:

• Andy McLaren (Head of Community Development, The Premier League)
• Robin Gibson (Director of External Affairs, Kortext) 

Bringing together insights from the day and how we can move forward together to implement solutions addressing key challenges for the sector.

Speakers:

• James Gray (CEO & founder, Kortext)
• Jen Wyatt (Director of Education, Microsoft UK)
  

We’d like to invite you to stay after the closing thoughts, to have a drink and spend some time reflecting on the day with other attendees.

In past years, this is the time where the richest conversations and connections happen – so be sure to keep this in mind when planning your travel!