AI preparedness: strategy, culture and infrastructure for universities

Please note that the event date has changed from 2 December to 20 January 2026.

The Higher Education Policy Institute’s earlier report on The Future of the Campus University explored how AI is shifting the role of universities, moving them from delivering content to curating programmes that support professional, vocational and personal development. HEPI’s newer collection, AI and the Future of Universities, published in October 2025 in partnership with the University of Southampton, strengthens this picture. It sets out why AI should be treated as a present reality rather than a distant prospect, calls for AI literacy across staff and students, and highlights the need to rethink assessment, pedagogy, operations and governance as automated tools become embedded in everyday systems.

Alongside this, studies suggest that many students already use generative AI in assessed work, raising questions about academic integrity, learning outcomes and the wider purpose of a university education. Government focus on AI skills adds further pressure, as institutions work to prepare graduates for an employment market shaped by automation and data rich environments.

To help the sector navigate these shifts, techUK will bring together colleagues from higher education, policy and technology for an afternoon session at Snowflake’s London HQ. The programme will consider how institutions can respond with clarity and confidence while maintaining educational standards and public trust.

Agenda

15:00 | Arrival and welcome

Participants gather, register and take refreshments. techUK will open the session with a short introduction on the current state of AI use across the sector, drawing on HEPI’s latest findings. This will cover student behaviour, employer expectations and early signals from government and regulators, setting the context for the conversations ahead.

15:20 | Conversation one: foundations for AI readiness

This session brings together practical insights from sector practice and technical expertise. Snowflake will outline how modern data platforms can support responsible and scalable use of AI, followed by reflections from St Mary’s University on their experience applying AI in recruitment and admissions. Contributions from higher education leaders will explore the implications for data strategy, secure systems, interoperability and digital maturity.

The discussion reflects the view that AI is now deeply embedded in the tools people use, which means universities need coordinated responses rather than incremental adjustments. Contributors explore what this means for institutional purpose and long term planning.

Speakers:


Adam Alexander, Enterprise Account Executive – UKI Higher Education + NGOs, Snowflake
Tom Hewlett-Taylor, Head of Data, BPP

15:50 | Conversation two: understanding the AI moment

This conversation brings together contributors who can speak to the ways AI is already shaping higher education. It considers how student use of generative AI is influencing learning, how employers are adjusting their expectations for graduates, and how developments in schools and workplace learning are creating new pressures.

The discussion reflects the view that AI is now deeply embedded in the tools people use, which means universities need coordinated responses rather than incremental adjustments. Contributors explore what this means for institutional purpose and long term planning.

Speakers:


Sue Attewell, Head of AI, Jisc
Dr Asieh Hosseini Tabaghdehi, Senior Lecturer in Strategy & Business Economy, Brunel University of London

16:20 | Break

16:30 | Conversation three: leadership and culture

The final discussion focuses on the people dimension of AI adoption, which HEPI’s recent report identifies as essential for sustainable change. Contributors explore how shared narratives, trust and collaboration influence progress, and why culture often shapes outcomes more than technology.

Topics include decision making across academic, technical and professional teams, concerns that AI may be associated with surveillance or cost cutting, and approaches to governance that support innovation without undermining assurance. The session highlights the need for leadership, communication and institutional values that reinforce educational purpose.

Speakers:


Charles Knight, Director, Leadership, Governance & Management, Advance HE
Ashley Braganza, Professor of Organisational Transformation, Brunel University London

17:00 | Networking drinks reception

A short collective reflection on key insights and shared priorities for the months ahead, followed by thanks to speakers and participants.