Join us on Thursday 19 November 2026 for UVAC’s National Conference, where leaders, practitioners, employers and providers will come together to explore one of the most pressing questions facing the sector: how do we reimagine higher education and skills amid rapid policy change and growing opportunity?

The higher technical and professional skills landscape is undergoing fundamental change. Shifts in apprenticeship funding policy, the withdrawal of support for some Level 6 and 7 apprenticeships, and the introduction of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE), alongside the rising importance of Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) and the government’s ambitions around growth, devolution and place, are creating both significant challenges and genuine opportunities for universities, colleges, employers and providers across England.

UVAC’s 2026 National Conference, themed Reimagining HE and Skills: Policy, Place, Innovation and Growth, is a must-attend event for those leading, delivering and shaping the future of higher skills. The conference brings together academics, practitioners, employers and service providers for a day of practical, outcomes-focused discussion, innovation and forward-looking action.

On the day

Doors open at 8.00am for registration and refreshments, with the programme starting at 9.15am and closing at 5.00pm

Here’s a look at what we have planned:

 

Morning programme

Welcome Mandy Crawford-Lee, Chief Executive, UVAC

Keynote Presentation: Exploring the creative impact of technology at the intersection of fashion, retail, and priority industry growth sectors, Matthew Drinkwater, Head of the Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion,

Keynote Presentation: Headline Sponsor – Aptem

Presentation: Professional Solutions: How Systems and Professional Solutions Providers Are Supporting Employers and Providers to Respond to Challenges –  BUD

Breakout Session 1: Under Pressure, Ahead of the Curve 

Navigating the funding and policy shift – how the system is changing, and how institutions are responding, workshops and presentations include:

• Beyond the Headlines – Understanding What the Data Means for Your Next Inspection

• Beyond Recruitment: The Real Drivers of Sustainable Apprenticeship Delivery

• From Compliance to Confidence: How Coaching and Early Intervention Keep Apprentices

• The Policy Paradox: Defunding a Model that Delivers Workforce and Service Impact

• From Course Portfolios to Skills Ecosystems: A Practical Model for Reimagining Higher Skills Shaping Skills Provision to Meet Sector and Local Labour Market Needs

Afternoon programme 

Breakout Session 2: Proof in Practice – Evidence, Employers and Place 

People, place and proof of impact – who benefits, where, and how you demonstrate it, workshops and presentations include:

• Employer Voice: What Businesses Need from Higher Education and Skills Providers

• From Competition to Collaboration: Building Regional Skills and Opportunity Ecosystems for Growth in Every Postcode

• The Retention Dividend: Turning Early Warning Signs into Apprenticeship Growth

• NHS England – The Future of Apprenticeships in the NHS
• Multi-institutional Evidence on the Power of the Nurse Degree Apprenticeship from the Student Perspective

Breakout Session 3: Building Tomorrow’s Provision, Today 

Designing provision that works – curriculum, partnership and learner pathways, workshops and presentations include:

• Beyond EPA: Co-designing the Future of Apprenticeship Assessment

• A Pathway to the Healthcare Workforce: Evaluation of a University–School Partnership Model for T Level in Health Delivery

• T Levels and the Growth of University Progression: Evidence, Impact and What’s Next

• Leveraging Generative AI: Developing the ANCHOR Framework for Progress Reviews

• Apprenticeship Pathways: Progression in the Vocational Track

• Keeping Employers on Board, Not Bored
• Innovating for the Future Workforce: Developing an Employer-Led Enhanced Clinical Practitioner Apprenticeship for Urgent Community Care

Keynote Presentation: Inspiring technical excellence: parachute your learning! Peter Hill, Director of Woven Fabrics at Heathcoat Fabrics

Plenary Panel Session: Place, Partnership and the Future of Skills

Closing Remarks

Drinks Reception – Following the close of the conference sessions you are warmly welcomed to gather with the UVAC team for this informal end-of-day event.

Book your place now and join us on 19 November for a day of insight, practical discussion and connection with people shaping the future of HE and skills.

New Conference Venue for 2026

After several years in Birmingham this year will see our flagship event moving to the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, a venue that’s purpose very much aligns with our own core mission of supporting apprenticeships at every level. Through MTC Training, the MTC delivers high-quality Level 2, 3, and 4 apprenticeship programmes designed to equip learners with the skills needed for high-value manufacturing careers. Training is delivered from the Lloyds Bank Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC), a state-of-the-art facility equipped with industry-standard technologies and expert trainers.Crucially, income generated from events hosted at the AMTC is reinvested directly into apprenticeship training each year. 

READ more about how MTC is Funding the Future of Great British Manufacturing 

 

Headline Sponsor

UVAC is pleased to welcome back Aptem as headline sponsor for this year’s conference. Aptem’s continued support is a welcome continuation of a long-standing partnership with UVAC and the wider higher technical education and apprenticeship community.

Aptem Apprentice, the leading end-to-end apprenticeship delivery system for the HE sector, is used by 51% of universities with an established apprenticeship provision and nearly 100,000 learners daily. Underpinned by unrivalled sector expertise, Aptem uses the latest technology to help you enrol high volumes of students, meet Ofsted/ESFA requirements, and confidently evidence progression and completion.

Read more about APTEM HERE

 

Registration Sponsor 

UVAC is delighted to announce that CogniSoft will be the Registration Sponsor for our National Conference 2026 this autumn.

With over 35 years’ experience specialising in Learner Management Systems, CogniSoft has played an important role in helping providers and employers deliver high-quality learning programmes. Their YETI platform delivers an end-to-end apprenticeship and skills delivery solution, including comprehensive funding and reporting functionality, enabling tutors to manage their caseloads efficiently and learners to view their progress with ease.

Read more about CogniSoft HERE

 

Welcoming our Partner Exhibitors

The Partner Exhibitor is a new sponsorship opportunity at this year’s conference and we are delighted that they will be sharing their expertise and giving delegates the opportunity to learn more about the products, services and support available to the higher education, skills and workforce sector.

Refreshments Sponsor

Great conversations, fresh ideas and meaningful networking frequently start over a good cup of coffee or tea! A long-standing supporter and familiar face at UVAC’s conference exhibition, Bud is stepping into the role of official Refreshments Sponsor this year.

Bud is the end-to-end SaaS platform that powers funded skills delivery in HE. They help providers deliver diverse provision with confidence: connecting compliance, quality, and learner progress in one joined up system.

Lunch Sponsor 

Think and UVAC have an established partnership, and we are pleased to see that relationship deepen further, with Think now stepping into a new role as sponsor of our conference lunch. Neil Jenkinson, Marketing Director at Think, comments:

“Think and UVAC share a belief that lifelong learning, skills development and innovation are essential to future success. Through collaboration, we can help organisations unlock potential, embrace change and build the workforce of tomorrow.”

Tote Bag Sponsor

Innovation, conversation and new ideas are all part of the UVAC conference experience. This year, we’re delighted to welcome SAInaptic as a Partner Exhibitor at this year’s UVAC National Conference as our Tote Bag Sponsor.

SAInaptic is transforming how assessments are designed, delivered, marked and quality assured through its AI-powered assessment solution.  The company works with awarding organisations and education providers to support AI-assisted marking, feedback and quality assurance. Their AI solution evaluates free-text, portfolios, handwritten scripts, images and video, helping organisations reduce marking time by up to 85% while maintaining less than 3% deviation from human marking. Human assessors remain in control, with every AI-generated mark and feedback reviewable before release.

 

UVAC’s 2026 National Conference: Reimagining HE and Skills – Policy, Place, Innovation and Growth is essential for anyone committed to the future of higher skills.

 

 

#UVAC2026

#SkillsFocussedHE

 

 

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