UVAC is delighted to announce the speakers for Innovation Exchange 2025: Going for Gold!

Join us on Tuesday 9 December 2025, at the iconic Smiths Centre, Science Museum, London, for a high-impact, in-person event exploring how the UK can unlock its potential through connected tertiary education pathways.

This is a unique opportunity to hear from leading voices across education, industry, and government as we examine the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the evolving skills landscape, and the innovations shaping the future of technical education and apprenticeships.

If you haven’t yet registered, free places are still available. Please register to attend HERE

Secure your place today and be part of the national conversation driving future skills, productivity, and economic growth.

Explore the full agenda and meet our expert speakers shaping the future of UK tertiary and technical education;

9.30 Registration, refreshments and networking

10.05 Welcome, introduction and context setting

Unlocking the UK’s potential: Bridging systems and connecting tertiary education pathways to raise standards, champion future skills, and deliver UK further and higher technical skills excellence

Dr Mandy Crawford Lee, Chief Executive, UVAC

10.25 Integrating tertiary education to drive growth and opportunity.

William Richards – Head of Skills Strategy Unit, Department for Education

Connor Bruce- Higher Education Systems Lead, Department for Education

11.05 Workforce foresighting to meet industry needs– bringing education and industry closer together to co-design innovative solutions, raise standards, and champion future skills. Positive impact examples will be shared- people and place!

Emily Brenan- Communications Manager, Manufacturing Technology Centre, Workforce Foresighting Hub

Steve Picker-Technical Lead, Workforce Foresighting Hub, Manufacturing Technology Centre

11.40 BREAK

11.55 Pride in professionalism: Developing teaching and research excellence

Cerian Ayres, UVAC Associate

Alison Ackroyd, Technical Teaching Fellow, Mid Kent College

Claire Arbery- Head of Workforce Transformation Programmes, National Composite Centre, Deputy Chair, National Network of Institutes of Technology

12.40 Digital transformation solutions in education, and key industry growth sectors

Professor Stephen Hilton- Chemistry and Enabling Technologies, University College London

Dr Blanka Hilton- Lecturer, School Deputy Director of Graduate Research Studies for Natural Sciences, Programme Lead MSc in Applied Drug Discovery and Development, VR Lead for Science Apprenticeship Training

13.15  LUNCH AND NETWORKING 

14.10 Creating ladders of opportunity so that no one gets left behind: Enhancing learning opportunities, and celebrating success.

Alan Benvie, Vice Principal, Oldham College

Sarah Condren, Director of Teaching and Learning Experience, Oldham College

14.40 People and place: Delivering on UK skills ambitions through effective partnership working

Coral Grainger-Innovation Projects Director, Greater Manchester Colleges (FEIF UKRI Innovate UK)

Babak Jahanbani- Managing Director, Didactic Services

Darran Marks- Operations Director, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology

15.20 BREAK

15.35 Leveraging diversity and inclusion to address the UK’s skills challenge

Annum Mahmood- Strategic Lead in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Youth Futures Foundation

15.55 Developing the T- Shaped learner to meet industry needs

Cerian Ayres- UVAC Associate

Lynda Broomhead- Technical Teaching Fellow, Deputy Head of Faculty- Healthcare, Childcare and Public Services

Cameron Pinder- Engineering Apprentice, Kirkstall Precision Engineering, Leeds

16.25 Plenary, evaluation and next steps!

16.30 Staying at the forefront of innovation- turning great ideas into reality. 

An opportunity to visit Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery

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