UHR Annual Conference 2020

In light of the ongoing updates we are receiving from the Government and emerging advice from Public Health England, UHR 2020 Conference is being postponed and will no longer run from 19 – 21 May 2020 at Wyboston Lakes. The latest government announcements on the Covid-19 coronavirus have made our decision to postpone the 2020 UHR Conference unavoidable.

We are considering a number of options and will be keeping you updated as soon as we can give definite information. In recent weeks we have explored many options for the UHR 2020 Conference, but fast-moving events still make it impossible to make firm commitments.

This Covid-19 challenge will have an unprecedented impact on universities and the HE sector, with HR staff bearing a particularly heavy load, while being pivotal in ensuring HEIs and their staff are able to respond well. We know HR teams will be pulling together tightly to support each other through this, supported by external organisations and partners with whom strong working relationships have been built over a long time, and my colleagues in UHR and the Executive join me in offering our thoughts and support in the period ahead.

Please make the most of the UHR discussion boards and other digital resources, and the member directory to get in contact with others who might face similar challenges to yours; and do get in touch by email (helen@uhr.ac.uk) if there is anything UHR can do practically to help. If you have any questions specifically relating to the Conference, please contact the Assured Events team via uhr@assuredevents.co.uk.

We thank you for your continued understanding, patience and support in what is an unprecedented time.

19-21 May 2020

Thriving. A 2020 Vision 

Enduring? Surviving? Or flourishing? Thriving?

UHR doesn’t need to list the nature and scale of the challenges we face at our universities. Our members know them well – from pay and pensions, to Brexit and global competition for staff and students, to the need for us to play our role in combating the rising incidence of poor mental health. But at our 2020 conference we’ll be thinking of the waves of opportunity each challenge brings and reminding ourselves of the power of good HR practice to set our institutions on a positive course where individuals, teams and our universities can thrive.

From recruitment, to engagement, along every step of an employee’s journey via every policy and procedure that forms part of the HR remit, let’s remember our role to shape and steer that positive course. As professional people let’s be confident about the skills and dynamism we possess as we take on complex and sensitive issues. For every challenge there’s an opportunity: sometimes it’s a matter of perspective.

 UHR’s 2020 Conference is taking a conscious step away from the big city venues of recent years. Let’s look at things differently in a different kind of environment. We hope you’ll join us in rural Bedfordshire for three days in which you can reflect, renew your focus, and refresh your mind for the year ahead.

We know we have to keep the challenges in our line of sight, but through inspiring plenary and workshop sessions we’ll be exploring ways of achieving fresh perspectives to generate solutions and new approaches. UHR Conference will help you establish your own 2020 Vision. You’ll gain new insights and views from experts; challenge and support your fellow delegates to find  answers; and identify ways that HEIs, HR departments and individuals can not only survive, but thrive against a background of uncertainty, pressure and challenge. 

As HR teams we have critical insights to offer to our universities. The Conference provides a timely reminder to be positive about our role in shaping better working environments, cultures and practices in higher education. Let’s re-energise, refocus, and deliver.

Helpful page links 

-Venue 
-Delegate Packages
-Programme
- Terms & Conditions