05 May 2026 - UCISA26 Paula Groves Reflections
UCISA Leadership Summit Report
The UCISA 2026 Leadership Summit was the first time I have attend a UCISA conference. I was able to attend after being successfully nominated for the PlusOne bursary.
On arriving at the venue on the first day, I was immediately struck by the large number of exhibitors. This created an excellent opportunity to reconnect with existing suppliers, allowing for productive discussions around our current services and how these might evolve in the future. Equally valuable was the chance to engage with new vendors whose offerings could enhance the IT services we deliver. These conversations have already sparked several ideas that are now being actively explored within our organisation.
A key benefit of attending was the opportunity to meet peers from other institutions. While I initially had some concerns about how easily these connections would form, I found there were ample opportunities throughout the event, particularly during the evening networking sessions. These informal settings encouraged open and honest discussions about shared challenges and potential solutions, which proved both insightful and reassuring.
The conference sessions were another major highlight, especially those focused on artificial intelligence. These provided useful perspectives on how AI is being applied across the sector and prompted valuable reflection on how we might adopt similar approaches. In addition, sessions such as “The Gift Nobody Wanted, Open It, Learn From It, Never Forget It” offered a candid and impactful look at real-world experiences following a cyber breach. The openness of the discussion, particularly around the scale of disruption and recovery time was especially valuable. It reinforced the importance of continued investment in cyber security and has already informed conversations with colleagues, helping to contextualise why such measures are critical. The overall quality of the sessions was high, and the majority delivered meaningful insights.
Overall, the conference provided a strong platform for building relationships with both peers and suppliers, while also offering valuable learning opportunities that will help shape future developments within our organisation.
I would welcome the opportunity to attend similar events in the future and would encourage senior IT staff to do the same. My advice would be to attend a wide range of sessions, while planning ahead to ensure they align with both individual responsibilities and organisational priorities. It’s also important to make time to connect with other attendees, particularly during evening events, as these provide a valuable forum for sharing common challenges and exploring potential solutions. Finally, I would strongly recommend engaging with suppliers to better understand the services they offer and how these could enhance or improve existing provision.
