HEPI fringe events at the 2026 Conservative Party Conference

Overview

Join HEPI on Monday 5 October 2026 at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. This year, HEPI is hosting two fringe events and you are cordially invited to attend any of these, or all of them.

Please register your expression of interest if you wish to attend our fringe events (see link below).

The seminars will take place outside of the secure zone, so no conference pass is necessary.

Event 1

9.30am -10.30am – ‘Soft power in a hardening world: is the UK making the most of its global assets?‘, kindly supported by Cambridge University Press & Assessment and The University of Manchester.

Speakers

• 

  Professor Duncan Ivison

  President and Vice-Chancellor, The University of Manchester

• 

  Jamie Arrowsmith

  Director, Universities UK International (UUKi) 

• 

  Ángel Gurria-Quintana

  Director of Stakeholder Relations, Cambridge University Press & Assessment

• 

  Dr. Naimatullah Zafary (Opening remarks)

  Former Afghan Chevening Scholar, University of Sussex

• 

  Nick Hillman OBE (Chair)

  Chief Executive, HEPI

Partners

Event 2

11am-12pm – Higher Education Question Time, kindly supported by  Royal Holloway, University of London and Birmingham City University.

Speakers

• 

  Professor Julie Sanders

  Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Royal Holloway, University of London

• 

  Professor David Mba

  Vice-Chancellor, Birmingham City University

• 

  Nick Hillman OBE (Chair)

  Chief Executive, HEPI

More speakers to be confirmed.

Partners

In common with other Party Conference fringe events, places will be available on a first-come, first served basis. 

Register your interest here: Expressions of Interest Form for the HEPI Fringe Events at the 2026 Party Conferences – Fill in form