Available to Advance HE Members only
Academic leadership today is more demanding than ever. Heads of department and programme leaders are navigating financial constraints, managing change initiatives, and leading teams under increasing pressure.
The Academic Leaders Survival Series tackles these real challenges head-on with interactive 90-minute sessions led by experts who understand academic leadership. Covering essential topics like financial management, change leadership, decision-making, and building partnerships, providing practical tools you can apply. Plus, you’ll connect with peers facing similar challenges for continued support. It’s practical leadership development designed specifically for the realities of academic leadership today.
Why participate?
90-minute interactive sessions that respect your time and deliver immediate value. No lengthy programmes or theoretical discussions – just practical tools you can apply right away.
Learn from experts who truly understand the realities of academic leadership. Our facilitators have walked in your shoes and know the unique challenges you face.
Connect with other heads of department and programme leaders facing similar challenges.
Sessions
Finance 101
Date: 24 February 2026
Time: 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM (GMT)
Session led by: Professor Elizabeth Gammie
Navigating complexity and uncertainty
Date: 25 March 2026
Time: 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM (GMT)
Session led by: Professor Will Foster
Enabling prioritisation and alignment
Date: 20 May 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM (BST)
Session led by: Dr Amal Alrayes SFHEA
Partnerships and collaboration
Date: 15 July 2026
Time: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM (BST)
Session led by: Professor Ahmed Elseragy
Who should participate?
We welcome all staff with leadership and/or administrative responsibilities in academic departments, faculties and schools. This includes:
- Heads of School/Department
- Programme Leaders
- Educational Developers
- Principal and Senior Lecturers
- Professors and Chairs
- Departmental Managers
- Technical Managers
What you’ll gain?
- Tools and guidance for application
- Confidence to lead through financial constraints and uncertainty
- Strategies for navigating difficult conversations and decisions
- Methods for building distributed leadership in your team
- Approaches to enhance team wellbeing during change
- Future-proofed leadership skills for evolving challenges
- Connecting to peers for ongoing support
Session Leaders
Hannah Fromageau
Senior Consultant in Leadership and Organisational Development, Advance HE
Hannah is an experienced consultant and coach with expertise in leading leadership development programmes across higher education and research and leads the overall development and delivery of the Academic Leaders Survival Series.
Professor Elizabeth Gammie
Emeritus Professor, Robert Gordon University
Professor Elizabeth Gammie is a qualified chartered accountant with over 35 years’ experience in higher education, including roles as Head of Accounting and Finance and Dean of Aberdeen Business School (2016–2024).
Professor Will Foster
Senior Consultant, Leadership, Organisational Development and Research, Advance HE
Professor Will Foster is the founding Professor of Leadership at Keele University and the first academic to gain professorial status via the Education and Scholarship route. He holds a PhD from King’s College London and is an Honorary Professor with Waverley Abbey.
Dr Amal Mohamed Alrayes SFHEA
Director – Unit for Teaching Excellence and Leadership, University of Bahrain
Dr Amal Alrayes is Director of the Unit for Teaching Excellence and Leadership and Assistant Professor of Information Systems at the University of Bahrain. A Senior Fellow of Advance HE, she holds a PhD from the University of Manchester.
Professor Ahmed Elseragy
Dean of the Faculty of Art and Design and Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education Quality and Employability, British University in Egypt
Professor Ahmed Elseragy has over 25 years’ experience in higher education and is recognised for his academic leadership and professional expertise across the UK and the Middle East.
Kim Ansell
Senior Consultant Governance and Leadership, Advance HE
Kim has worked across higher and professional education providing support to groups at all levels including senior leadership teams and Boards, to facilitate change, strategic thinking, planning and performance improvement. Kim combines strategic insight with a sound understanding of operational excellence
Sarah Hubbard
Senior Consultant in Senior Leadership and Strategic Transformation, Advance HE
Sarah provides culture and leadership development to UK and global institutions. She directs strategic leadership programmes, has 15+ years’ HE experience and is a certified coach, FCIPD and Lean 6 Sigma practitioner.
The Academic Leaders Survival Series helps you to face into the challenges of leading departments, programmes and schools. We offer valuable insights, peer connection and some practical tools to empower you to lead confidently, drive meaningful change and create sustainable team cultures – all delivered in focused 90-minute sessions that fit into your demanding schedule.
Fiona Lennoxsmith – Head of Leadership, Governance and Management – Advance HE
Created especially for academic leaders, to develop confidence, clarity and impact, built around the key issues and delivered by those in, and of the sector.
