#DEVELOP

New to higher education: how a university works

Universities run on structures, calendars and acronyms that nobody explains on day one. Who is a Pro Vice-Chancellor and who is a Dean? Why does everything stop in some weeks and peak in others? What does everyone in the meeting mean by REF, NSS and HESA?

This free one-hour session is for professional services staff in their first year or two in higher education. It covers the basic shape of a university, who does what, how the academic year runs and where it breaks its own pattern, and the terms you will hear most. It includes a live activity and a jargon buster you can keep adding to.

It is the first session of AHEP's new Introduction to Higher Education series, which runs from January 2027. Booking for the full series opens at the end of the session.

Attendees will leave with:

A clear picture of how a university is organised and who does what

An understanding of the academic year and its pressure points

A jargon buster to keep and add to

Wednesday 25 November 2026 | Online | 12:00 to 13:00 | Free

Open to AHEP members and non-members. Counts towards the AHEP Professional Framework: Wider context; Service excellence.

New to higher education: how a university works

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Free Ticket ticket