Registration and exhibition

Heidi Fraser-Krauss, Jisc's chief executive officer, welcomes delegates to this year's Data Matters.

Welcome to Data Matters 2026

Heidi Fraser-Krauss, Jisc's chief executive officer, welcomes delegates to this year's Data Matters.

How our sector is building data foundations and capabilities to find a way through financial and operational pressures. Taking a lead from the Universities UK Transformation and Efficiency Taskforce, we will focus on ways of working purposefully together to prepare for in-year data collection and opportunities for further sustainable shared services.

From strategy to impact: delivering shared value with university and college data

How our sector is building data foundations and capabilities to find a way through financial and operational pressures.

We are still finalising the details for this keynote session.

Keynote session by Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein

Morning break

We will provide an update on research we're undertaking within the sector to understand the challenges they face in making effective use of sector data sources. We will share the evolving roadmap for delivering data and insights.We will provide an update on research we're undertaking with the HE sector to understand the challenges they face in making effective use of sector data sources. We will share the evolving roadmap for delivering data and insights.

Insights delivery for the future - Jisc's development roadmap

We will provide an update on research we're undertaking within the sector to understand the challenges they face in making effective use of sector data sources. We will share the evolving roadmap for delivering data and insights.

Discover how Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) supports cost-effective, data-led evaluation of equality initiatives.Anna will introduce HEAT as a cost-effective, sector-wide system aligned with national policy. She’ll outline its data tracking work with Jisc, showing how it supports consistent, long-term impact measurement. The session will highlight how member higher education providers can use HEAT datasets to evaluate Access and Participation Plans (APPs), and how HEAT’s national research informs government policy.She will also share future plans, including collaboration with Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) to deliver the Higher Education Evaluation Library (HEEL) and support regional partnership evaluation infrastructure.This session is ideal for those interested in data-led evaluation, strategic collaboration, and sector-wide impact.

Proving impact, reducing cost: HEAT’s shared approach to access and participation evaluation

Discover how Higher Education Access Tracker (HEAT) supports cost-effective, data-led evaluation of equality initiatives.

An overview of the data governance put into place to manage the HESA Student Record submission and providing reassurance to senior management.How the University of Lancashire implemented a new data governance approach to the HESA student record following a challenging submission process in the inaugural two years.

University of Lancashire data governance journey for the HESA student record

An overview of the data governance put into place to manage the HESA Student Record submission and providing reassurance to senior management.

Examining the technical and organisational challenges of getting your data ready to understand student engagement.Student engagement is critical for positive outcomes, retention, compliance and wellbeing. Data is the foundation for understanding this, but what does good look like and where do you start? Our panel will explain their data journeys, the challenges along the way, and how to achieve actionable insights.Discover how to start improving student experience through data.

Data foundations for understanding student engagement

Examining the technical and organisational challenges of getting your data ready to understand student engagement.

Lunch break

Discover how rich data helps us find the right audience, shape the right message, and choose the right platform—making recruitment campaigns smarter and more effective. Student recruitment isn’t just about saying something—it’s about saying it to someone who matters. This session explores how rich data drives our campaign strategy through a simple framework: Audience, Message, Platform.We’ll show how data discovery helps us identify the right audience, how insights shape the message we deliver and where, and how platform selection ensures it lands where it counts. From intent signals to real-time web data, we’ll share how we use multiple data sources to build effective strategies—and why this matters more than ever in a complex digital marketing landscape. With programmatic advertising, Google tech, and social platforms in our toolkit, we’ll demonstrate how data transforms recruitment potential into performance. Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of how to use data to craft smarter, more efficient campaigns that connect with the people who matter.

Say it to someone who matters: how data drives student recruitment campaigns 

Discover how rich data helps us find the right audience, shape the right message, and choose the right platform—making recruitment campaigns smarter and more effective. 

Joined by Jisc's account director Simon Rust, and B2C marketing and events manager Claire Bodiguel, our Q&A will walk through details of our case study and focus on how we can enable data within student recruitment campaigns to achieve specific objectives.

Talk to the experts: using data to recruit students

Joined by Jisc's account director Simon Rust, and B2C marketing and events manager Claire Bodiguel, our Q&A will walk through details of our case study and focus on how we can enable data within student recruitment campaigns to achieve specific objectives. 

Sharing how new features in Jisc’s attendance and learning analytics service are being used to support the wellbeing of students.Using data to support students: what works and how to do it Jim Keane shares why a data led approach is essential to supporting students, where to start, and how to a avoid potential blockers. We’ll cover how to achieve this with the data and tools you already have and share how universities are using the new features in Jisc’s attendance and learning analytics service to support the wellbeing of students. Key takeaway: how to deliver wellbeing insight to appropriate staff to facilitate an integrated whole organisation approach to student support.


Delivering tools to support student wellbeing

Sharing how new features in Jisc’s attendance and learning analytics service are being used to support the wellbeing of students.

Expect to leave with renewed clarity on how leadership habits, data culture and everyday behaviours shape readiness for AI, and what you can do next. Too often, data strategy focuses on the challenging symptoms: dashboards, quality and governance. After years leading this work, in complex organisation, Katy reflects that the real challenge often isn’t the data itself (although it does provide the evidence), but how we work together around it to deliver the businesses purpose. When budgets are tight and expectations keep rising, success depends on how well we share expertise, connect people and align purpose. This session explores “back-to-basics” approaches, from leadership habits and personal barriers to team dynamics and data culture, that will no doubt underpin the effectiveness of the next evolution of data and AI strategy.

Evolving data strategy: how interdependence powers the future of data and AI 

Expect to leave with renewed clarity on how leadership habits, data culture and everyday behaviours shape readiness for AI, and what you can do next. 

How the first national pre-arrival academic questionnaire can shape and influence national policy, institutional practice and the student experience.An overview of the Office for Students-funded national project being delivered by the University of East London, AdvanceHE and Jisc, looking at the primary concerns of students, their experience of learning styles and technology use, and their study engagement challenges. We will discuss the origins of the work, the process of establishing the first pilot, participation so far, and the first public discussion on selected headline results.

Transforming the pre-arrival experience

How the first national pre-arrival academic questionnaire can shape and influence national policy, institutional practice and the student experience.

Looking at the current state of graduate employment in the UK: what the sector can do, what the data says and how Jisc can help.There are all sorts of stories and beliefs circulating about universities and graduate employment. Are graduates struggling in the jobs market? Do we have too many graduates? Is AI transforming the early jobs market? And what can Jisc do in this area? Join labour market expert, Charlie, as he explains what we do (and don't) know, how to find the best data and evidence to cut through the noise for the unsentimental, pragmatic view of the state of current and future graduate demand.

What on earth is going on? Trying to make sense of the graduate jobs market

Looking at the current state of graduate employment in the UK: what the sector can do, what the data says and how Jisc can help.

We are still finalising details for this session.

Session to be confirmed

Exploring the evolving landscape of HESA data and what it means for higher education providers.With changes to statutory reporting requirements on the horizon, we’ll highlight what’s coming, why it matters, and how institutions can prepare. Whether you're shaping strategy or managing compliance, you'll gain insights to help you stay ahead and respond confidently to new demands.

Changes to the HESA data landscape in the coming year(s)

Exploring the evolving landscape of HESA data and what it means for higher education providers.

Afternoon break

Discover how Jisc’s labour market intelligence expertise and insights can support strategic planning, curriculum design, and employability outcomes.Join our experts to explore current developments, ask questions, and share your feedback to help shape future enhancements.

Talk to the experts: labour market intelligence

Discover how Jisc’s labour market intelligence expertise and insights can support strategic planning, curriculum design, and employability outcomes.

A chance to talk to Jisc experts about data maturity, our assessment and how we can support you.This interactive session offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with experts from Jisc focusing on the practical application and strategic value of the data maturity framework, which was designed for professionals seeking to elevate their organisation’s data capabilities.

Whether you're just beginning your data journey or looking to refine your strategy, this session will provide actionable insights and expert guidance to help you move forward with confidence.

Talk to the experts: data maturity framework

A chance to talk to Jisc experts about data maturity, our assessment and how we can support you.

Our dynamic panel will explore how HE and FE institutions can enhance long-term sustainability by adopting data-driven governance practices inspired by corporate, public, and charitable sectors. 

As the tertiary education sector undergoes rapid transformation, the strategic role of data in governance has never been more critical. Through cross-industry insights, this session will demonstrate how governance bodies can move beyond intuition and tradition and toward evidence-based oversight that anticipates risk, drives strategic planning, and fosters institutional resilience.

The discussion will focus on:<ul>
<li>What sustainable governance looks like when powered by data across sectors</li>
<li>How boards can harness analytics to identify emerging risks and opportunities</li>
<li>Tools and frameworks that embed data into everyday decision-making</li>
<li>Opportunities for sector-wide collaboration through shared data ecosystems</li></ul>

This fast-paced session will offer actionable insights for governors, executives, and policy leaders committed to building data-driven, sustainable futures for HE and FE institutions.

Beyond the sector: leveraging cross-industry data practices to strengthen HE and FE governance for institutional sustainability

Our dynamic panel will explore how HE and FE institutions can enhance long-term sustainability by adopting data-driven governance practices inspired by corporate, public, and charitable sectors.

Heidi Fraser-Krauss, Jisc's chief executive officer, reflects on the day and highlights next steps.

Closing thoughts of Data Matters 2026

Heidi Fraser-Krauss, Jisc's chief executive officer, reflects on the day and highlights next steps.

Networking drinks reception

Join Jisc experts to explore the plans for the HESA staff recordShare your views, and help shape the next steps for the record that supports better workforce planning and sector-wide collaboration.

Talk to the experts: update on the staff record consultation

Join Jisc experts to explore the plans for the HESA staff record.

We are still finalising the details for these sessions.

Lightning talk sessions to be confirmed

Data Matters 2026

About Data Matters 2026

Data Matters 2026 tickets and booking information

Data Matters 2026 programme

Featuring sessions by thought leaders and industry experts, our programme combines data strategy, governance and innovation to connect strategic ambition with actionable outcomes.