Data Matters 2026: explore the programme
Our conference for data leaders in education, research, and the public sector moves to Birmingham on 21 January 2026.
Data experts and strategic leaders will gather at The Rep in Birmingham on 21 January to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing education and research.
The conference will focus on data as a strategic asset that drives both impactful change and long-term resilience.
One theme of the conference will be strategic vision and leadership with talks probing how data and AI support long-term thinking, ethical leadership and purposeful innovation.
Other presentations will look at intelligent foundations and how infrastructure, processes and governance support sustainable change. Further keynotes and breakouts will address people as the heart of working with data and how to develop and inspire confidence, capability and culture across organisations.
Our chief executive, Heidi Fraser-Krauss, will open the one-day event and said:
“Education, research and the public sector are experiencing rapid change and rising expectations. Leaders with responsibility for data strategy, AI or institutional transformation are tackling a range of diverse but related challenges across the country. I’d like to invite those leaders to Birmingham in January to be part of the conversations that define the data landscape of UK education and research.”
About the event
Data Matters 2026 takes place on Wednesday 21 January 2026 at The Rep in Birmingham.