We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to our upcoming in-person ‘BDO HEI update for Governors’.

24 October 55 Baker Street, London 4-5pm (coffee 3.30-4pm and 5-5.30pm)

James Aston will present the session and we are delighted to advise that Susan Lapworth (Chief Executive, Office for Students) will be our guest speaker.

Similar sector updates have been running for a number of years and given the timing, this is a great opportunity to meet in person, discuss the emerging policy issues and sector challenges and engage with BDO colleagues, colleagues from other institutions and Susan.

The update is aimed at Governors, University Secretaries, and members of VCE. The session is completely different, though complementary to the ‘The Effective (HEI) Audit Committee’ online session on Thursday 10 October 2024.

The dust will have settled, summer recess will be over, and policies will start to take shape. Recruitment will have solidified (UG returners and new Y1) and international numbers will be visible. Going concern will remain front of mind for a number of boards and a new (or at least modified) five-year strategy will be in the back of everyone’s thinking.

James Aston MBE, National Head of Education, will bring to life some of the current sector challenges drawing on his sector experience. He has been the audit partner to 30 HEIs over the last 20 years and is a well-known adviser in the sector.

Susan Lapworth, Chief Executive (Office for Students), will explore some of the ongoing sector issues from the position of Regulator. She is responsible for delivering the strategy set by the OfS’ board and ensuring that the OfS operates efficiently and effectively. She is an executive member of the OfS board.

These will be 45-minute sessions of reality checking / horizon scanning followed by 15 minutes of questions and answers.