A Conference Message from The Chair

By Jordan Meates • 15 April 2026

We’re delighted to be heading to Liverpool for the ASRA 2026 Conference, a city synonymous with creativity, energy, and big ideas. It’s a place that has shown the world that powerful movements can begin with just a spark, a rhythm, and a shared belief that “All You Need Is Love”.

We are so excited to be hosting this Conference inside Spaces at The Spine, a space designed to make every session, workshop, and conversation seamless, inspiring, and truly memorable. It’s the ideal place to connect, collaborate, and create.

Conference Overview

The ASRA Committee has been busy collating feedback from across the membership to shape the ASRA 2026 Conference and ensure it is truly our best yet.

We hope this is reflected in a training programme that feels both engaging and relevant. The programme has been designed to offer a wide range of sessions that we hope will be directly applicable to you and your institution’s needs, including:

• Personal development
• Legal considerations
• Enhancing the student experience
• Wellbeing and student and community engagement
• Sustainability

There is something for everyone across the two days.

We’re especially looking forward to meeting all of our exhibitors, who have some genuinely exciting and innovative things to showcase throughout the Conference, and we are incredibly grateful for their continued support.

Day One

We kick off the Conference with a packed programme of highlights.

We’re thrilled to welcome Shaun Wallace, TV personality and one of the most recognisable faces on our screens, for an inspiring keynote you won’t want to miss.

Alongside this, we have a series of interactive roundtable discussions designed to challenge thinking, spark conversation, and get everyone involved — all before lunchtime.

Our roundtables will be led by:

• Sarah Turner Jones, exploring the future of student accommodation
• James Greenwood, discussing what excellence in residential life really looks like
• Sam Kingsley and Nicola Mason, leading a conversation on Living Black at University
• Susan Lee, sharing insight into the role of AI in the media

In the afternoon, we move into focused training and development sessions, looking at practical skills, fresh insight, and, crucially, what to do next with what you’ve learned. 

And of course, every great first day deserves a great ending. After a full day of learning, collaboration, and connection, we’ll be wrapping things up the only way Liverpool knows how, with “A Hard Day’s Night” at The Cavern Club, where the music, atmosphere, and energy of this incredible city really come alive!

Day Two

Day Two brings even more to look forward to.

Alongside further training and development sessions, we’ll be showcasing innovation sessions led by our own members, sharing ideas, insights, and best practice from across the sector.

We also have the exciting Student Takeover, where we’ll hear directly from students on some of today’s most important topics, including international student experiences, student pride, mental health, and value and affordability.

Day Two will culminate in the ASRA 2026 Awards Dinner, a chance to celebrate excellence, recognise achievement, and come together as a community.

Exhibitors and Sponsors

We would like to extend our thanks to both our returning and new exhibitors and sponsors, who contribute to a diverse and engaging exhibition and are always available to share and promote their products and services.

We are sincerely grateful for the ongoing support you provide to ASRA and its members.

Thank You

A huge thank you goes to our amazing ASRA Committee. The dedication, passion, and hard work behind the scenes is what makes everything you see here possible. Quite simply, this Conference wouldn’t happen without you, you are an incredible bunch.

Finally, I want to send a heartfelt thank you to Jennie and the amazing Sovereign team. The support you give to both me personally and the wider ASRA Committee genuinely means so much, you are always there with guidance, encouragement, and a calm head when we need it most. We truly couldn’t do this without you.

So, all that is left to say is have fun. Stay curious. Be bold.

And remember, in a city that once launched a musical revolution, anything is possible.

So let’s get started, enjoy the conference, and make this something truly special!