Heads of University Management & Administration Network in Europe

Summer School 2025 Programme

All times CEST

Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Online Session

12:00

Webinar introducing the Summer School teams, the case studies and overview of the arrangements.

Sunday, 14 September 2025

14:30

Registration and coffee

15:00

Welcome to the Freie Universität Berlin

15:10

Welcome and introduction to the Summer School – Leading and managing change in strategy and policy: School aims; teams’ work; institutional cases; getting to know your peers

Nadine Burquel, Director General and Summer School Director, HUMANE, BE

16:00

Workshop: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Your Work

Gavin McLachan, Vice Principal, Chief Information Officer and Librarian, The University of Edinburgh, UK

17:00

Welcome reception

18:30

Welcome dinner

Monday, 15 September 2025
Theme: Contemporary practice in the transformation of professional support services in higher education institutions

09:00

Transformation strategy and execution: University College Ghent

Koen Goethals, President, University College Ghent, BE  

10:30

Coffee break

11:00

Using Artificial Intelligence for change and transformation at the University of Edinburgh

Gavin McLachan, Vice Principal, Chief Information Officer, The University of Edinburgh, UK 

12:30

Lunch

14:00

Summer School team task: assigning team roles and approaches to the task; clarifying the team objectives and defining key questions for the case work

15:00

How to use foresight for decision-making in university change programmes

Gert Jan Scheurwater, Director Foresight & Strategy Development TU Delft, NL

16:30

Coffee break

17:00

FU Berlin Campus Tour (leaving from the university)

18:00

Drinks and Dinner

Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Theme: Defining, designing and delivering an institutional transformation process: leadership, governance, management and method

09:00

Reflections and Key Takeaways from the previous day

Nadine Burquel, Director General and Summer School Director, HUMANE, BE

09:10

Processes for defining a transformational strategic model: visioning a future state, clarifying requirements and benefits, and setting objectives 

Grete Kvernland-Berg, Partner, PA Consulting Norway, NO

10:15

Coffee break

10:30

Designing the new operating model: making difficult choices, meeting challenges and dealing with organisational dilemmas 

Grete Kvernland-Berg, Partner, PA Consulting Norway, NO

11:30

Coffee break

11:45

The tactics of executing a strategic organisational transformation: power, politics, action…and watchouts for the uninitiated 

Grete Kvernland-Berg, Partner, PA Consulting Norway, NO

12:30

Lunch

13:30

Summer School team task: working on case analysis and preparing key questions 

Coffee available

Theme: Leadership and followership to support change and transformation: self-reflection, authenticity and managing perceptions

14:30

Workshop: Leading large-scale change and transformation

Sarah J Smith, Advanced Executive Coach & Leadership Development Adviser, UK

16:30

Bus transfer to evening city tour and restaurant

19:00

Dinner

21:30

Bus transfer to the hotel

Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Theme: Transformation of professional services – Summer School cases; achieving organisational cultural change

09:00

Key takeaways and reflections from the previous day

Nadine Burquel, Director General and Summer School Director, HUMANE, BE

09:10

Summer School case study: Transformation at the University of Exeter

Mike Shore-Nye, Senior Vice President, Registrar and Secretary, University of Exeter, UK

09:45

Coffee break

10:10

Summer School case study: Transformation at the University of Turin

Andrea Silvestri, General Director, University of Turin, IT

10:40

Coffee break

11:00

Conversation and Q&As with two university case speakers 

12:00

Lunch

13:30

Summer School team task: working on case analysis and proposals for next steps 

14:30

Mastering change communication

Samantha Lancet Grant, Director of Communications, University College London, UK

16:30

Summer School team task

Coffee available

19:00

Dinner

Thursday, 18 September 2025
Change Management: strategic finances; HR and Talent management

09:00

Key takeaways and reflections from the previous day

09:10

Strategic finances; securing funding and resources for transformation programmes

 

Stephan van Galen, HUMANE Board member; Secretary and Director General, University of Groningen, NL

10:40

Coffee break

11:00

Managing people in large transformation programmes – Innovative approaches in changing times

Riika Mäki-Ontto, HR and Service Director, University of the Arts Helsinki, FI

12:30

Lunch on campus

13:30

Summer School team task: finalising the written assignment
Teams’ outputs to be finalised; executive brief to be submitted by no later than 16:00.

Coffee available

16:00

Free time for participants

19:30

Bus transfer from the hotel to dinner

20:00

Dinner

22:30

Bus transfer to the hotel

Friday, 19 September 2025

09:00

Parallel Sessions (part I): Teams present their work and receive feedback from the HUMANE Summer School Panel:

• Alex Pellacani

HUMANE President, Director General Trento University, IT

• Nadine Burquel

Director General and Winter School Director, HUMANE, BE

• Mike Shore-Nye

Senior Vice President, Registrar and Secretary, University of Exeter, UK

• Andrea Silvestri

Director General, University of Turin, IT

• Stephan van Galen

HUMANE Board Member, Secretary and Director General, University of Groningen, NL

09:50

Coffee break

10:10

Parallel Sessions (part II): Teams present their work and receive feedback from the HUMANE Summer School Panel (as above)

11:00

Coffee break

11:30

Plenary Session: Feedback to all teams from the Panel

12:00

Graduation and final words

12:30

Closing lunch

Note: the programme is subject to marginal change.

Important information:

Neither HUMANE nor the Freie Universität Berlin are liable for any losses, accidents or damage to persons or objects during the Summer School in Berlin. Participants attending the Summer School in Berlin do so at their own risk and responsibility.