Explorance Launches Full Programme for Student Voices in Higher Education Conference in Manchester

Montreal, Quebec – September 2026 – Explorance has today announced the agenda for its latest Student Voices in Higher Education Conference, taking place in Manchester on 14-15 October, and featuring an opening keynote from newly installed National Union of Students (NUS) UK President Favour Samuel.

Aimed at institutions striving to improve student success, the conference will bring together decision-makers, academic staff and student experience leaders from across the UK and beyond to address the challenges and opportunities of amplifying student voice and translate student feedback into meaningful improvements in the student experience and outcomes.

First launched by Explorance in 2023, the fifth edition of Student Voices in Higher Education will take place at The Studio in Manchester.

The conference comprises a programme of inspiring keynotes, panel discussions, workshops and breakout sessions, with a strong emphasis on practical learning and real-world applications. Alongside NUS UK, speakers will include representatives from Advance HE and QAA, as well as universities, business schools and student union representatives.

Delegates will have the opportunity to learn from peers sharing practical experience and data-driven insights, expand their networks with leaders facing similar challenges, discover proven approaches to boost student engagement and retention, and explore emerging trends and tools designed specifically for higher education.

Matt Claridge, Director of Sales (EMEA) at Explorance, said: "The Student Voices in Higher Education Conference is an important event because student feedback too often stops at collection and never reaches action. Our mission at Explorance has always been to help institutions close that loop, and this conference is an extension of that commitment. By bringing sector professionals together to share what is actually working, we want to help the sector turn feedback insights into decisive. We are excited to support this change for institutions across the UK and around the world."

The conference programme features a range of curated sessions covering the latest thinking, research and practical approaches to student voice.

Thought leadership series

Inspirational talks by higher education leaders exploring the latest issues, trends and innovations in student voice.

• Favour Samuel, President, NUS UK – Whose Table Is It? Recentering Student Voice for the Future of Higher Education
• Tom Lowe, Lecturer and Assistant Head of School (Student Experience) and Kirsty Bryant, Senior Institutional Research Analyst, University of Westminster; and Dr Stuart Sims, Associate Professor in Curriculum and Assessment, Arden University – What Are the Right Amount of Student Surveys? Findings From a Sector Audit of UK Universities' Use of MEQs
• Ruth Burchell, Quality and Standards Specialist, and Cinnomen McGuigan, Student Strategic Advisory Committee, QAA – Costs of Student Engagement
• Shona Quinn, Research and Insights Executive, Advance HE – Support, Community and Culture in Postgraduate Education: Insights From PTES and PRES
• Jonathan Neves, Head of Business Intelligence and Surveys, Advance HE; and Dr Michelle Morgan, Dean of Students, University of East London – Shattering Assumptions: How the First National Pilot of the Pre Arrival Questionnaire (PAQ) Is Helping to Shape How the Sector Understands Postgraduate Student Needs
• Professor Harriet Dunbar-Morris, Deputy President (Chief Academic Officer), and David Denieffe, Senior Vice President Operations (Chief Operations Officer), South East Technological University – Being, Belonging, Becoming: What Three Institutions Have Taught Us About Listening to Students
• Zelbrey Bedard, Chief Product Officer, Explorance – Empowering Student Voice Through Innovation Technology

Panel discussion

Engaging conversations featuring student leaders and sector practitioners, sharing insights and best practice.

• Alicia Cartright, SU Representative (Governance), University of Lancashire Students' Union; Lucy Hart, Union Affairs and Community Officer, Leeds University Union; and Tobenna Ndukwe, President, University of Salford Students' Union – Student Unions: Driving Change, Shaping Voices

Workshops

Hands-on sessions led by higher education leaders, giving delegates the opportunity to learn from peers sharing practical experience and data-driven insights.

• Claire Carr, Director of Student Recruitment, Dr Ryan Handley, Programme Director Business Management Portfolio, and Adam Pearce-Craik, Educational Developer, Hull University Business School – From Student Voice to Career Readiness: Using Student Insight to Personalise Learning at Scale
• Dr Tom Ritchie, Director of Student Experience, University of Warwick – Building Belonging at Scale: Lessons from Growing a Global Student Voice Network
• Dr Rhiânan Ellis, Lecturer (Teaching and Scholarship), University of Sheffield – Rebuilding the Learning Community in a Large Undergraduate Cohort
• Dr Rod Brazier, Managing Director and Co-founder, International Humanitarian College London – Student Voice by Design: Embedding Feedback, Choice and Agency Through ACEL
• Professor Claire Hamshire, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education, Oxford Brookes University, and Poppy McLean-Inglis, Vice-President: Education and Advocacy, Oxford Brookes Students' Union – Power in Partnership: Rethinking How We Build Student Voice Strategy
• Dr Richard Telling, Associate Head, University of Sheffield – Module Evaluation Surveys Low? We Piloted a Course-Level Alternative at Sheffield Hallam University
• Dr Araida Hidalgo-Bastida, Senior Lecturer in Medical Cell Biology, Lead Innovation Scholar on International Experience, International Lead for Life Sciences, Deputy Programme Leader for MSc Biomedical Science; and Jac Fossett, Student Peer to Peer Support Manager, Manchester Metropolitan University – Amplifying Student Voice Through Peer Guides: Building Meaningful Engagement and Connection
• Professor Lindsay Williams, Dean of Education and Professor Claire Hamshire, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education, Oxford Brookes University – Embedding Professional Literacies and Work Readiness Through Student-Led Insight
• Chi-Wang Edgar Lee and Rajat Shah, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officers, University of Westminster – From Policy to Practice: How School EDI Champions Drive Inclusive Student Voice and APP Success
• Jamal Majid, Senior Lecturer (Fashion Business) and Student Voice Lead; and Vicki Markham, Senior Lecturer (Fashion Business), Manchester Metropolitan University – Benefits of Engaging in the Student Voice

Breakout sessions

Explorance product users and experts will share case studies, best practices and new approaches using tools purpose-built for higher education, including Blue and MLY.

• Sarah Williams, Teaching and Learning Manager (Programme Enhancement), Daniel Bayes, Teaching and Learning Officer (Student Voice and Feedback), and Dr Jen McBride, Academic, University of Manchester – The Next Chapter in Student Voice: Manchester's Evolution with Blue and MLY
• Ursula McTaggart, Senior Lecturer, Ulster University – What Happens After Students Speak? Using Qualitative Student Feedback to Inform Curriculum Enhancement
• Carolyn Moir, Head of Performance and Insight, University of Worcester – Working Collaboratively to Build Student Surveys

Networking and community

Attendees will have opportunities throughout the conference to expand their networks and connect with leaders facing similar challenges. A dedicated social event will also take place on 14 October.

Student Voices in Higher Education will be held on 14-15 October 2026 at The Studio, The Hive, 51 Lever Street, Manchester, M1 1FN.

Visit the official event page to view the full programme and register.

The conference follows the Explorance Europe Summit 2026 on 13-14 October. This year's event, inspired by the global theme "Wired to Know," explores how next-generation listening ecosystems transform feedback into actionable intelligence, empowering institutions and students to thrive in an era of constant change.

About Explorance

Explorance partners with leading institutions to transform how feedback strengthens teaching, learning, and the student experience. Serving over 30% of the world's top-ranked universities, Explorance delivers scalable solutions for course evaluation, qualitative analysis, and institutional improvement. Its platforms – Blue, MLY, MTM, and BlueX – empower academic leaders to elevate teaching effectiveness, amplify student voice, and drive evidence-based decision-making. Supported by expert services, Explorance enables long-term transformation grounded in trust and engagement. With 25+ million users and 2+ billion feedback data points, Explorance helps institutions turn feedback into a foundation for academic quality and continuous improvement. Learn more at https://explorance.com/.