This tour is open to pre-booked AUDE members and international guests only. 

This walking tour will take in the most important landmarks, buildings and figures from 2,000 years of Cardiff history, as well as some wider Welsh history and culture. 

Hilton Cardiff 

Welcome to the conference address from Steve Jordan, Director of Estates, University of Birmingham and Conference Chair

Hilton Cardiff

The Ballroom, Hilton Cardiff

Kindly supported by Maris Interiors

Y Neuadd Fawr, Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd | The Great Hall, Cardiff Students' Union 

Canolfan Bywyd y Myfyrwyr | Centre for Student Life, CSL

Speakers: Philippa Thomas, Conference Host, Anita Edson, Director of Estates, Cardiff University and Dr Paula Sanderson, Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary, Cardiff University

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Today’s universities face a whole set of challenges. This session describes how Cardiff University co-created its vision and strategy to 2035 ‘Our future, together’ with staff, students, and stakeholders, and how this future vision - and the engagement and design methodologies that underpinned it - is informing a comprehensive re-think of the estate and a new masterplan for the campus.

Speakers: Professor Peter Madden, OBE. Professor of Practice in Future Cities, Cardiff University and Professor Juliet Davis, Head of the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Chill and Charge Area and Refreshments kindly supported by Tate + Co Architects 

Speaker: TBC

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE, Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

This session will explore new sector-wide guidance focused on the prevention of suicide and near-fatal self-harm, and the role all colleagues can play in contributing directly to a whole institution approach to prevention. He guidance, Collective Responsibility, Collective Action to Prevent Student Suicide sets out practical steps to reduce risk and physical access to means to do harm, and to improve the psychological and emotional environment in which students live, study and work. It draws on evidence from research, serious incident reviews and inquests, and the guidance that has emerged is based on consensus. The session will include several case studies to provide additional context and the aim is to help all participants understand how different roles within their institution can contribute, as well as learning how the guidance can act as a tool for service directors and team leaders to support them to plan and deliver change.

Speaker: Dr Simon Merrywest, Executive Director for the Student Experience, University of Manchester

Room 2.28, Second Floor, CSL

This workshop will be based on how Cardiff Metropolitan University leveraged data-driven insights and IoT technology to put people first in redefining its approach to campus development. This session will explore the role of technology in informing our understanding of utilisation, the internal environment of buildings, and addressing the performance gap to reduce energy consumption, carbon and cost. Attendees will learn how the Cardiff Met project exposed gaps between perception and reality in space usage; enhanced environmental efficiency; identified opportunities for significant cost and carbon reductions that resulted in a £5.1M, 402T CO2 saving in year 1; and led to subsequent savings in energy consumption with relevance to all buildings, and a further 0.5GW energy saving in the year to date. This session will evidence the scale of opportunity to use technology to support estate leaders to prioritise investment and efficiencies.

Speaker: Graham Lewis, Chief Officer University Environments and Property, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Room 2.25/2.26, Second Floor, CSL

Universities put significant time into collecting estates data for HESA. How can you ensure you’re getting the most out of the data, and giving insightful analysis to senior management. There is an increasing focus on the size and shape of estates. How can HESA estates data be used to understand how your institution uses its space?

The session will include: 

1. A quick recap on EMR over the last 10 years, with some highlights of the key changes over the decade. 

2. The inclusion of depreciation and amortisation costs, what’s included and what isn’t. How this represents a better summary of total costs. Some of the issues and challenges that it raises. 

3. Developing appropriate space metrics to assess your institution’s performance in a range of areas. 

4. How can you use this information to look in more detail at your own institution and identify areas of differential space use. 5. Recent patterns emerging from the data and what this may tell us about the future.

Speakers: Paul Morris, Director of Capital Development & Estate Operations, Lancaster University and George Griffith, Director Provelio

1.24/1.25, First Floor, CSL

The workshop interactively discusses "hybrid working" dilemmas from Campus NL (research 2023-2027), sharing their office use data (utilization studies > 100 buildings) and their visions on the future. The rise of hybrid working on Dutch campuses (Campus NL) has given two potential extreme strategies for the future campus.

These are: (1) “we are a campus university” where physical presence, community and personal encounters are cherished; (2) “embrace the hybrid reality”, which facilitates individual choices and working from home. In contrast to these extremities, there is also a third (more passive) “just wait and see” strategy, reconsidering individual territory and making the work environment more flexible. In this workshop, dilemmas of these strategies will be discussed, not only affecting the costs and carbon footprint of the campus but also HR, education and research. In this strategic quest, evidence-based knowledge exchange between universities (nationally and internationally) is essential.

Speakers: ​​Prof. dr. ir. Alexandra den Heijer, Professor of Public Real Estate and Jasmine Bacani​, PhD researcher at TU Delft

1.26/1.27, First Floor, CSL

Y Neuadd Fawr, Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd | The Great Hall, Cardiff Students' Union

Chill and Charge Area and Lunch kindly supported by Tate + Co Architects  

This interactive keynote will help you to do the following: - Understand the neuroscience of your mind. - Profile your unique Chimp system. - Identify who you really are and how to bring those qualities more and more to daily life. - Start to spot unhelpful beliefs and behaviours which you would like to change and turn them into more helpful strategies, making your life more fulfilling and happier.

Speaker: Jess Wall, Psychological Skills Mentor, Chimp Management

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Y Neuadd Fawr, Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd | The Great Hall, Cardiff Students' Union 

Chill and Charge Area and Refreshments kindly supported by Tate + Co Architects

Join our colleagues from America, Australia and South Africa as we explore how they have created universities where staff and students feel they belong and hear some of the trends and policy decisions impacting on higher education more broadly.

Speakers: Lalit Agarwal, President & Chief Executive Officer representing APPA, Lindokuhle Mzolo, Campus Manager: University of Johannesburg, Immediate Past President and representing HEFMA and Kate Robertson, Principal Project Manager, University of the Sunshine Coast
representing TEFMA

Chair: Syd Cottle, Director of Estates Management, University of Liverpool and AUDE Chair

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Coach transfer is approximately 11 minutes.
Coaches will depart at approx. 18:50 and 19:00.

Alternatively Cardiff City FC is a 35 minute walk from the hotel. 

Cardiff City FC

Networking Drinks Reception kindly supported by Stride Treglown

Cardiff City FC

Dinner kindly supported by Bidwells

Coach transfer is approximately 11 minutes. 
Coaches will depart at approx. 22:30, 22:45 and 23:00.

Alternatively Cardiff City FC is a 35 minute walk to the hotel.

Y Neuadd Fawr, Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd | The Great Hall, Cardiff Students' Union

Canolfan Bywyd y Myfyrwyr | Centre for Student Life, CSL

Speaker: Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Y Neuadd Fawr, Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd | The Great Hall, Cardiff Students' Union

Chill and Charge Area and Refreshments kindly supported by Tate + Co Architects  

Overbury Headline Supporter - speakers will be announced shortly 

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE, Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

The University of Nottingham, in common with many similar research intensive universities, has a very large estate which requires significant upkeep and investment, and which suffers from poor space utilisation. Working and teaching patterns have changed since Covid, and our community needs an estate that can effectively support those changing needs. Achieving this in the current financial climate poses a significant challenge. In this workshop we will introduce our new programme of work to reshape our estate into one which is smaller, more financially and environmentally sustainable, and which better supports the needs of the community that live, work and study here. We will discuss our approach to delivering a target 20% reduction in our estate footprint while also promoting interdisciplinarity and collaboration. We will also highlight some of our key findings from consulting with our academic and student communities.

Speakers: Gary Moss, Director of Estates, University of Nottingham and Laura Armitage, Director of Estate Masterplanning, University of Nottingham

Room 2.25/2.26, Second Floor, CSL

Speakers: Lucy Black, Associate Director – Facilities & Student Accommodation, University of Plymouth and AUDE Strategic Facilities Management Group Chair, Bryan Carroll, Director of Estates and Facilities, Southampton Solent, Tom Andrews, Head of Facilities Management, University of Hertfordshire and Duncan Johnston, Facilities Manager, University of Glasgow

1.26/1.27, First Floor, CSL

This workshop explores our findings on embedding customer-centric practices in capital project delivery within higher education estates. Our report emphasizes the importance of integrating the "Voice of the Customer" at every stage of a project, from design to post-occupancy evaluation. We explore best practices from HE institutions, along with insights from other industries, to improve stakeholder engagement and service outcomes. Our recommendations, including gamified feedback tools and structured improvement frameworks, aim to enhance user satisfaction and operational performance. Join us as we outline actionable strategies for creating inclusive, user-focused educational environments.

Speakers: Helen Shaw, Deputy Director of Estates – Campus Development, Cardiff University, Graeme Race, Senior Programme Manager, University of York, Sarah Anne Borg, Senior Executive - Architect and Civil Engineer, University of Malta, James Wright, Senior Maintenance Manager, University of Leeds, Tshisevhe Nesengani, Head of Department- Infrastructure Maintenance, University of Venda and Higher Education Facility Managers Association of Southern Africa (HEFMA) and Kate Powell, Executive Officer to the Principal, University of Glasgow

1.24/1.25, First Floor, CSL

This workshop examines lessons learned from a joint training exercise with South Yorkshire Police Firearms Training Unit, in preparation for the forthcoming Terrorism Protection of Premises Bill. This is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK, and was attended by South Yorkshire Police, University of Sheffield Staff and Local resilience Forum partners. The attendees were from gold, silver and bronze levels of both organisations and used a scenario was based on a Marauding attack in two of the University's key 'crowded space' teaching buildings. The training gave the police the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the unique university environment and apply their processes in a less conventional location. University staff gained a detailed understanding of the likely emergency services response to an attack and how University resources, staff and knowledge will be crucial to the response.

Speaker: Simon Verrall, Security Operations Manager, University of Sheffield

Room 2.28, Second Floor, CSL

Y Neuadd Fawr, Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd | The Great Hall, Cardiff Students' Union 

Chill and Charge Area and Lunch kindly supported by Tate + Co Architects

Universities have seen and will see mergers and the need for shared services. How can we prepare for this, what can we learn from those who have been through it and what might the future of HE look like in these uncertain financial times.

Speakers:  Dawn Taylor, Interim Director of Estates & Facilities, ARU, Steph Harris, Director of Strategy, Insight and Member Engagement UUK, Vanessa Wilson, CEO, University Alliance, Professor Elisabeth Hill, Deputy President and Provost, City St George’s, University of London and Professor Jenny Higham, Vice-Chancellor, University of Suffolk

Facilitator: Philippa Thomas, Conference Host

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Y Neuadd Fawr, Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd | The Great Hall, Cardiff Students' Union

Demographics are driving political and economic change. In this session we will explore the core challenges and the economic outcomes.

Speaker: Roger Martin-Fagg, Behavioural Economist, Martin-Fagg Associates Ltd 

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Speaker: TBC

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Speakers: Philippa Thomas, Conference Host and Anita Edson, Director of Estates, Cardiff University

Darlithfa Syr Stanley Thomas OBE | Sir Stanley Thomas OBE Lecture Theatre, CSL

Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd | National Museum Cardiff is a 5 minute walk from the hotel.

Shuttle bus transfers available (limited spaces)

Bus transfer is approximately 5 minutes. 
Bus will depart at 18:45, 18:50 and 18:55.

Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd | National Museum Cardiff

Drinks kindly supported by AECOM

Awards host Colin Jackson CBE

Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd | National Museum Cardiff

The Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd | National Museum Cardiff is a 5 minute to the hotel.

Shuttle bus transfers available (limited spaces).

Bus transfer is approximately 5 minutes. 
Bus will depart at 23:10, 23:20 and 23:40.