Conference info

Conference Information

The HELOA  Conference  is  designed  for  the  full  range  of  HELOA  members. Each workshop session has content that falls under the following categories; marketing, widening participation, student recruitment, Widening Participation and Student Recruitment, postgraduate, leadership and other. In addition to developing your Continuous Professional Development it is also a great opportunity to network, share good practice and learn more about group level and national level initiatives the organisation runs.

Networking is a high priority across the conference! The group catch up on Wednesday morning (from 10am) will allow you to meet other members from your area, so our biggest recommendation this year is to try and arrive early. 

Some sessions in the programme are also specifically designed for networking and meeting new people; both local and from further afield. We always recommend that you indicate on your booking form if it is your first HELOA Conference so that we can do our best to ensure you feel supported whilst you are there.

We also have lots of help available at the conference. The HELOA desk will be staffed during conference hours by the Training Team to support with questions or issues. Members of the HELOA UK committee will be wearing either their blue lanyard and/or their name badge during the conference so they can be easily identified. 

What’s new for 2025

Attending this year’s HELOA conference, you’ll experience three keynote sessions, one on each day. Some of the key highlights are: a panel with past HELOA chairs, and a session by Save the Student. All workshops include networking options, with a new session specifically for leadership roles, offering space for leadership discussions and peer support following on from last year’s feedback. Also new for this year is the Demo time session where you’ll get the chance to chat to our conference sponsors and have a demonstration of their products.  

We’ve also introduced awards to recognise excellence in key areas: Widening Participation, Outreach and Access, Student Recruitment, Postgraduate Recruitment, and Undergraduate Recruitment, plus a new award for impactful small or low-budget campaigns acknowledging that our work can have a positive impact no matter the size.

What’s included in your delegate package

Dress Code

During the workshop sessions, the dress code is smart casual. Temperatures throughout the hotel do vary so we recommend you wear layers. The evening meal on Wednesday is more relaxed. Thursday evening is a formal dinner, dazzle and shine in your best glam as we celebrate 35 years of HELOA, honouring the Commendations of Contribution and the HELOA Awards in style!

Menus and Dietary Requirements

Lunch and Dinner menus will be released in due course but we have the Gala dinner options which you’ll need for making your booking:

Starter

Tomato and pesto Bruschetta (V)
(Heritage tomatoes, grilled peppers, bocconcini mozzarella & basil pesto)

Mains

Chicken fillet wrapped in pancetta
(Parmentier potatoes, ratatouille & basil infused oil)

Beetroot Wellington (V, VE)
(Sweet potato puree and roasted root vegetables)

Dessert

Chocolate and orange tort (VE, GF)

The Training Team works hard to ensure dietary requirements are met. Please complete your booking form appropriately and contact training@heloa.ac.uk with any specific questions or needs. 

Accessibility Support

The HELOA Training Team are here to support you throughout the conference and are keen that you enjoy your experience. As part of the booking process, we have included space for you to share your requirements and would appreciate you sharing this with us so that we can work with you both in the lead up to, and during the conference to ensure you can get the most out of the conference.

We have listed below some of the measures that have been put into place in advance, or can be put into place if needed, but please do contact training@heloa.ac.uk if there is anything we can do to support you.

• Room available for delegates who need space away from the conference
• Microphones in the main conference room
• Room settings and chair arrangements (to be shared with individual delegates if needed)
• Audio descriptions of room settings (to be shared with individual delegates if needed)
• Colour and text adjustments on presentations, handouts and room background lighting (to be shared with individual delegates if needed)
• BSL interpreter (upon request and with minimum 28 days’ notice)

Supporting conference as a delegate

The HELOA Training Team would be interested to hear from you if you would like to help. 

A call for volunteers to be a reporter (take notes) during workshops is included in the booking form or please contact the Conference Managers on training@heloa.ac.uk if you would like to find out about other opportunities to support the conference. 

Cancellation Policy

Please note that once you have booked a place at the HELOA National Conference, we require a minimum of 28 days notice in order to cancel your place. Any cancellations received less than 28 days before the event will still be charged for in full. If you are no longer able to attend, you are able to send another representative from your institution to fill the place. The final date for transferring your place to a colleague is Thursday 4th January at 4pm. To cancel your place or request to send a representative from your institution, please contact training@heloa.ac.uk.