EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP

Communications in the HE crisis era: Strategic storytelling, media realities, and future-proofing institutional reputation

Designed exclusively for senior leaders in higher education marketing and communication, this event addresses the reputational challenges facing institutions today.

UK universities hold some of the world's most compelling stories, yet cutting through noisy public debate requires more than traditional PR. It demands strategic storytelling that builds long-term prestige, commands national attention, and reinforces the undeniable value of your institution.

Led by national media journalists and academic influencers, this event goes beyond routine press releases to focus on high-impact narrative strategy.

Who should attend?

This executive session is tailored specifically for Directors, Chief Marketing Officers, and Heads of PR and Communications.

Content is structured around high-level strategy, team leadership, and institutional governance.

Why should you attend?

Content is structured around strategy, reputation and team leadership to communicate your university’s impact and raise your global reputation.

This event is tailored specifically for Directors, Chief Marketing Officers, and Heads of PR and Communications who want to:

Future-proof a resilient brand narrative that holds up under changing political and public agendas
Modernise press strategy and shift teams from chasing high-volume, low-yield press coverage to targeted, high-impact stories that engage and actively shape reputation
Do more with existing resources without burning out teams
Get ahead of AI in the newsroom - what changing AI in modern media outlets actually means for a university’s visibility and media strategy
Bridge the gap between academic staff and comms so that researchers - learn how to train and support academics to distill dense research into human-centered content that earns public trust
Reach audiences outside traditional media - practical tactics for leveraging podcasts, niche creators, and owned channels to talk directly to key audiences.

We will cover

How to align your storytelling with core university values
Where to modernise your media relationships
How to empower academics to become your institution’s most effective brand ambassadors
Why fewer stories for greater impact
Why crafting the perfect release is a waste of time
How to be everywhere all at once without burning out your team
How to successfully train and support your academics to confidently step up as the trusted voice of your uni
What to do when bad news breaks and how to create content that combats it