Student Retention and Continuation Conference 2026
The Student Retention and Continuation Conference 2026 will explore how universities can respond to changing student lives, tighter resources and growing expectations for successful student outcomes. Bringing together sector experts and institutional practitioners, the conference will examine how providers can identify risk earlier, remove avoidable barriers and build the conditions in which more students can continue and succeed.
The conference will move beyond isolated retention initiatives, exploring how institutions are redesigning transition, curriculum, timetabling and student support to strengthen continuation across different student groups.
The Conference will explore practical strategies for:
- Identifying disengagement early and turning insight into timely, effective action
- Redesigning transition around the first weeks, first assessments and key points of student risk
- Supporting students balancing study with paid work, commuting, caring and financial pressure
- Embedding belonging, academic confidence and inclusive practice within the curriculum
- Preparing for the revised TEF and stronger links between continuation, completion and institutional quality
Context
Why Now?
The revised TEF will bring continuation and completion closer to institutional ratings, improvement requirements and future recruitment decisions.
Paid employment is now normal for many full-time students, while commuting, caring and financial pressure reshape when and how they can engage.
Students balancing different commitments may not join optional activities, making the curriculum and everyday course experience central to connection and confidence.
Institutions must improve reach and impact while course rationalisation, staffing reductions and rising complexity put services under strain.
What to Expect
Why attend the conference?
Strengthen continuation across the student journey
Explore practical approaches to transition, belonging, academic engagement and support that help more students continue and succeed.
Respond to changing student lives
Understand how work, commuting, financial pressure and different patterns of participation are reshaping the student experience.
Build sustainable institution-wide improvement
Connect strategy, academic practice and student services around shared priorities for stronger continuation and student success.
Strengthen Student Continuation Across Your Institution
Gain practical insight for earlier action, inclusive learning and sustainable student success.
Programme
Agenda
Chair’s Welcome Address
Student Continuation: Regulation, Risk and the Reality Behind the Data
- How the revised TEF changes the relationship between student experience, continuation and institutional quality
- Key trends reshaping student continuation and the pressures behind them
- Where institutions should look for emerging continuation risks across the student journey, rather than relying on a single headline measure
- How governing bodies and executive teams can scrutinise continuation trends, set priorities and track improvement
Designing the First 90 Days Around Continuation
- Using pre-arrival insight to identify confidence, preparedness and practical barriers before they become disengagement
- Building academic purpose, course identity and realistic expectations from induction onwards
- Coordinating the first assessment, personal tutoring and early support around the points when students are most likely to struggle
- Maintaining contact after welcome activity ends and responding quickly when a student’s engagement changes
Break and Networking
Enhancing Continuation Outcomes Amid Complexity and Constraint
- The most persistent pain points undermining continuation, from financial pressure and competing commitments to belonging, confidence and disengagement
- Where institutions should focus when continuation challenges cut across the academic and student experience
- Which approaches are most likely to improve continuation outcomes, and how should institutions decide what to prioritise?
- How can institutions sustain improvement when student needs, capacity and operating conditions continue to change?
Working, Commuting and Under Financial Pressure: Rethinking the Student Experience
- How paid work, travel time and financial pressure reshape attendance, independent study and access to campus life
- What institutions can learn by looking beyond the simple label of “commuter student”
- Designing timetables, contact and support around the time students genuinely have available
- Connecting financial assistance with academic engagement before difficulties become withdrawal risk
Lunch Break
Identifying Early Risks through Impactful Engagement Data
- Bringing attendance, VLE activity, assessment and support information together to identify meaningful changes in engagement
- Separating useful signals from noise and avoiding assumptions about what an individual student’s data means
- Designing outreach that is supportive, specific and easy to act on
- Setting clear responsibilities for acting on the insight
Inclusive Continuation: Joining Up Mental Health, Disability and Academic Support
- Recognising when disengagement, non-submission or attendance changes are connected to disability or mental ill health
- Closing the gap between centrally agreed support and consistent delivery in teaching, assessment and placements
- Building compassionate routes that maintain academic expectations while reducing avoidable withdrawal and interruption
- Coordinating information and responsibility so students are not repeatedly passed between services
Break and Networking
Retention Is Built in the Course: Curriculum and Belonging
- Designing coherent courses that help students understand expectations, see progress and develop confidence
- Using first assessments, feedback and active learning to create academic connection rather than early failure
- Making personal tutoring and meaningful staff contact work for large, diverse and time-poor cohorts
- Embedding belonging within learning so it reaches commuters, working students and those least likely to join optional activity
Evaluating What Works in Student Retention
- Which retention interventions are making a measurable difference?
- How can institutions distinguish participation and short-term engagement from genuine continuation impact?
- When should an initiative be adapted, scaled or stopped?
Conference Close: Setting Your Continuation Priorities for 2027
Strengthen Student Retention and Continuation
Turn practical insight into earlier action, inclusive learning and measurable improvement.
Who Should Attend?
Audience
This Conference is designed for higher education professionals responsible for student success, continuation, experience, support and institutional outcomes. Those in attendance will include:
- Pro-Vice-Chancellors for Education, Students and Academic Experience
- Directors and Heads of Student Success, Retention and Continuation
- Directors of Student Experience, Services and Engagement
- Academic Registrars and Registry Leaders
- Transition, Academic Advising and Personal Tutoring Leads
- Planning, Insight, Learning Analytics and Student-Data Teams
- Access, Participation, Evaluation and Student-Outcomes Leads
- Heads of Wellbeing, Mental Health, Disability and Inclusion
- Faculty Education Leads, Programme Directors and Senior Tutors
- Students’ Union Advice, Representation and Student Voice Leaders
Registration
Secure Your Ticket
HE and Public Sector
£195 + VAT
- Full-day live conference access
- Latest sector and policy insight
- Actionable case studies and tested approaches
- Live chat functionality
- Breakouts and networking
- Access to event resources
Private Sector
£395 + VAT
- Full-day live conference access
- Latest sector and policy insight
- Actionable case studies and tested approaches
- Live chat functionality
- Breakouts and networking
- Access to event resources
HE Team of 3
£526.50 + VAT
- Full-day live access for three delegates
- Latest sector and policy insight
- Actionable case studies and tested approaches
- Live chat functionality
- Breakouts and networking
- Access to event resources
For group discounts and enquiries about your registration please contact us on enquiries@heprofessional.co.uk