President and CEO set out priorities and vision at the Universities UK annual conference in Leicester

The conference brings together Vice-Chancellors and Principals with senior civil servants, think tanks and representative bodies in the higher education sector.

Professor Steve West CBE, President of Universities UK, today addressed the conference in a wide-ranging speech that covered the financial pressures facing students and universities, the importance of university research, academic freedom and how universities are adapting to new ways of operating in the post-pandemic world.

Yesterday, the new Chief Executive of Universities UK, Vivienne Stern MBE, made her inaugural address in her new role to a smaller group of UUK’s 140 member Vice Chancellors.

You can read the speeches in full on the Insights and Analysis pages of our website: 

• Speech by Professor Steve West, President of UUK
• Speech by Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive of UUK