Issue #44: June 2025

More Than Survival: Connection, Courage and Change

In a time when change is a constant companion in higher education, what does it mean to lead, to learn, and to belong? This edition of Development Monthly brings together three powerful reflections that explore these questions from different vantage points. Whether you’re new to the sector, guiding others through uncertainty, or rethinking what genuine engagement looks like this edition has something in it for you.

In Reflections from My First AHEP Conference, Miriam Jaffe shares the joyful and at times surprising experience of attending the Conference for the first time. Through ceilidh dancing, conversations, and interactive workshops, we see the impact of authentic connection and the value of being in spaces where our professional selves are not only seen but celebrated.

Jack Orchard’s Navigating the Storm: Leading Teams Through Change in UK Higher Education addresses a more turbulent side of our sector’s current landscape. With restructures, redundancies, and resource pressures shaping daily realities, Jack asks: how can leaders create psychological safety, build resilience, and communicate with empathy during uncertainty?

Last but not least, as part of our joint blog series with evasys, in Beyond the Myth of Future-Proofing: Engaging Students for Uncertain Times, Professor Alejandro Armellini challenges the flawed idea that we can prepare students for every eventuality. Instead, he makes a compelling case for something more grounded: teaching well, consistently, thoughtfully, with purpose, and modelling the kind of meaningful engagement we hope to inspire in our students. Together, these pieces remind us that HE isn’t just about strategy or survival. It’s about people. About showing up, in the midst of global turbulence and sometimes personal overwhelm, with courage, care, and compassion. It’s about making space for learning, listening, and looking after each other.

Haggis, Hands-on Learning, and Higher Education. Reflections from my first AHEP Conference

Miriam Jaffe (she/her)
Student Exchange Administrator
University of the Arts London

Navigating the Storm: Leading Teams Through Change in UK Higher Education

Jack Orchard (he/him)
Joint-CEO
Agar Management Consultancy

Beyond the Myth of Future-proofing: Engaging Students for Uncertain Times

Professor Alejandro Armellini (he/him)
Dean of Education and Digital Innovation
University of Portsmouth