Student Mindset Conference 2025 agenda
09:30 – 10:00 Arrival and registration
Tea, coffee, and pastries will be available on arrival.
10:00 – 10:15 Welcome and opening remarks
An introduction to the day's schedule by Kate Wright, Head of Group Customer Growth, covering key themes and the importance of shared insights across the sector.
10:15 – 11:10 Keynote: Doing more with less – AI, automation, and smart reuse
Brian W Piper
Learn how to harness AI tools to analyse your content data for actionable insights, streamline persona creation, and fill gaps in your content strategy.
This session will empower you to transform your high-value content into evergreen assets through innovative AI and data techniques, ensuring your efforts drive measurable results. Utilising data and AI to repurpose, retarget, and redistribute your high-value content enables you to maximize the impact of both existing and new content, ultimately increasing your visibility in the evolving search landscape.
11:10 – 11:30 Table workshop
We will apply the prompts and tactics discussed in the presentation in real-time to uncover insights into your job, team, and institution using a variety of free AI tools.
11:30 – 11:45 Morning break
A short break to grab refreshments.
11:45 – 12:25 The Big Trends Shaping Student Mindset in 2025
Jo Richards, Senior Insights Lead and Kyle Campbell, Education Marketer
Fresh research with students and parents highlights the three big trends shaping decisions in 2025: the iterative way students prepare, growing gaps in information needs, and the rising influence of money and employability. Jo and Kyle will also explore why some students consider declining their place - and how universities can respond with more personalised support and stronger connections.
12:25 – 12:55 From Insight to Impact: The future features of IAG at UCAS
Genia Garrity, Director of Information, Advice and Guidance
Matt Wasley, Lead Product Manager
In this session, Genia and Matt will share how UCAS is evolving its tools and advice to better support students and their supporters on the journey to higher education. From new features in the Hub, including the launch of a scholarship tool that reveals the full breadth of financial support available across universities and colleges, this update will showcase how UCAS is helping to break down barriers and empower confident, informed decision-making.
12:55 – 13:40 Lunch
A buffet lunch will be served outside the Insurance Suite. Take this opportunity to network with peers and discuss the morning sessions.
13:40 – 14:10 Unlocking student decisions
Vickie Phair, Commercial Data Products and Consultancy Lead
Turn data into action. Explore how UCAS’ new Student Decision Insights Dashboard can help you refine your strategy. This is your toolkit for smarter, faster, more targeted student engagement.
Discover how to use dynamic filters (like demographics and reply status), trend views, and benchmarking (sector, tariff, competitor) to uncover patterns, sharpen messaging, and elevate the student experience.
14:10 – 14:50 Keynote: Feel first, think later
Dr Simon Moore
In the past 2 decades neuroscience has demonstrated that 'choices' and 'decisions' are predominantly influenced by subconscious factors. That emotional calls to actions to audience psychological deep seated needs are more persuasive and influential than facts, figures and logical arguments. That perceptions of relevance, value and trust are firmly related to psychological mechanisms ruled by feeling.
In this session we will consider the subconscious factors that drive student and parent choice, understand the emotional dimension to impactful communications and learn some quick win psychological strategies and techniques that you can apply to your marketing and website assets.
14:50 – 15:25 Student panel: Trust, emotion, and experience
Hosted by Dr Simon Moore
Hear directly from five students as they reflect on what built and broke their trust during the journey to higher education. From research to arrival, they’ll share honest insights into the emotional highs and lows of the process.
Bring your questions – this is your time for a live Q&A.
15:25 – 15:35 Closing reflections and remarks
Kate Wright, Head of Group Customer Growth, will share final thoughts on the day's insights and set the stage for continued collaboration across the sector.