08 October 2025 
Emma Walton-Pond, Communications Officer
If you ever get the opportunity to attend the CUPA-HR Conference, take it. The 2025 event was nothing short of exceptional - set against the backdrop of the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Colorado, it was as impressive in substance as it was in setting, and I'm feeling very grateful for the opportunity to be there thanks to UHR: Universities Human Resources.
From the moment I registered, there was a genuine buzz in the air - that perfect mix of anticipation and curiosity that only happens when people from across a sector gather to share ideas and stretch their thinking. And stretch it did.
The opening keynote by Adam Smiley Poswolsky really set the tone. His focus on human connection and belonging resonated deeply. He challenged us to move from comparing to caring - a subtle but powerful shift in mindset that could transform how we show up for one another in our institutions and life in general.
Smiley also shared a concept that I found particularly thought-provoking: instead of waiting for exit interviews to understand why people leave, why not conduct “thrive interviews” to explore what would help them stay and flourish? It’s such a simple, proactive approach, yet one that could make a real difference in engagement and retention - especially in UK higher education, where this kind of conversation often happens too late.
Another standout from the keynote was Smiley’s take on flexibility. Rather than limiting it to remote work or flexible hours, he described it as helping people reimagine their purpose and potential. It’s a far more holistic perspective - one that recognises flexibility as a cultural and emotional need, not just a logistical one.
On day two, I joined a session from Kimberly Graham and Moriah Kent from Auburn University on Transforming Workforce Development with AI. What struck me was how aligned their thinking was with some of the work we’re already doing at Teesside University - particularly around learning pathways and upskilling.
They showcased how instructional designers are upskilling and empowering colleagues on AI literacy, which sparked an idea: could we develop a similar pathway focused on AI tools like Copilot? Not just to train people, but to empower them to reimagine their own workflows.
A clever use of Power Automate for process improvement also caught my attention - a reminder that AI’s real impact lies in how it integrates with human-led systems, not just in the tech itself.
Amy Blankson's keynote built beautifully on this theme. She explored how innovation cycles have accelerated over time - from centuries to decades - and how that compresses the emotional side of change.
Her point that technology drives only about 10% of transformation, while the remaining 90% depends on people, process, and mindset, was particularly grounding. For those of us leading organisational development and business change, that was a reassuring confirmation that we’re focusing on the right things.
I also attended a fascinating session by Martina Perry from Florida State College on Leaders at all Levels. Their “Leadership Academy” and “Leading from Where You Are” programmes felt familiar, but their Succession Planning Programme really stood out.
It’s a structured, year-long approach identifying employees ready to step into critical roles, complete with job shadowing, action learning, and targeted development. While our context in the UK is different - and often faster-paced - it raised important questions about how we could adopt a similar model to strengthen succession planning and future-proof leadership pipelines.
One of my personal highlights was the Facilitator Bootcamp session delivered by Krystal Marroquin, Marco Moreno, MA, M.Ed., LPC-Associate and Nicole Englitsch. It tackled an issue we all recognise - that facilitation happens everywhere across our universities, but not everyone facilitating is formally trained to do so.
Their bootcamp provided a simple, scalable solution: a three-day programme over several weeks covering communication, design, storytelling, and team building. The idea is to equip anyone delivering training with the skills to engage, structure, and inspire. The testimonials were overwhelmingly positive - and honestly, I think this is something we could bring into practice quite quickly.
By day three, AI was back on the agenda - this time through a practical lens with Aaron Miley and Emily Hernandez, MBA on Prompt Engineering for Smarter, Easier HR Workflows. Much of it reinforced what we’re already doing, but one phrase really stuck:
“AI helps us do the tasks, so we can focus on the human part of human resources.”
That’s such a powerful way to frame the opportunity. The session also broke down prompt design into six elements - task, context, example, role, format, and tone - which gave me ideas for how we could enhance our own AI workshops to make them even more accessible and structured.
Louise Edwards-Holland and I also had the chance to present our own session, sharing insights from the UK higher education sector and how, in the wake of the challenges the sector is facing, through innovation, connection & innovation institutions can still flourish. The curiosity about our political, economic, and cultural challenges was huge - a reminder that while our systems differ, our human challenges are remarkably similar.
In the end, CUPA-HR 2025 wasn’t just a conference; it was a reminder of what happens when connection, curiosity, and purpose come together. There’s something very grounding about being in a space where people are genuinely committed to shaping the future of work in higher education - and doing so with both empathy and innovation at the core.
For me, that’s the biggest takeaway: at the heart of every transformation - digital or otherwise - it’s people who make progress possible.
Organisational Development and Learning Manager
Education Specialist • Learning and Development • Blended & Digital Learning Expert
