All Internal Communications courses

An online open meeting for University staff which will focus on key themes from the Vice-Chancellor's 1 October Annual Address, including the University’s People Strategy, Financial Strategy and innovation agenda.

Chair: James Helm, Executive Director of Communications and External Affairs

Panellists

• Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor
• Professor Kamal Munir, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for University Community and Engagement
• Professor Anna Philpott, from 1 October 2024, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Resources and Operations
• Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation
• Andrea Hudson, Director of HR
• Anthony Odgers, Chief Financial Officer

Questions

You can submit a question for the panel in advance by sending an email to internalcomms@admin.cam.ac.uk. Alternatively, you can ask a question on the day using the Teams Q&A function.

Recording

The meeting will be recorded and shared on the staff hub sharepoint site.

All staff employed by the University are invited to join an online open meeting.

The meeting will feature:

• Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice in conversation with James Helm, the University’s Director of Communications
• An update on the University's People Strategy
• An introduction to the University’s pay review.

Panellists

• Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor
• Professor Kamal Munir, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for University Community and Engagement
• Andrea Hudson, Director of Human Resources
• Anthony Odgers, Chief Financial Officer

Questions

You can submit a question for the panel in advance by sending an email to internalcomms@admin.cam.ac.uk. Alternatively, you can ask a question on the day using the Teams chat function.

A Communicators' Away Day for University and College Communication Professionals at the Triangle Building at Cambridge Press and Assessment.

Agenda

9-9.50 Registration and coffee. Receive a security pass and sign up for breakout sessions

10.00 Welcome: Andrew Scheuber, Global Director External Communications & Brand, Cambridge University Press & Assessment

10.05 OEAC priorities and campaigns update for 2025: James Helm, Executive Director of External Affairs and Communications

10.15-11.15 Campaign planning and use of analytics: Conrad Bird, Director, Cross-Government Campaigns & Marketing

11.15-12.15 Break out sessions

• • Cyber security and responding to cyber incidents
  • Digital transformation How to work with student content creators

12.15-13.15 Lunch and networking. There will be an activity over lunch to stimulate discussion. There will be a chance to win a £25 Waterstones voucher.

13.15-13.45 Building a resilient and consistent University brand in a digital world

• • Key themes: How brands maintain consistency and build resilience in their messaging across various digital platforms, while adapting to rapid change.
  • Q&A

13.45-14.45 Breakout sessions

• • Raising ambitions around civic engagement: communications opportunities and challenges
  • Improving communications for students through collaborative action
  • Social media in 2025: Bluesky, brain rot and bans

14.45-15.00 Coffee break and networking

15.00-16.00 Professor Sir John Aston, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Kathryn Chapman, Executive Director, Innovate Cambridge

• • Discuss priorities for their portfolio and area
  • Views on communications and how it can help forward their agendas
  • What they would like to see from comms professionals
  • Q&A

16.00 Closing remarks

16.05 Informal networking

The University is developing an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for its information services as part of a series of actions to reduce cyber security risk. Cyber crime is a persistent and ever-changing threat to the University and its people. Defining how IT services should be used appropriately is a significant step in protecting staff, students and the institution from harm.

The AUP will set out how everyone who is authorised to use the University’s information services – including University and College staff, students, certain visitors and contractors – can help prevent security-related incidents and avoid harmful activities.

These focus groups form part of a wider consultation on the draft policy.

More information about the development of information security policies can be found on the UIS website.