We are excited to invite university internal audit professionals from across the higher education sector to join us in September for the CHEIA Annual Conference 2025, which will take place online on Wednesday 17th and Thursday18th September. Our annual conference is designed to provide exceptional value, ensuring that every internal audit colleague from our member universities can access high-quality, professional development.

Programme

We are working on an exciting programme for the conference and as usual we will be endeavouring to bring together just the right mix of topics and speakers to make the event a truly rewarding one for all those who attend. The full programme will be released shortly, but for now we are pleased to be able to share some of the topics that will be covered at the conference.

•  An update on current and emerging trends in higher education and the implications for the sector. The need for robust ‘horizon-scanning’ as part of the audit planning process has never been more important and this session will help ensure that we are familiar with the upcoming challenges for the sector and can support our institutions in preparing to meet them.
• In the light of recent major cyber-attacks at the likes of M&S, the Co-op and the MoJ, Paul Kelly, Head of Cyber and Data Privacy Services at Azets, will join us to take a fresh look at Cyber Security and any lessons arising from these attacks. This session will feature a case study on the recent M&S cyber-attack, with a focus on the associated risks and controls. It will also link to the ‘Topical Requirements’ on Cyber Security, recently published by the Institute of Internal Auditors.
• David Becker, Chief Operating Officer at SUMS Consulting and one of the sector’s leading experts in the area of organisation design, will share insights from his extensive work on target operating models and efficiencies in the HE sector.
• A session on Freedom of Speech which will address the new OfS guidance on freedom of speech and will include an in-depth look at the recent University of Sussex case, including any learning points for universities, as well as an update on the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.
• Revisiting the new GIAS IIA Standards one year on, with an opportunity to discuss with colleagues the various challenges and adjustments involved in implementing them.

Venue

To keep our costs and the environmental impact down, and to make it as accessible to as many CHEIA Members as possible, the conference will again be held online using the ‘Ring Central’ platform (formerly known as Hopin) for speaker sessions, combined with facilitated breakout sessions via Microsoft Teams at the end of each day to follow up on some of the themes raised in earlier sessions.

Delegate Rates & Discounts

In order to keep the conference accessible to as many of our members as possible, we have chosen to keep 2025 ticket prices the same as last year. The delegate rate for the first booking per organisation is £285 plus VAT. For all other bookings from the same organisation the delegate rate is £235 plus VAT.

The first delegate from each organisation will receive a discount code with their booking confirmation which additional delegates can use in order to be charged the lower rate of £235 plus VAT when they book. More  information about how to book your tickets can be found on the booking page here.

All delegates will have access to recordings of all the sessions at the conference after the event via the CHEIA website.

We hope you will be able to join us in September for what promises to be a fantastic couple of days. With an inspiring programme of speakers featuring leading experts and practitioners from both in and outside the sector, #CHEIA25 will be an incredible professional development opportunity for all.

If you have any questions about the conference or require any further information, please contact Claire Farrell, the CHEIA Membership Officer, at claire@cheia.ac.uk.