Empowering Higher Education: Key Takeaways from UCISA25 in Brighton

Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to attend the UCISA25 Leadership Conference in Brighton—an event that brought together forward-thinking leaders from across the UK’s higher education sector. It was a privilege to engage with so many institutions, hear their challenges firsthand, and discuss how technology can play a key role in shaping the future of student and administrative experiences.

Listening, Learning, and Innovating Together

One of the highlights of the conference was the meaningful conversations we had with CIOs, IT directors, and edtech professionals. We know that institutions today are facing increasing pressures—from changing student expectations to evolving regulatory demands—which further drives the need for more efficient, adaptable systems.

By being part of these discussions, we deepened our understanding of what truly matters to universities right now, reaffirming our commitment to providing solutions that are not just innovative but genuinely built for higher education, by higher education.

Addressing Sector-Wide Challenges

The conversations at UCISA25 reinforced a few key themes:

• Configuration, not customisation – No two institutions operate the same way. However, financial constraints across the sector mean there is a need for solutions that deliver commonly used UK sector workflows out of the box, while still allowing for system configuration. Thesis SM offers over 70 pre-configured workflows based on UCISA Higher Education Reference Models.

• Flexibility & adaptability – The ability to adjust systems without over-reliance on technical developers is empowering universities to evolve with confidence. Traditionally, Student Information Systems (SIS) have required significant code-level effort to align with institutional processes. Enabling admin users to modify the system through no-code, low-code configurability ensures that Thesis SM users can create seamless processes, maintain consistency, and reduce the burden of manual tasks—allowing them to respond quickly to changing business needs.

• Seamless student experience – A student information system should do more than just manage records—it should enhance the student journey from admissions to graduation. We’re proud that Thesis SM offers a student-first approach that prioritises accessibility and engagement.

• Data management & regulatory compliance – Universities are seeking smarter ways to handle student data securely while remaining compliant with sector regulations. Thesis SM’s built-in best practices and intuitive workflows make regulatory compliance effortless, fully supporting HESA Data Futures, UCAS, UKVI, and SLC requirements.

Looking Ahead: Strengthening Our Partnership with Higher Education

What sets us apart is that we don’t just provide technology—we work alongside institutions, ensuring our solutions evolve to meet real-world academic and administrative needs. The insights we gained at UCISA25 will continue to shape how Thesis SM supports universities in delivering efficient, student-centric, and future-proof services.

We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth, attended our discussions, or simply shared their experiences with us. These connections drive us to keep innovating and ensuring that technology remains an enabler, not a barrier, for higher education.

If you’d like to continue the conversation, we’d love to hear from you. Let’s explore how we can work together to simplify processes, enhance student experiences, and move towards a modern, adaptable student information system with Thesis SM.