Delivering change in a constrained environment: Reflections from UCISA26 Leadership Summit

The UCISA Leadership Summit held on the 17th and 18th March didn’t feel like just another date in the higher education calendar. It felt like a pivotal moment.

Across the sector, the context is clear. Universities are navigating tightening budgets, rising expectations, and the accelerating impact of AI. None of this is new but what stood out at UCISA Leadership Summit was the response.

There was energy.

Not the kind that comes from observing challenges at a distance, but the kind that comes from a shared determination to move things forward.

Bringing our new positioning to life

The UCISA Leadership Summit 2026 also marked an important moment for us at Embridge: the launch of our refreshed positioning.

At its heart is a simple idea - change needs to be elastic.

In a sector where priorities shift, funding is fixed, and complexity is constant, transformation can’t be rigid. It has to adapt, scale, and most importantly stick!

Rather than presenting this as a static message, we wanted to bring it to life in a way that reflected exactly what we stand for: practical, human, and engaging - enter the balloon artist on our stand.

It might have seemed light-hearted on the surface, but it sparked something deeper. As balloons were shaped, stretched, and re-formed, it became a simple, visual way to start conversations about how change works in reality, how it needs to flex without breaking, evolve without losing shape, and ultimately hold together under pressure.

Alongside that (and a memorable 30-second exhibitor buzzer round featuring a poem), it created an approachable way to open up meaningful discussions. And that’s where the real value was.

Because once the conversation started, it quickly moved to the real challenges universities are facing.

The reality of constraint

Budgets are locked in far ahead of delivery, often with little room to adapt. At the same time, institutions are navigating political pressures, increasing scrutiny, and rising expectations around everything from digital capability to student experience.

There’s also growing concern around IT and supply chain security, alongside a wider frustration with vendor models where essential capabilities are still positioned as “premium.”

And then there are sector-wide shifts like government-led moves towards greater collaboration and shared services which raise important questions about how institutions balance efficiency with autonomy.

From pressure to progress

Despite all of this, what stood out at UCISA was not hesitation, it was intent.

Leaders are leaning into:

• Collaboration, both within and across institutions
• Strategic partnerships that bring sector understanding, not just delivery capacity
• A focus on execution, not theory

And critically, a recognition that change needs to happen within constraints, not outside of them.

Elastic change in practice

This is exactly where our Elastic Change approach comes into its own.

It’s about helping universities:

• Adapt as priorities shift - whether driven by funding, policy, or leadership
• Deliver value incrementally, not just at the end of a programme
• Embed change in a way that lasts, even in complex, high-pressure environments

The conversations we had at UCISA reinforced that this isn’t just relevant - it’s necessary.

Technology, value, and what should be “standard”

ERP and enterprise platforms remain central to transformation across finance, procurement, and HR. But institutions are increasingly questioning the value they’re getting.

• What should be standard?
• What should truly be premium?
• And how do you ensure your technology ecosystem is enabling, not constraining - progress?

These are not theoretical questions. They are practical challenges that need practical answers.

A sector that gets things done

What continues to stand out about higher education is its bias towards action.

The conversations at UCISA were grounded in reality:

• How do we deliver change within fixed budgets that were set long before today’s challenges emerged?
• How do we strengthen integrations without adding unnecessary complexity or cost?
• How do we collaborate more effectively through strategic partnerships, without losing agility?

These were just some of the questions coming up in conversations on our stand. It’s a sector that doesn’t wait for - it moves.

Making this moment count

UCISA captured both the challenge and the opportunity facing higher education and we were proud to be part of it, not just sharing ideas, but launching a positioning that reflects what the sector needs right now.

Thank you to everyone who connected with us, engaged with the team, and quite possibly walked away with a balloon creation as well.

The conversations don’t stop here - if you’d like to continue the discussion, get in touch at [email protected]