Our flagship conference for university leaders returns in November.
Book your place at ACU Congress 2025
In an era marked by unprecedented challenges and rapid transformations, universities across the globe are at a critical juncture. The ACU invites senior leaders in higher education to an international collaboration conference centred on the theme of Connected and resilient: Commonwealth universities charting global change.
This event will explore the multifaceted role of higher education institutions in the Commonwealth working together to build resilience to withstand shocks and contribute to renewal, development and global innovation within nations and across the Commonwealth.
What to expect?
The final programme will be confirmed in due course. In the meantime, we want to give you an idea of what to expect from the ACU’s flagship membership conference. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from thought leaders in the higher education sector across the Commonwealth, as well as network and collaborate with other senior leaders from around the world.
The event is designed exclusively for executive heads of Commonwealth universities; key reasons for vice-chancellors to attend include:
- A unique mix of thought-provoking keynote speeches, engaging panel discussions and closed-door roundtables run under the Chatham House Rule
- sharing best practice
- engaging in topical discussions about the challenges facing higher education
- hearing from prominent speakers from across the Commonwealth
We are working on a programme that will feature a diverse range of perspectives from various global regions, including Africa, Asia, North America, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Europe.
Our planned sessions will cover topics such as the resilience of the sector, national renewal and emerging trends, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reimagining global engagement, and future thinkers and trends.
Booking will be open to both ACU members and non-members.
Programme overview
Wednesday, 26 November (evening)
Join us for the inaugural welcome ceremony at the National Museums of Kenya. Enjoy a night tour that highlights Kenyan culture, complete with entertainment and opening speeches. This is a great opportunity to network before the main two-day conference.
Thursday, 27 November 2025 (full day, evening dinner)
The first day of the conference will feature a busy agenda packed with sessions and ample networking opportunities. The evening dinner reception is included as part of your ACU Congress ticket.
Friday, 28 November 2025 (full day)
The second and final day will continue with more engaging conference sessions.
Please note, we will provide additional information soon on how you can customise your itinerary to include paid-for excursions, supporting tourism partners in Kenya, allowing you to experience Kenya’s natural beauty and attractions.
Read about our confirmed ACU Congress speakers and panellists. Be sure to check back as we will be updating this page as further speakers are added.
The University of Nairobi, Kenya
Our official conference partner is the University of Nairobi, who will be hosting the event. The University of Nairobi has been a valued member of the ACU network since 1962, celebrating over 60 years of membership.
The University of Nairobi is home to 45,000 students across 10 faculties, 11 research institutes and 4 centres of excellence, making it a vibrant hub of intellectual activity and innovation. UoN offers diversified academic programmes and specialisations in natural sciences, applied sciences, technology, humanities, social sciences and law. More about the University of Nairobi can be found on the UoN website.
How to register
ACU Congress 2025 is a ticketed event that offers discounted rates only for ACU members. You can view the full list of fees below. To purchase your ticket online, you will need to sign in to your MyACU account. If you click on the registration booking link and do not see your ticket fee, please create your MyACU account here.
If you have any questions about logging in or need help, please email events@acu.ac.uk. Our events team is available to assist you in creating your account.
Book your placeIf you are not a current member of the ACU, please complete our expression of interest form to share your interest in attending.
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