Teacher and Adviser Conference

Welcome talk

Keynote one: 

5 must-knows to help your students master their university journey 

Simon Fairbanks - Associate Director of Community Engagement at UniTasterDays 

Applying to university is a lot. It can be an overwhelming journey for your prospective students and equally dizzying for yourselves as the teachers and advisors who support them. Never fear, this interactive, informative session is here to help. You'll receive valuable insights and actionable advice about 5 critical steps within the 18-month application journey. 

Break

Session one (choose one from the following): 

1. The hidden architecture of plants. Based in our brand new £5.8million labs, get hands‑on in a microscopy session. You’ll prepare your own thin stem sections, apply vivid phloroglucinol stain and watch lignin reveal itself in striking colour. Then, moving between high‑quality light microscopes and electronic microscopes, you'll explore each sample at dramatically different magnifications.  

2. A visit to our market garden. Visit our wonderful social enterprise established within a seven-acre site adjoined to the RAU campus. Come and see all of the produce that is being grown and the hands-on involvement in horticultural production our students benefit from. You can even pick your own fruit and veg to take home!  

3. Explore the living stories inside a natural history collection. The Royal Agricultural University’s natural history collections span four centuries! Find out how we are bringing this ‘hidden heritage’ back to life in the curriculum, research, and enterprise. This session also includes the highly sought-after opportunity to see our herbarium and entomological collections up close. 

Break

Session two (choose one from the following): 

1. Student support that makes a difference: Discover RAU.  What really sets the Royal Agricultural University apart? Discover how the RAU’s close‑knit community and personalised Student Services help students thrive academically and personally. Through real examples and discussion, you’ll gain a clear picture of the support we offer, the students who flourish here, and how the RAU provides a genuinely supportive environment.

2. From vine to venture: How our vineyard cultivates enterprise in our students. Explore how students gain hands-on enterprise experience at the RAU’s working vineyard, from harvesting grapes to developing branding and selling Cotswold Hills wine to retailers. The session also includes the opportunity to taste the wine itself, offering a true grape-to-glass insight!  

3. Q&A with current students. Find out first-hand what it’s like being a student at the RAU. This student led session will give an insight into why students chose to study with us, their academic and social pursuits and career aspirations. There may even be a former student from your institution! 

Lunch and networking 

Keynote two: 

UCAS - Updates, insights and trends 

Elizabeth Lloyd - Adviser Lead at UCAS 

A must-attend session offering the latest UCAS insights, trends and updates. Learn what’s changing, what’s ahead, and how to confidently support students through results season and into the 2027 admissions cycle. 

Enterprise, employability and careers at the RAU. 

Katy Duke - Head of Enterprise and Employability at the RAU

We place a strong emphasis on entrepreneurialism, creating opportunities for our students to develop their own business ideas and receive tailored support. Hear about our new ‘Ignite’ enterprise programme as well as the RAU ‘Graduate Attributes’ which helps ensure our students are regularly recruited by some of the world’s leading organisations. It’s not hard to see why we have been shortlisted for “The Best University Employability Strategy” at the targetjob Awards!