I became aware of the Association of University Administrators (AUA) through attending a presentation at the University of Bath about their study tours.\u00a0 I thought that it seemed like such a positive opportunity to share information and expertise, and to get a feel of how other cultures\u2019 educational systems work.<\/p>\n
I assumed that I wasn\u2019t really important enough\/ not on a high enough grade to be sent to the AUA Annual Conference, but I was encouraged by my manager to register.\u00a0 At first I wondered what I could possibly contribute, but having seen that they offered working sessions and being quite opinionated, I thought this would certainly be something I could participate in! I did feel a little apprehensive when I arrived at the conference centre as I was out of my comfort zone \u2013 I must say that this was also part of my motivation for going, I feel it\u2019s important to keep challenging yourself.<\/p>\n
The Conference contained a mixture of large talks to all delegates, some smaller presentations and a series of working groups.\u00a0 Most of the sessions were held in Nottingham Conference Centre, but the largest talks were held a short distance away at the Albert Hall. It was great to meet my fellow delegates from other universities, who all had a wide range of roles.\u00a0 Some had been working for their institution for a long time, whereas others had only recently began their employment, ensuring there was a whole range of backgrounds and experiences to build our discussions on.\u00a0 I was also quite surprised to see representatives from overseas institutions and upon speaking with some of them, realised just how different comparative roles could be.<\/p>\n