Community, Collaboration and Fresh Perspectives
The 2026 IH Academic Managers and Trainers (AMT) Conference brought the IH community together in London in January, setting the tone for the year ahead. Over three energising days, academic managers, trainers and leaders from across the IH network met face-to-face to share ideas, reflect on practice and reconnect with colleagues from around the world.
This year’s conference marked a subtle but significant evolution in format, with a clear emphasis on participation, collaboration and making space for meaningful conversations – both in and beyond the sessions.
A strong start: connection first
From the opening welcome session, the focus was firmly people. Dynamic get-to-know-you activities encouraged participants to connect quickly, exchange experiences and learn more about the wide range of IH schools, contexts and courses represented in the room. These early interactions helped to create an open, supportive atmosphere that carried through the entire conference.
New ideas in small doses: Quick Learning Bites
One of the most exciting additions to the programme was the introduction of Quick Learning Bites: short, high-impact 15-minute talks designed to inform, inspire and offer immediately applicable ideas. Moderated by Fari Greenaway, these sessions showcased the breadth of innovation across the IH network – from cross-school collaboration projects and virtual reality in the classroom, to re-humanising student feedback and exploring new AI tools.
The format proved both energising and effective, giving delegates a chance to engage with a wide range of ideas in a short space of time, while sparking conversations that continued well beyond the sessions themselves.
The Big Question: collaboration in action
Community and collaboration were at the heart of this year’s conference design, most clearly embodied in The Big Question. Running across three linked sessions, this strand invited participants to work in small groups to explore a shared challenge related to current practice.
Through guided discussion, idea generation and solution building, groups drew on their collective experience, compared perspectives and refined practical, transferable proposals. The final presentations on Saturday brought these ideas together, creating a rich bank of insights, strategies and suggestions that delegates could take away and adapt to their own contexts – and, importantly, continue to develop long after the conference ended.
A rich and varied programme
Alongside these new formats, the conference programme offered a wide range of plenaries, workshops and open sessions addressing the realities of academic management and training today. Topics included leadership and wellbeing, AI and innovation, feedback and observation practices, multilingual teaching teams, inspections, CPD design and inclusive workplace cultures.
Sessions such as George Pickering’s exploration of the manager customer journey, Siân Hanson’s plenary on ethics and empathy, Georgia Papamichaelidou’s ‘quiet leadership’, and Fiona Dunlop’s practical approach to staff wellbeing provided space for reflection as well as concrete tools participants could take back to their schools.
The inspections showcase once again highlighted the strength of the IH network, sharing innovative and adaptable practices from schools around the world and reinforcing the value of learning from one another.
Beyond the sessions: social highlights
As always, some of the most memorable moments happened outside the conference rooms. The welcome drinks at the venue on Thursday evening offered a relaxed start to the event, but the clear social highlight was Friday night at the historic Dickens Inn.
Set against the backdrop of this beautiful riverside venue, delegates enjoyed dinner, an expertly organised quiz inspired by Only Connect (thanks to Shaun), and – inevitably – an AMT dance floor that stayed busy well into the evening. These shared experiences played a vital role in strengthening connections and reminding us of the importance of simply spending time together as a community.
Looking ahead
The 2026 IH AMT Conference was a powerful reminder of why coming together matters. In a network as global and diverse as IH, face-to-face events provide invaluable opportunities to build trust, share practice and collectively shape the future of our work.
With new formats, thoughtful discussions and a strong sense of community throughout, this year’s conference not only offered practical takeaways but also reinforced the collaborative spirit at the heart of IH. We look forward to seeing how the conversations, ideas and connections sparked in London continue to develop across the network in the months ahead.
