Scottish Universities Finance Conference 2026

This event is now SOLD OUT - please send any queries to events@bufdg.ac.uk

The Scottish Universities Finance Conference will take place on Thursday 28 May at the University of Glasgow, James McCune Smith Learning Hub, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QW.

The main conference takes place in Room 438, 4th floor, James McCune Smith Learning Hub.  Refreshments and lunch are served on the ground floor, next to the exhibition space.  There is a cloakroom available in room 507, accessible via lift or stairs from the fourth floor (no escalators to 5^th floor).

Programme:

08:30 - Registration, refreshments, and networking (reception - ground floor)

09:15 - Welcome to the conference (main room 438) - Gregor Caldow, Executive Director of Finance, University of Glasgow and Chair of the Scottish Uuiversities Finance Directors Group

09:25 - Backing Scotland’s Universities: Partnership, Innovation, and the Future Economy (main room 438) - Barclays Bank

10:05 – Refreshments (Reception - ground floor)

10:35 - The Quantum Journey - From idea to exploitation (main room 438) - Prof.  Miles Padgett, University of Glasgow

11:15 – Breakout Sessions (Breakout Rooms) – See breakout details below

12:00 – Lunch (reception - ground floor)

13:15 – Passport Control: Navigating the Tax & Financial Risks of TNE (main room 438) – PwC

14:00 - Breakout Sessions (Breakout Rooms) – See breakout options below

14:45 – Refreshments (reception - ground floor)

15:15 - The Imitation Game (main room 438) - Karel Thomas, Executive Director, BUFDG

16:00 - Closing comments and event close (main room 438) - Gregor Caldow, Executive Director of Finance, University of Glasgow

16:10 – Social Event at the Grosvenor Café - (24 Ashton Ln, Glasgow G12 8SJ)

11:15 Morning Breakouts

1. Strengthify Ltd – Leading Lasting Change in University Finance (Room 438 – 4^th floor)
2. RSM UK Audit LLP - Driving Financial Sustainability: Approaching cost reduction and innovative risk reporting (Room 641 - 6th floor)
3. Keyridge Asset Management - Cash, Fixed Income and the Market (Room 639 - 6th floor)
4. RBS - Doing More With Less: A Smarter Model for Student Financial Support? (Room 745 - 7th floor)
5. Flywire Payments Ltd - Data-Driven Decisioning: Transforming Payment Insights into Institutional Resilience (Room 743 - 7th floor)

 14:00 Afternoon Breakouts 

1. AAB Business & Tax Advisory LLP - Transformation & Managing Change (Room 438 - 4th floor)
2. QMPF LLP - Funding Capacity, Covenants and Options in a Challenging HE Environment (Room 641 - 6th floor)
3. Cazenove Capital - Navigating a More Uncertain World: Are equity markets fragile or fearless? (Room 639 - 6th floor)
4. RBS - Doing More With Less: A Smarter Model for Student Financial Support? (Room 745 - 7th floor)
5. BUFDG - Tax update (Room 743 - 7th floor)

Travel & Venue

• The event is taking place at the James McCune Smith Learning Hub, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QW
• A campus map can be found here.
• Travel directions can be found here.
• Please note that onsite parking is limited to permit holders. Car parking in the areas around the campus is extremely difficult. There are various pay & display parking spaces around the local Byres Road and Kelvin Way areas but spaces are limited. You may want to consider using the city's Subway Park & Ride scheme. This service costs £8.15 and Kelvinbridge subway station has parking which is only 5 minutes walk away.