Higher education is entering a precarious period where leadership cannot afford to feel distant, inconsistent or unclear.

Leaders are undeniably under tremendous pressure, and it is precisely in moments like this that the right insight and support can make the biggest difference. That is where this report can step in, giving HEIs the direction and data-driven advice they need to understand what staff are really experiencing.

Created by People Insight with the support of Universities Human Resources (UHR), this new report brings together HE benchmark data from more than 80 HEIs, expert analysis and a foreword from Helen Scott, Executive Director of UHR.

It explores what employee insight is revealing about leadership, trust and follow-through across the sector, at a time when HE leaders are navigating financial pressure, complicated governance, increasingly dispersed teams, changing expectations and different experiences across academic and professional services.

The report looks at how institutions can strengthen line-of-sight, focus leadership attention and turn insight into visible action staff can recognise and believe in.

Why you need this report

In higher education, leadership is under the spotlight. Institutions are being asked to deliver more with less, support stretched teams, maintain trust through change and keep people connected to a shared purpose.

It’s not an easy time. This report helps HE leaders and people teams cut through the noise. It shows where leadership is gaining ground, where pressure is still being felt and what higher-performing institutions are doing to create clearer priorities, stronger trust and more visible progress.

It is designed to help institutions move beyond simply understanding staff experience and start using employee insight as a practical leadership tool: one that sharpens decision-making, strengthens line-of-sight and helps leaders turn feedback into action.

Inside, you will explore how to:

What the latest HE benchmark data reveals about engagement, purpose and leadership
Why line-of-sight is one of the biggest leadership opportunities in HE
How leaders can make institutional priorities clearer and more tangible
What higher-ROI survey follow-through looks like in practice
How Prism helps leaders move from insight to action responsibly

This report addresses questions such as:

How can HE leaders build trust and credibility in a complex, pressured sector?
What does the latest HE data reveal about leadership, purpose and staff experience?
How can institutions strengthen line-of-sight so staff understand strategy, progress and their role in it?

Download the report today.

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HE Leadership in 2026

What 80+ HEIs reveal about leadership, trust and staff experience

Why you need this report

Inside, you will explore how to:

This report addresses questions such as:

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