On demand: HE Learn & Share w/ University of Sunderland in London

Flexible working is now central to how universities attract, engage and retain staff but what does it actually look like in practice?

Across Higher Education, institutions are balancing rising workload pressures, evolving staff expectations, and increasing competition for talent. The question is no longer whether to offer flexibility, but how to design it in a way that supports engagement, wellbeing and sustainable performance.

Rewatch our Learn & Share session centred on a real-world Higher Education case study: University of Sunderland in London (UoSiL).

Joined by Ilona Lewicka, Head of HR at UoSiL, we explore how the institution has embedded flexible working within its broader engagement strategy, including its four-day working week pilot.

What we explore

🎓 Inside UoSiL’s engagement strategy

How flexibility supports staff experience, culture and retention within a year-round academic setting, and how it contributes to attracting and retaining talent in a competitive HE market.

⚖️ The tangible effects of flexible working

How flexible models influence workload, team dynamics, wellbeing and operational resilience.

📆 UoSiL’s four-day working week pilot

Why it was introduced, how it was structured, and what early outcomes suggest.

🌍 What global evidence tells us

Lessons from Iceland’s landmark four-day week trial and how those findings translate to Higher Education.

Why watch?

• Hear directly from a Head of HR leading change in a live HE environment

• Gain practical insight into designing flexibility within academic constraints

• Understand how flexible working can influence engagement and retention

• Learn what to consider before piloting similar models in your institution

This session is designed for HR leaders, People & Culture teams, and senior decision-makers across Higher Education.