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Leading Out for Levelling Up

Leading Out For Levelling Up

What’s the most effective way of bringing strategic thinking expertise into your institution?

Why not build the experience, knowledge and confidence so that you yourself can design and deliver levelling up strategies?  

Why not challenge your leaders to engage outwards in shifting the social purpose of your university?

Leading Out for Levelling Up Guest Provocateurs

Professor Susan Lea, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hull

Lord Steve Bassam, Co-Director, Business in the Community’s Place Programme

Richard Brabner, Director, UPP Foundation

Prof. Susan Lea

Professor Susan Lea has extensive leadership experience across a broad range of universities. Her career spans research and teaching intensive universities, as well as those that play a key role in their region.

Lord Steve Bassam

Lord Bassam began his career working as a legal adviser In Deptford’s Law Centre, moving on to a number of senior research roles in London local government. He served as an assistant secretary at the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, before consulting in the private sector for KPMG and Capita.

Richard Brabner

Richard Brabner was appointed Head of UPP Foundation in July 2016 and was promoted to Director in 2018. Working with the trustees, he sets its strategy and leads on all aspects of the UPP Foundation’s activities.

An open invitation

In a one-off opportunity in March 2022, Invisible Grail is hosting a workshop for those in Higher Education who are interested in shaping and implementing their personal and institutional response to the just-published White Paper. We invite you to join us to explore how your institution can lead on genuine place-based collaborations for societal transformation through civic engagement.

How does it work?

Leading Out For Levelling Up will enable you to open your thought to the opportunities that the national levelling up agenda offers for your University and community. It takes place online, on

Wednesday 30 March 2022 from 09.00 – 12.00.

It’s a workshop event at which our three guest provocateurs will challenge you to turn your Thought Leadership into Action Leadership. You’ll work collaboratively in tackling the genuine challenges they set. An inquiry-based approach will engage you in exploring the partnerships you’ll need to succeed and in setting bold, meaningful and far-reaching ambitions for your institution.

Leading Out For Levelling Up costs £390 (ex VAT) and this is redeemable in full against any future work you commission from Invisible Grail.

Your facilitators for the event will be:

Invisible Grail’s Academic Director, Dr Paul Gentle

Invisible Grail’s Disruptive Innovator, Professor David Langley

Leading Out for Levelling Up programme

Wednesday 30 March 2022 (9.00 to 12.00)

  • Introductions and group-forming: what interests you most about levelling up?
  • Tackling the challenge question
  • Engaging with the guest provocateurs
  • Potential solutions and next steps

Enquire and book

To join us on 30 March, please contact Carolyn Gentle, Partnership Director.

e: Carolyn.Gentle@invisiblegrail.com