Thursday, September 17th, 2026 - Main Day Two
Welcome to Higher Education Shared Services & Outsourcing Week - the only conference designed exclusively for shared services leaders in the higher education space. As institutions navigate shifting priorities, evolving technologies, and growing expectations, this event provides the platform to turn transformation into long-term progress.
Over two days, leaders from across the U.S. and Canada will share strategies that strengthen operations, sustain growth, and accelerate collaboration. Join peers and innovators to explore what’s next for higher education shared services and build the momentum that carries your institution forward.
Morning Sessions
8:00 am - 9:00 am
Breakfast & Registration
9:00 am - 9:30 am
Maintaining Principled Leadership in Politicized Times
Casilda Clarich -
Financial Shared Services Director,
The University of Texas System
In politically charged environments, leaders are often pulled into public debates, internal pressure campaigns, and rapidly shifting expectations from stakeholders across the spectrum. Teams bring their perspectives to work, external rhetoric seeps into internal conversations, and the risk of distraction grows. Yet institutions still must deliver. This session explores how leaders can acknowledge the political climate without being consumed by it—protecting institutional neutrality, reinforcing shared purpose, and ensuring performance does not suffer. Attendees will examine how to respond when political tension surfaces inside their organizations, how to communicate with clarity without escalating division, and how to anchor decisions in mission, data, and long-term strategy rather than short-term reaction. The focus is not on taking positions, but on sustaining credibility, cohesion, and execution when politics are loud and the work still demands completion.
Key Takeaways:
Recognize how political tension can subtly impact morale, productivity, and decision-making—and intervene before it disrupts performance.
Establish leadership guardrails that separate personal conviction from professional responsibility while protecting institutional neutrality.
Implement communication and governance practices that keep teams aligned, reduce internal polarization, and sustain operational execution during politically sensitive periods.
9:30 am - 10:00 am
From Silos to Synergy: Building Operating Models That Connect Campus Capabilities
As shared services continue to mature in higher education, the next evolution lies in creating operating models that connect—not replace—campus strengths. This session explores how institutions are breaking down functional silos to build unified service structures that leverage internal expertise across HR, Finance, IT, and Research. Attendees will gain a roadmap for assessing where internal collaboration can create more value than external contracting and how to implement structures that ensure long-term alignment and accountability.
Key Discussion Points:
Identifying natural intersections between campus functions and shared services teams
Frameworks for governance, performance measurement, and stakeholder engagement
Balancing centralization with distributed ownership for service excellence
10:00 am - 10:30 am
Morning Networking Break
Interactive Discussion Groups
IDG 1
10:30 am - 11:55 am IDG 1 - Optimizing Vendor Partnerships for Shared Services InnovationIDG 2
10:30 am - 11:55 am IDG 2 - Creating Agile Governance Models Across Decentralized CampusesIDG 3
10:30 am - 11:55 am IDG 3 - Protecting Data While Enabling Operational Efficiency in Shared ServicesIDG 4
10:30 am - 11:55 am IDG 4 - Strategies for Retaining and Engaging Critical Internal TalentAfternoon and Closing Sessions
11:55 am - 1:00 pm
Networking Luncheon
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Building a Culture of Feedback and Engagement
Shared services transformation succeeds when staff feel heard, valued, and involved in the process. This session explores structured and informal approaches for gathering employee feedback and translating it into action. By developing open communication channels and demonstrating responsiveness, higher education leaders can boost morale, reduce turnover, and improve service quality across the organization.
Explore proven methods for collecting and interpreting staff input at scale
Learn how to close the feedback loop by demonstrating transparency and responsiveness
Discover ways to embed active listening into team meetings, performance discussions, and change initiatives
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Personalizing the Digital Customer Experience in Higher Education
As institutions expand shared services and adopt new digital tools, the challenge is not only to deploy technology, it’s to ensure that the people using that technology feel supported, empowered, and heard. This session focuses on understanding the needs and expectations of faculty, staff, and students as technology customers, and how shared services teams can design digital experiences that are intuitive, responsive, and genuinely helpful. Attendees will learn how to translate customer insights into service improvements that strengthen trust, reduce friction, and elevate the overall experience.
Key Takeaways:
Identify where technology frustrations typically arise and how to use customer feedback, journey mapping, and data signals to tailor and improve digital interactions.
Explore strategies for balancing automation with human touch—ensuring speed and efficiency without sacrificing empathy or clarity.
Learn how to define, measure, and continuously refine digital touchpoints to drive higher adoption, satisfaction, and long-term engagement.
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Strengthening Change Management Capabilities Across Campus Communities
Effective change management is essential when introducing new processes, technologies, and service delivery models across a campus environment. Yet many institutions struggle with inconsistent adoption and stakeholder resistance. This session focuses on strategies to build a shared understanding of change principles and a culture that supports adaptation. It examines how to equip faculty, staff, and administrative partners with the tools, language, and confidence needed to navigate transitions successfully while maintaining trust and engagement.
Establish a common change framework that clarifies roles, responsibilities, and pathways for input during transitions.
Build campus-wide communication and engagement tactics that support transparency, address concerns, and reinforce shared purpose.
Create capability-building programs that empower leaders and staff to lead, support, and sustain change across their respective units.
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Afternoon Break
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Building Adaptive Talent Pipelines for a Changing Shared Services Environment
As shared services organizations expand their scope and evolve their operating models, talent strategies are evolving in parallel. More institutions are moving talent acquisition into shared services to centralize hiring, reduce strain on HR partners, and build more consistent recruitment practices across units. This session explores how leaders can build adaptive talent pipelines that are responsive to shifting skill needs, new technologies, and changing service expectations—while strengthening collaboration between Shared Services and HR. Attendees will learn how to balance internal mobility with efficient external recruiting, elevate workforce planning, and cultivate continuous development pathways that ensure teams can grow along with the services they provide.
Diagnose current and future skill requirements to guide intentional recruitment, reskilling, and succession planning.
Strengthen internal mobility pathways that retain institutional knowledge and prepare talent for evolving service roles.
Establish shared services-led talent acquisition models that provide scalable hiring support, speed hiring cycles, and reduce HR workload.
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Reinventing Training and Onboarding for Modern Shared Services Teams
Shared services organizations are increasingly expected to operate with agility, cross-functional awareness, and a strong service mindset. Traditional onboarding and training models often fall short in preparing new hires for this environment. This session explores how to modernize learning approaches so that training becomes continuous, collaborative, and aligned with the evolving needs of both the organization and its stakeholders. It highlights methods for building structured onboarding experiences that accelerate confidence, engagement, and performance from day one.
Redesign onboarding to emphasize role clarity, service expectations, and cultural alignment while reducing time to proficiency.
Develop training frameworks that blend digital learning, peer knowledge exchange, and real-time performance support.
Measure the effectiveness of training programs to ensure they drive both employee growth and measurable improvements in service delivery.
4:00 pm - 4:15 pm
Quick Restroom Break
4:15 pm - 4:45 pm
Expand Shared Services Scope to Increase Business Value
Expanding the scope of shared services offers an opportunity to unlock greater business value while optimizing resources and enhancing operational efficiency. This session will explore strategies for identifying additional functions or services that can benefit from centralization, evaluating their impact, and managing the complexities of integration. Attendees will gain practical insights into aligning expanded scope initiatives with institutional goals.
Key Takeaways:
Align expanded shared services initiatives with institutional priorities to maximize value and impact.
Evaluate the feasibility and benefits of new functions through effective cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment.
Ensure smooth integration and stakeholder support with proven frameworks for communication.
4:45 pm - 5:30 pm
Panel: Building a Multi-Year Roadmap for Shared Services Maturity
Long-term success in shared services requires more than operational efficiency in the present. It demands a strategic roadmap that guides how the organization will evolve its service offerings, technology platforms, and stakeholder relationships over time. This session explores how to structure a maturity journey that balances immediate priorities with sustained growth, ensuring the shared services organization remains relevant, impactful, and aligned with institutional goals. Participants will learn how to define milestones, engage partners in the planning process, and embed continuous improvement as a core operating principle.
Assess current shared services capabilities and identify maturity gaps that inform strategic priorities and investment decisions.
Develop a roadmap that outlines near-term enhancements, longer-range transformation initiatives, and clear criteria for progress.
Implement continuous improvement practices that encourage iterative refinement, stakeholder input, and measurable performance gains over time.
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
“Wine”-Down Networking Celebration
6:30 pm - 6:30 pm
End of Higher Education SSOW
Register Now. Which customer are you?
Conference passes provide access to the Big Idea Stage, Receptions, Meals, the Innovation HUB, and so much more!
Select Your Package(s):
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Total
Main Conference + Workshops Pass
Super Early Bird - Register By 4/10/2026September 16 - 17
- Workshops
- Main Conference Sessions
- Breakfast & Lunch Daily
- Networking Activities
- Access to Innovation Hub
- Exciting Keynotes
- Access to Solutions Pavillions
- Access to Digital Content & Takeaways
- Actionable Tracks
- Interactive Discussion Groups
Unit Price
$1,999.00
$999.00
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Shared Services & Outsourcing Week Add On
Attend SSOW September 14 - 15 to benchmark with mature corporate shared services centers.
Unit Price
$999.00
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Vendor Main Conference Pass
- Workshops
- Main Conference Sessions
- Breakfast & Lunch Daily
- Networking Activities
- Access to Innovation Hub
- Exciting Keynotes
- Access to Solutions Pavillions
- Access to Digital Content & Takeaways
- Actionable Tracks
- Interactive Discussion Groups
Unit Price
$4,599.00
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