ALARM Higher Education seminar

Registration and refreshments

9.30am – 10am BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 30 mins

Registration

Welcome

10am – 10.10am BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 10 mins

Session

Session 1 - An 'udder disaster'

10.10am – 11.10am BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 1 hour

Session

'Udder disaster' is an engaging board game designed to bring the complex topics of business continuity, resilience, and risk assessment to life through the medium of a cow themed board game. During this session, you will step into the shoes of a dairy farm owner tasked with managing your annual budget to drive business growth. You'll have the opportunity to make strategic decisions, such as improving your product range, diversifying your business, investing in security measures like fencing and cameras, or reaching new markets by adopting online selling or direct customer interactions through a website.

The primary objective of 'udder disaster' is not just to grow your farm, but to do so in a way that highlights the importance of business resilience. As you navigate the game, you will encounter various challenges and risks which will test your ability to anticipate, adapt, and make decisions that ensure the continuity and success of your business. By participating in 'udder disaster', you'll gain a tangible understanding of how to integrate resilience into your business strategy, helping you navigate potential threats and seize opportunities for growth.

Refreshments

11.10am – 11.20am BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 10 mins

Refreshments

Session 2 - Planning for the worst, hoping for the best

11.20am – 12.20pm BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 1 hour

Session

Chris will focus on the risk and planning challenges associated with hosting a Commonwealth Games Athletes Village in a university campus. Chris will share insights into how risks and needs were identified and managed across multiple departments within the University of Warwick

Lunch

12.20pm – 1pm BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 40 mins

Refreshments

Session 3 - Abrahart case update

1pm – 2pm BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 1 hour

Session

In the first known case of its kind, HHJ Ralton sitting at Bristol County Court, found that disability discrimination by the University (in breach of the Equality Act 2010) caused Natasha Abrahart - a second year physics student at the University - to suffer from depressive illness leading to her tragic suicide. Whilst a claim in negligence was dismissed the decision is under appeal, with a hearing scheduled for December 2023.

The session will review the facts of the case and the implications of the decision (and appeal), which will raise several issues of relevance to the wider education sector, specifically;

• What level of information will constitute 'knowledge' of a student’s disability? Can telling a single member of staff reach the relevant threshold?
• Is there an obligation to make reasonable adjustments for disclosed mental health issues regardless of whether a student engages in any established processes for the assessment and implementation of reasonable adjustments?
• Are teaching staff expected to guess at what might work as a reasonable adjustment without expert guidance?
• Can higher education institutions claim a duty of confidence is owed over relevant disclosures in certain circumstances, or will they be judged in a discrimination claim on the assumption that no duty of confidence would apply about any disability-related disclosure made by a student to any member of staff?
• What is the test for a 'competency standard', and was the judge right to find that a method of assessment could not amount to a 'competence standard' without having a pass/fail consequence for the overall course?
• Are there potentially wider general implication - for example as regards accreditation standards?
• Will the decision result in an increased willingness to litigate?

Refreshments

2pm – 2.10pm BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 10 mins

Refreshments

Session 4 - Linking risk, insurance and business continuity

2.10pm – 3pm BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 50 mins

Session

This session will facilitate an interactive discussion on the links between risk functions and insurance. As a risk transfer mechanism, insurance offers a lot of opportunities and benefits as well as a few challenges; if there is a disconnect between the two functions there is a real potential for a loss of opportunity! Mandy has worked in public sector since 1995, most of that time spent with Norfolk County Council where she delivered all the insurance, claims handling and risk management services. Prior to joining Norfolk, Mandy worked for a number of insurers, Pearl Assurance, Norwich Union, and Lloyds of London, and has been with Lincolnshire since 2015 leading the insurance and risk team to a number of national awards.

Session 5 - Underwriting: Insurer requirements

3pm – 4pm BST, 18 September 2023 ‐ 1 hour

Session

Phil will be delivering an entertaining and interactive session around underwriting, covering the concept of the premium reflecting the risk and the need for a fair apportionment between clients for similar and different risks.