The UK Higher Education Technicians Summit
The largest event dedicated to UK technical professional developmentHome »
The UK Higher Education Technicians Summit (HETS) is one of the largest conferences for technical professionals in higher education and research.
HETS is dedicated to the professional development of the technician community and celebrates the achievements of technicians through the Papin Prizes.
The one-day event offers a range of workshops, speakers and networking opportunities for the technical community in UK and Ireland.
HETS 2025
The 2025 event will take place on Wednesday 9 July 2025 in Leicestershire at the Leonardo Conference Centre, Hinckley, LE10 3JA.
It is delivered by the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy. Thanks to a grant from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Midlands Innovation, the higher education and research technical community can attend at no charge.
HETS supports the professional development of technical professionals in higher education and research, by sharing best practice, sector insights and opportunities.
Papin Prizes
The Papin Prizes are dedicated to celebrating the very best technical staff and teams in academia and research.
The national awards recognise and honour the work of technicians in higher education and research; applications are encouraged from individuals who work with technical professionals.
There are ten categories for the 2025 Papin Prizes.
“The Papin Prizes have fast become one of the most highly regarded awards for technicians in our sector, highlighted by the record-breaking number of nominations received year on year. Marking the achievements and impact technicians have in academia improves recognition and visibility of this vital community.”
Dr Kelly Vere, Director for the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy and lead for the Technician Commitment
History of HETS
The biennial event has grown from strength-to-strength since launching in 2015, thanks to support from Midlands Innovation, Technician Commitment and the Science Council.
The summit has created a platform to celebrate technicians of all levels and disciplines for their skills and knowledge.
Previous keynote speakers include, Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam MBE, Fran Scott, Engineering and Science Presenter, Sir Paul Nurse, Nobel Prize winner and Professor Alice Roberts, Anatomist, Biological Anthropologist, Author and Broadcaster.
In 2025, HETS will be in its tenth year, with four sold out event events taking place every two years and previously held at Birmingham, Nottingham and Warwick.
During that time, there has been significant advances for the UK technical community, thanks to the Technician Commitment and the Midlands Innovation TALENT Programme, championing the role of technicians.