Strategy Day 2026

Strategy Day 2026 was held at the British Council in London in July, bringing together the Board and Operations Team alongside members of the International Working Group and representatives from the Federation of Awarding Bodies. It was the first time the day had been held immediately after the conference and awards season, which meant the discussion was grounded in live results rather than forecasts.

The conversation was shaped by a strong set of outcomes from 2026: record conference delegate numbers and high satisfaction scores, and continued growth across the membership and SIG programmes. Rather than simply reflecting on those results, the day used them as a starting point for a more searching question: what should the eAA build on the back of this, and how?

The answers to that question are now being worked through in the 2027 operational plan and the initiatives set out on this page.

The Strategy Day explored how the Association can build around its established strengths rather than simply adding more activity.

Discussion focused on six connected areas:

• events and practical professional learning
• membership, community and Special Interest Groups
• sector knowledge, research and evidence
  international development
• partnerships, collaboration and advocacy
• the infrastructure and governance needed to support sustainable delivery

Across these conversations, several consistent priorities emerged: events should remain at the heart of the eAA’s work; relationships and learning should continue between events; more of the Association’s knowledge should become accessible throughout the year; and international growth should be deliberate, collaborative and grounded in practitioner experience.

Following Strategy Day, the Operations Team began translating these priorities into a strategic framework for 2027.

The Strategy for 2027 will be delivered through a clear operational plan, with progress reviewed by the Board and shared across the eAA community. Work is already underway on new events, research, partnerships and stronger international connections.