Colleagues

One of many updates that will be sent to you over the next few weeks highlighting the stellar lineup of speakers we have secured for the AUCSO Conference 2025 to be held at the University of Warwick 7-9 April.

Jim Dickinson

Jim is an Associate Editor at Wonkhe and takes a particular interest in student experience, university governance, and regulation – and leads its work with students’ unions, including its Study Tours to Europe.

Who or what are we protecting today?

Much of the debate about free speech and harassment in recent years has focussed on protection – either of the ability to say or do things, the protection of those with protected beliefs, the protection of reputation or property or even, in the face of protests and encampments, protecting the right of others to go about the daily life of a university. Jim will explore the tensions in the multiple competing demands for protection, look ahead to what might be coming next, and offer thoughts on a way through for those at the front line of balancing those competing priorities.

Dawn Dines

Dawn Dines is founder and the driving force behind the national charity Stamp out Spiking (SOS), having two decades of subject matter expertise through campaigning, supporting survivors, educating primary responders, campaigning for change, and raising awareness on spiking related issues. SOS was created to educate, protect and safeguard, update latest legislation, and identify current trends, ensuring the safety of victims and providing a consistent coordinated approach from the security industry, support agencies and blue-light services.

Dawn has been expert witness to the Spiking Home Office Select Committee and is a member of the Department for Education University working group. Partnering with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice (FCDO) she utilises her proficiency, guiding British nationals to make constructive safeguarding decisions when travelling abroad. Dawn is an active member of the New Scotland Yard and Scottish Police advisory roundtables underscoring the importance of a collaborative approach between regulatory bodies.

Stephen Atkinson

Stephen works in the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO). With over 33 years’ experience in policing and over 16 years of them within counter terrorism, Stephen has extensive experience working within CT both Nationally and Internationally on behalf of UK Government. He led the initial UK policing response to terrorism offender management in the community, managed Paddington Green terrorist custody facility, was responsible for the counter terrorism Protect and Prepare capacity building programme across Africa on behalf of the FCDO and was the counter terrorism on scene commander during the Finsbury Park terrorist attack. Stephen is a Counter Terrorism Security Coordinator for major events and has worked as the CT Security lead at many events including Wembley, Champions League Final, Queens Funeral and Kings Coronation. He currently heads up a team providing support to Lead Government Departments by helping them to increase their CT Protection and Preparedness capabilities.

Stephen will provide an update from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) on the current terrorism threat, the approach to making venues and public spaces safer from terrorism and what we can do to better Protect and Prepare our people and places from the current threat.

Keep a look out for the next update on speakers.  If you have not booked already you can secure your place here.   https://eu.eventscloud.com/website/15400/

Bookings close in three weeks.

KR Julie