About the Higher Education Archive Programme
The Higher Education Archive Programme (HEAP) offers a wide range of support to higher education archives.
Network meetings and free resources
HEAP network meetings cover a wide range of topics and are open to all those working in university archives, libraries and special collections. We aim to run two events per year, one in-person and one online.
There is also a page facilitated by The National Archives on The Knowledge Hub. This is a free site where you can post questions, view presentations of past events and also hear about upcoming events. To join, go to The Knowledge Hub and register your account, if you haven't already. Search 'Higher Education Archive Programme' in the search bar, and request to join the group.
To be added to the HEAP mailing list, where you will find out about HEAP activity and receive The National Archives' monthly bulletin, please email asl@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
An advocacy toolkit for higher education archives and guidance on collecting students' union archives are available to read and use.
Peer-to-peer support sessions
HEAP is a network designed to support the development of archives and those who work with them in higher education. HEAP activities are arranged by The National Archives and led by a steering group. Steering group members represent a diverse range of higher education archive service types.
As part of the network offer, the programme is trialling informal peer-to-peer support sessions for those working in higher education and facing challenging circumstances, such as threats of redundancy, reduction of service or other unexpected circumstances that may impact the effectiveness of an archive service.
To register for a session please email helena.smart@nationalarchives.gov.uk, who facilitates the network. Your enquiry, along with your contact details, will be forwarded to the steering group. You will then be invited to join a session, with a steering group member and Helena Smart. You will be contacted within 10 working days.
Please note, these sessions are informal and do not constitute legal advice – they have been designed by the HEAP Steering Group to provide a supportive space for those working in higher education.
When emailing, please include a short description of the points for discussion. This will assist with allocating your request to the most relevant steering group member.
About the steering group
Participants from across the higher education sector form the Higher Education Archive Partnership Steering Group. The group help shape HEAP’s offer and ensure tangible results for the higher education sector. The annual action plan is available on request – email asl@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Steering group members
- Beth Astridge
University of London
- Anne Barrett
Imperial College London
- Gary Brannan
Borthwick Institute, University of York
- Mollie Clarke
The National Archives
- Dan Copley
Edge Hill University
- Victoria Cranna
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Anna Delaney
University of Portsmouth
- Anthony Hughes
Birmingham City University
- Ammandeep K Mahal
University of Southampton
- Sarah Mahurter
University of the Arts
- Sharon Maxwell
University of Reading, Museum of English Rural Life and Special Collections
- Alexandra Mitchell
University of Salford
- Helena Smart
The National Archives
- Nicky Sugar
University of Bristol Special Collections