Catalyst Group Homepage

We invite new Catalyst Group members to have a look at the Catalyst Welcome page. This hosts all the background information you'll need to understand the project:

• What is your role as a catalyst?
• Catalyst briefing webinar which tells you about your role in the project
• A short video about the '3 Horizons' framework
• The Engaged Futures project timeline
• A description of the four phases of the project
• How to bring others into the catalyst group

H1 and H3 Comparison

Please follow the link below to see a summary of key Horizon 1 (where we are now) and Horizon 3 (where we hope to get to) insights.

Value Contrasts

We shared a key values and principles that catalysts identified as underpinning Horizon 1 and Horizon 3 . Engaged Futures group members felt this was a brilliant ‘compass’ to keep in our minds as we progressed through the work. 

Catalyst-Led Conversations

13 of our Catalyst Group members rallied amongst their own networks to host conversations about the future of Higher Education, and focused the conversations using the themes which emerged from Phase 1. The conversations took a variety of forms including nationwide online conversations, in-person design-led workshops and more intimate chats over food. 

Please visit our blog, "Catalyst Conversations: Reimagining Higher Education for 2045" below, to find out more about the outcomes of these conversations, and the overarching trends we uncovered. 

Engaged Futures Group members met in mid-July 2025 to think about the findings from our Phase 2 catalyst conversations. 

They considered a shortlist of the H2+ actors identified by catalysts. These are organisations and initiatives that are disrupting and innovating within in our higher education system, pushing it towards changes that we hope to see. 

Group members clustered these H2+ actors where they saw the potential for alignment so as to reinforce each other’s impact. These were called ‘Domains of Action’.

These are: 

• Transformational inclusion
• Spaces and Places for All
• Building a Movement
• Creating Living Knowledge
• Stewarding the System

You can read more about each Domain of Action via the link below.

Over the Autumn months we will be deepening our understanding of these Domains of Action. What are the issues that they touch upon? What knowledge gaps do we have? Which new actors might be interested in participating in action for change?  

In November and December 2025 we will be running a series of catalyst discussion events around our domain themes to draw on your knowledge and ground our thinking in real world action.  

Dates and times will be posted here. Please also check your inbox for catalyst news.  

Next opportunity for Catalysts:

10am - 4:30pm Wednesday 05 November 2025, London 

On 05 November 2025 we will be hosting an event to bring together some of our catalysts, our Engaged Futures group and other H2+ actors to explore the domains and identify the real change making work of Engaged Futures.  

Spaces are limited, however, you can express your interest in attending below. 

We are recruiting Catalysts throughout this project. 

As we think about the 'Domains of Action', new people and groups may start to feel relevant to Engaged Futures. And so we are renewing our drive for new catalysts. 

We want to build a diverse movement of representatives from the variety of professions and communities that work within, with and alongside HE. This might be in publishing, community activism, local government, educational, or research organisation. 

Please help us and share this link with anyone you think will be interested.