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Lean HE Annual Conference 2025: Lean In, Improve Together
Who we are
Who we are
Lean HE is a global community of practice, guided by a central steering group and supported by three continental divisions.
The global steering group oversees key initiatives including our international conference series, online presence, virtual networking activities and the Lean HE global impact awards.
Each continental division fosters collaboration and networking tailored to universities within their specific regions — Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas.
Together, these groups are enriched by the expertise of over 30 experienced lean and continuous improvement practitioners from universities around the world.
Find out about our first five years in the: Lean HE Timeline 2013-2018
Get involved
Get involved
We do membership differently
We do membership differently
We don't have any membership fees, and we don't hold membership lists. We're a community of practice, a network. You become part of what we do by taking part in it. Search out the #LeanHE and join our LinkedIn group for free. Find or create your local networks through your Continental Division.
"Being a part of Lean HE is about taking the initiative and getting involved. It does take commitment [...] costs are significantly less than my professional body membership, but I get so much more from sharing with people as exited about Lean in HE as I am."
Need help?
Need help?
Learn about our Lean HE Buddy Scheme. All our global steering group members are open to be contacted for free and impartial advice.
Origins of Lean HE
Origins of Lean HE
In September 2013 a group of lean practitioners met at a conference hosted by Coventry University, in the UK (although less formal communities of practice can be traced back to 2008, in a 1 day event hosted by Cardiff University).
We realised that there were a growing number of events for lean practitioners in HE, and there was a need for an organisation to provide consistency across these events, and provide a network for peer support. In essence, to ensure that as practitioners we were ourselves applying continuous improvement to our own activity, at whatever stage of the lean journey we are at.
Out of this the Lean HE Hub was born, using existing on-line forums and tapping into the knowledge of a wide number of practitioners. In 2016 the Lean HE Hub became "Lean HE". Three continental divisions were established to better meet local needs. Lean HE Australasia (now Lean HE Asia Pacific), founded by Valerie Runyan, Lean HE Americas, founded by Marilyn Thompson and Lean HE Europe, founded by Rachel McAssey.
We work within our Constitution, which we review annually.
We hope to provide a space for those undertaking lean type activity to share experiences, learn, and then further improve.
We aim to support practitioners applying lean or similar continuous improvement practices in Higher Education. Our vision is to see the culture of HE embrace continuous improvement, bring about increased effectiveness and efficiency and thereby support the transformative power of Higher Education.
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