The aim of this event, held on 10 December 2013 at Senate House, University of London, was to provide delegates with an informative and thought-provoking introduction to the concept of learner analytics and big data, with indications as to how these are being used or could be adapted to work in educational contexts and what the future might look like if analytics become mainstream. The symposium was attended by nearly 100 delegates from the University of London federation and beyond. Presentations were received from a strong set of expert speakers drawn from both public and private sectors, who provided a variety of HE-focused, international research and case studies.