With the UK’s place in the world in a state of flux, big questions face our globally-facing higher education sector. Understanding how things are changing, and why will be crucial to developing longer-term international strategies. Will Brexit be the latest and most visible retreat from the world, or is there more yet to come? How will our complicated national relationship with China shape the pressures of the next decade? What does the data say about what students want from universities in the UK and how can universities adapt to shifting global trends without losing sight of their UK-based students? And how can the best of the learning and innovation from the pandemic be taken forward as the light nears the end of the tunnel?

During this Wonkhe @ Home event, in partnership with IDP Connect, we looked at the shifting role of international higher education in the context of the UK’s own shifting position in global geopolitics, and asked: how can universities adapt to the change and prepare for the next decade of UK higher education around the world?

Agenda

09.30 Is “Global Britain” in retreat from the world?

Britain’s role in the world is changing fast and no one is quite sure where we will end up. Some might like it to be a “Singapore On Thames”, others might prefer a more Scandi flavour. Either way, our complex relationships around the world are in flux, and relying on history may only get us so far as new agreements are negotiated. As universities remain unashamedly internationalist and outward-looking in approach, we’ll ask how the sector can help raise the tide of the UK’s international approach and reach beyond national boundaries to keep higher education a truly global endeavour.  

Speakers:

  • Jo Johnson, former universities and science minister
  • Professor Sir Steve Smith, UK Government International Education Champion and Prime Minister’s Special Representative to Saudi Arabia for Education
  • Alexi Drew, Senior Analyst, RAND Europe

10.45 Break

11.15 UK HE higher education around the world with Vivienne Stern, Director, Universities UK International and Jonah Duffin, Director of External Relations, IDP Connect.

12.00 How can different sorts of universities adapt to a changing world? What can we learn from Covid and preparing for the next year and the next five? A panel discussion with Paul Inman, PVC International, University of Reading, Neil Pearson, Chief Digital Officer, IDP Education and Rachel MacSween, Director of International, University of York.

13.00 Close

Default title

Supporters

With the UK’s place in the world in a state of flux, big questions face our globally-facing higher education sector. Understanding how things are changing, and why will be crucial to developing longer-term international strategies. Will Brexit be the latest and most visible retreat from the world, or is there more yet to come? How will our complicated national relationship with China shape the pressures of the next decade? What does the data say about what students want from universities in the UK and how can universities adapt to shifting global trends without losing sight of their UK-based students? And how can the best of the learning and innovation from the pandemic be taken forward as the light nears the end of the tunnel?

During this Wonkhe @ Home event, in partnership with IDP Connect, we looked at the shifting role of international higher education in the context of the UK’s own shifting position in global geopolitics, and asked: how can universities adapt to the change and prepare for the next decade of UK higher education around the world?

Agenda

09.30 Is “Global Britain” in retreat from the world?

Britain’s role in the world is changing fast and no one is quite sure where we will end up. Some might like it to be a “Singapore On Thames”, others might prefer a more Scandi flavour. Either way, our complex relationships around the world are in flux, and relying on history may only get us so far as new agreements are negotiated. As universities remain unashamedly internationalist and outward-looking in approach, we’ll ask how the sector can help raise the tide of the UK’s international approach and reach beyond national boundaries to keep higher education a truly global endeavour.  

Speakers:

  • Jo Johnson, former universities and science minister
  • Professor Sir Steve Smith, UK Government International Education Champion and Prime Minister’s Special Representative to Saudi Arabia for Education
  • Alexi Drew, Senior Analyst, RAND Europe

10.45 Break

11.15 UK HE higher education around the world with Vivienne Stern, Director, Universities UK International and Jonah Duffin, Director of External Relations, IDP Connect.

12.00 How can different sorts of universities adapt to a changing world? What can we learn from Covid and preparing for the next year and the next five? A panel discussion with Paul Inman, PVC International, University of Reading, Neil Pearson, Chief Digital Officer, IDP Education and Rachel MacSween, Director of International, University of York.

13.00 Close

Default title

Supporters

Speakers

  • Jo Johnson

    President's Professorial Fellow, King's College, London, Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School and former universities minister

    Jo Johnson is chair of education software and services group Tes Global and of Access Creative, the largest independent provider of further education and specialist training for the creative industries. He is a President’s Professorial Fellow at King’s College London and a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School. A member of Parliament between 2010-2019, … Continued

  • Mark Leach

    Editor in Chief, Wonkhe

    Mark Leach is the founder, Editor in Chief and CEO of Wonkhe. Mark worked in policy, politics and public affairs in and around UK higher education and founded Wonkhe in 2011 while working as a jobbing policy wonk in the sector. The first part of his career took him to the National Union of Students, … Continued

  • Professor Sir Steve Smith

    UK Government International Education Champion & Prime Minister’s Special Representative to Saudi Arabia for Education

    Professor Sir Steve Smith

  • Vivienne Stern

    Director, UUKi

    Vivienne Stern is Director of Universities UK International

  • Jonah Duffin

    Director of External Relations, IDP Connect

    Director of External Relations, IDP Connect

  • Neil Pearson

    Chief Digital Officer, IDP Education

    Niel Pearson is Chief Digital Officer, IDP Education

  • Debbie McVitty

    Editor, Wonkhe

    Debbie McVitty, Editor, Wonkhe

  • Paul Inman

    Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), University of Reading

    Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), University of Reading

  • Rachel MacSween

    Director of International Recruitment, Partnerships and Mobility, University of York

    Director of International Recruitment, Partnerships and Mobility, University of York

  • Alexi Drew

    Senior Analyst, RAND Europe

    Senior Analyst, RAND Europe