Embassy Education Conference 2016 Review

Top marks for Embassy Education Conference

This year’s Embassy Education Conference attracted a record turnout as diplomats networked with top UK universities to discuss the topic on everyone’s lips: what impact would BREXIT have on higher education and research in the UK. Delegates heard from Paul Blomfield MP, who recently founded the All Party Group for International Students and Universities UK CEO Nicola Dandridge, both of whom called on Government to ensure mobility and funding for EU students and researchers while at the same time creating an immigration policy that was much more welcoming to the brightest and best from all over the world – a plea that was later communicated to the Home Office in the student visa surgery with the Home Office. A variety of sessions explored similar themes from Britain’s defence and security relations post-BREXIT, to the impact of the vote on UK science and research, with Lord Selborne, Chair of the Lords Science and Technology Committee and The Royal Society Foreign Secretary Prof Sir Martyn Poliakoff. Other workshops explored trans-national education and student mobility, scholarships and capacity building, global university rankings, student welfare and the various routes to UK Higher Education. At regional discussion groups diplomats could look at opportunities and challenges for their countries, after which everyone relaxed at a summer networking reception.

PHOTOS: PIERRE DE VILLIERS