More than 900 leaders in higher education, business and government attended the British Council’s 11th annual Going Global conference, in London from Monday 22 to Wednesday 24 May 2017. Some 77 countries were represented by delegates, including vice-chancellors, pro vice-chancellors, and government ministers.

Highlights included:

• On day 1, as the sun re-appeared across London after days of rain, Rob Lynes, the British Council’s UK Regional Director, said he was very proud to welcome delegates to “this sunny, vibrant metropolis which is called London”.  London is a truly international city where 300 languages are spoken and where 100,000 international students choose to come and study, he said.  “London in many ways captures this era of urbanisation and globalisation”.
• Welcoming delegates from more than 350 institutions across the world, Sir Ciarán Devane, Chief Executive of the British Council, said he didn’t think there was a more important room of people on the planet, more important perhaps even than the meeting of 40 world leaders in the Gulf.  “The future of the planet is in the future of people like us, people who have the future of our young people in our hands,” he said.
• On day 2, unique research by the British Council was released looking at how young Syrian refugees in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon feel about the educational opportunities open to them.
• Higher education leaders spoke of harrowing experiences arising out of the increasing use of social media by students to mobilise campaigns leading to tensions and even violence.
• The Honourable Tan Sri Dr. Noorul Ainur Mohd. Nur, Secretary General, Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, said she was delighted and proud that her country been chosen to co-host Going Global in Kuala Lumpur next year, the year that marks the 70th anniversary of the British Council’s presence in Malaysia.  It will also be the first Going Global conference to be held in one of the 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Don’t miss next year’s Going Global at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia, May 2-4, 2018.

Have a look at photos from Going Global 2017 in London here.

More highlights from Going Global 2017 can be found here.