Future of international knowledge economy the focus for Going Global 2013
27 June 2012
The British Council will host a major international conference on the future of global knowledge economies, it has announced. The conference, to be held in Dubai in 4-6 March 2013, will be part of the British Council’s prestigious ‘Going Global’ series. 2012’s event in London was the biggest ever gathering of the world’s leaders in higher education.
The Going Global 2013 conference: ‘Global education: knowledge based economies from 21st Century nations’ will seek to examine to what extent knowledge economies are already internationalised and what impact they will have on the wealth, prosperity and well-being of nations, communities and cultures. On the basis that research and tertiary education systems are the primary drivers of knowledge economies, the conference will bring together the world’s experts in their fields to present and debate the latest thinking from around the world on current practices, systems and delivery mechanisms and what can be learnt from these. The delegates will identify future trends, and explore the challenges and opportunities these present for research and tertiary systems in creating knowledge-based economies and 21st century nations.
The Conference organisers have issued a call for proposals addressing the following three themes:
- Research and innovation - the role of international collaboration
- Developing skilled knowledge workers: the role of international collaboration
- Internationalised tertiary education structures and systems.
The conference takes place next year on 4 – 6 March at the World Trade Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and marks the first time that a Going Global conference has been held in the region. A global call for proposals has been launched. Proposals will then be selected by an external international steering committee. The event is again expected to attract the most influential educators, academics, policy makers and business leaders affecting the future of international education.
Pat Killingley, the British Council’s director of higher education said: “We want this conference to focus on the hugely important roles that universities and colleges are increasingly playing in building knowledge economies across the world. The British Council's work in this area around the world identifies that countries share two common areas of interest - how institutions drive economies and prosperity through cutting edge research and innovation, and how they develop the next generation of knowledge workers. Therefore international partnering and sharing of best practice plays a crucial part in driving these agendas forward globally.
Richard Cotton, the British Council’s director in United Arab Emirates said: “Dubai and the UAE act as a vital trading and education hub linking Europe and Asia. As host to the largest number of branch campus operations in the world, Dubai is at the forefront of developments in transnational education and offers the perfect location in which to debate how the internationalisation of Higher and Further Education can contribute to the development of knowledge based economies worldwide. At a time of increased international interest in the Middle East region, the conference also offers the opportunity to broker new partnerships with the region.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
For more information about the conference, please go to www.ihe.britishcouncil.org/goingglobal
To request interviews, please contact Tim Sowula, Senior Press Officer, British Council tim.sowula@britishcouncil.org or +44207 389 4871
Accredited members of the media are eligible for free registration at Going Global 2013
The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. We are a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. Our 7000 staff in over 100 countries work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes. We earn over 75% of our annual turnover of nearly £700 million from services which customers pay for, education and development contracts we bid for and from partnerships. A UK Government grant provides the remaining 25%. We match every £1 of core public funding with over £3 earned in pursuit of our charitable purpose.
