Warwick hosts Global University Summit

This year’s Global University Summit, on the subject of “Universities and Economic Growth”, was hosted by Warwick University at One Whitehall Place and Royal Horseguards in London.

The three day event, taking place from May 28-30, was supported by Thomson Reuters and the Times Higher Education.

Previous Summits have taken place in equally grand surroundings, such as the 2011 Global University Summit in Dijon, France.

The Summit, which has taken place annually since its inauguration in 2008, was attended by business leaders and representatives of universities from over 30 countries, coming together to discuss the challenges currently facing global higher education.

Delegates were treated to talks from notable individuals, such as Liberal Democrat MP and secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, Dr Vince Cable, and mayor of London Boris Johnson.

President of New York University, Professor John Sexton, was also in attendance as a guest speaker.

This year’s talks were hosted by notable broadcast journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy, of Channel 4 News, and chaired by Warwick’s vice-chancellor, Nigel Thrift.

Mr Thrift commented: “The Global University Summit provides an excellent opportunity, at an opportune moment for university leaders, the international business community and policy makers to come together and frame the relationship between universities and economic growth in a way that transcends national boundaries.”

Director of the UK Higher Education International Unit, Dr Joanna Newman, added that “the Summit provides a valuable platform to bring together higher education and business.”

The Global University Summit aims to give universities a voice in world politics, taking place in alignment with the rolling G8 presidency.

Now the Summit has concluded, delegates will prepare a set of policy recommendations for presentation to the G8 summit of world leaders.