Going Global is an annual conference offering an open forum for global leaders of tertiary education to discuss issues facing the international education community.

Since its inception in 2004, Going Global has grown from a bi-annual event in the UK to an annual event alternating between the UK and a major international city. Each year it attracts more than 1,000 leaders from across the tertiary (further and higher) education sectors and a variety of other industries with perspectives on international education.

2018 theme: Global connections, local impact

Going Global 2018 asks if international education is destined to be dominated by competitive drivers for economic growth and international standing; by student fees, skilled graduates and research funding or whether it can also be informed by building partnerships to address collective concerns.

Can this endeavour be supported by the post-2017 commitment to universalism, which signs up all countries (and not just aid recipient ones) to the sustainable development goals?

How do we reconcile the need for locally relevant national development and priorities alongside a commitment to international education for the global good?

What does all this mean for colleges, universities and national education systems; their missions, strategies and operating models?

What risks and opportunities do these new trends present for students, staff and the communities with which they engage?

Going Global 2018 will examine these questions through the following lenses:

  • Education policy: local priorities, national systems and global drivers
  • Economic development: skills, enterprise, research and innovation
  • Engagement: democracy, social justice and international relations.