LONDON, 24 FEB: Two new international education initiatives were announced today in the presence of education world leaders, investors and education technology companies.
Nearly 200 delegates gathered for the annual Education Innovation Conference 2017 (EIC2017), held in partnership with the University of London and ISDC, including participants from more than a dozen countries.
An Indian delegation of nearly 30 education and technology organisations thereafter met government representatives from London and across Europe to explore market entry strategies into the UK and elsewhere.
Many of the Indian EdTech delegates were from Mobile 10X, a programme initiated by Internet and Mobile Association of India to make India a global app superpower; EDUGILD, India’s first edtech accelerator; and the Government of Karnataka.
The African Talent Hub, South Africa’s newest incubator, was formally launched. It is a genuine global, cross-border led by a team investors from South Africa, the UK, India and the US. The founder of the initiative, Professor Mammo Muchie from Tshwane University of Technology, which will host the incubator, said: “The ATH seeks to turn job seekers into job creators by helping young entrepreneurs in Pretoria and Johannesburg create impact. I’m delighted that such a global team including from India has come together to contribute to Africa’s success.”
The International Skills Development Corporation‘s CEO Julien Machot launched their global MBA International Business & Finance programme, saying “We are delighted to be launching this ambitious program, placing Continuous Professional Development very much at its heart, in conjunction with the leading organisations in the sector from around the world.”
It was launched in conjunction with the University of the West of Scotland, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, making it a unique programme and an example of cross-border collaboration in the global education space.
The conference welcomed delegations also from the British Council and EdTech Israel as well. A number of the world’s leading EdTech companies presented their vision for the future of education, including Blippar and SAM Labs.
Speaker Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, said that internationalisation was to key to building a Global Britain, but that UK education could be losing out.
Vice Chancellor of the University of East Anglia David Richardson highlighted a need for Britain to be open to international students, who bring cultural enrichment and provide soft power, not just contribute to the economy.
Andreas Schleicher, Director of Skills and Education at the OECD said that in rich countries, young people tend to be overqualified, whereas in poorer countries, there is a huge gap in providing a basic educational baseline.
The next edition of the EIC will be in Pune, India, in July 2017.