Chancellor Sir Patrick Stewart goes global for Huddersfield
Thu, 17 Jul 2014 13:26:00 BST
The University of Huddersfield sent its top team to the British Council’s prestigious, three-day Going Global Conference, which took place this year at Miami International Convention Center.
More than 1,000 delegates from 70 countries assembled to debate key worldwide issues in higher education. Prominent among them were the University of Huddersfield’s Chancellor – the celebrated actor Sir Patrick Stewart – and its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan CBE.
Sir Patrick delivered a speech at one of the conference functions and also gave an in-depth interview to conference organisers in which he told how, after living in Hollywood for nearly 17 years and homesick for the UK, he was offered a serendipitous opportunity to become Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, based in the nearest large town to Mirfield, where he grew up in West Yorkshire.
In his interview, he discussed the strengths and advantages of younger universities, the importance of institutional links with local industry and business, and he stressed the positive and exciting impact of international students on the town of Huddersfield. The whole of the interview can be seen online.
Professor Cryan was a keynote speaker at one of the conference sessions, entitled Lifelong learning: an industry and higher education partnership?. He also took part in a question-and-answer session for conference organisers.
Asked why he had attended Going Global, he said: “It is one of those rare opportunities where people from the world of higher education come together. It is a wonderful opportunity to do some networking, find out what is happening elsewhere and learn a lot that might help solve our own issues and problems.”
“Connectivity can lead to concrete partnerships”, continued Professor Cryan. “Through initial conversations at Going Global, we have a partnership with Study Group, who run pre-university courses on site at Huddersfield.”
He added that he found the Going Global 2014 agenda a stimulating one.
“It is based around ‘inclusion, innovation and impact’, which really do fit with what universities around the world are trying to do. We are all trying to be more inclusive and looking at how to develop the skills base. We are all looking at how universities can generate the economy and the important role they play in regeneration.”
Professor Cryan cited some of the leading firms and agencies that had formed collaborations with the University of Huddersfield and also stressed his personal commitment to continuing his own education.
“I have got the most higher education qualifications of all vice-chancellors in the UK, because I passionately believe in life-long learning and I just keep doing them – I have two first degrees, an MBA, a postgraduate diploma and two doctorates!” he said.
