“We want to make the conference a place where you feel a part of something”

I also see education as something where the UK has a very distinct offer and it’s an opportunity to connect with the next generation of Americans. 50,000 Latinos in the US turn 18 every month. By 2050 the face of demographics in America will have dramatically changed. The consequences of that we don’t know yet but in terms of dealing with the UK our values are pretty similar to the United States’, and I think values and aspirations are what drive people rather than race or gender.

This all plays back into why Miami. If you’re bringing a world conference to the US, bring them to a place where they can see how the US has already changed, how it looks and feels very different.

The PIE: What’s been the biggest challenge in planning so far?

RE: The biggest challenge about Going Global has been getting the word out to a region which has not traditionally been engaged with it.

KM: I’ve been meeting with ambassadors from South American countries to tell them that we’re under a year away from Going Global and they need to go to the Ministry of Education to make the case, because this an opportunity for the UK to sell ourselves as an education destination on a number of levels, from English Langauge through to online life-long learning.

“We plan to have a few experts on hand for people to approach – similar to the Apple ‘Genius Bar’”

The PIE: How is this year ‘s Going Global going to compare to previous conferences?

RE: Higher education conferences are becoming more similar but what we’re trying to do with Going Global is make it different – by focusing on only high quality content, attendance by leaders, and on innovation in the conference. We plan to embed a think tank in the conference which will call on the experts to come up with some challenges at the beginning of the two days, which will be discussed throughout the conference.

We plan to have a few experts with higher education skills on hand for people to approach and ask practical questions about strategies and internationalisation – similar to the Apple ‘Genius Bar’. We want to make the conference a place where you feel a part of something. Inclusion and innovation are the themes and they’re central to the Americas because the current infrastructure in many countries will not cope with the global demand by people to improve their skills and lives.