CGHE Conference a Resounding Success

The Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE) gathered over 300 attendees from all over the world, both on-line and in-person, at its highly anticipated annual conference in London.

The conference drew a huge number of registration both on-line and in-person.

At the final conference in CGHE’s present funding cycle, researchers addressed key themes on the effects of higher education on graduates and the similarities and differences between national systems in worldwide higher education.

CGHE Director Professor Simon Marginson said that this year’s conference was really exciting for participants.

“The new discussion format drew in everyone and there were great presentations by CGHE project leaders and emerging researchers. These are no easy times for higher education but there is plenty of energy and agency in the research community that serves the sector,” Simon said.

The conference programme kicked off with the Burton R. Clark Lecture on Higher Education by Simon on ‘Three dilemmas of higher education’, in which he reflected on Clark’s seminal work in higher education research, the contributions of CGHE, and key issues now confronting higher education worldwide. Simon noted that CGHE has worked across a wider range of topics than any other research centre on higher education, from student learning and graduate loan burden to the public good contributions of higher education and research on research.

Professor Simon Marginson delivering his lecture.

Concluding the event, CGHE deputy director David Mills who leads CGHE from 1 May onwards in its next phase as an ESRC (Economic and Social Research council) Legacy Centre, thanked the audience for their engagement. David stated that CGHE will sustain its programme of weekly webinars, enabling everyone anywhere to contribute.

David also reflected on the huge amount of work CGHE has done in the past 9 years, and how together, everyone has created a new international community of scholarship.

“There is a sense of collective commitment. Most importantly, I want to ensure existing projects continue to have an impact. There has been so much insights and learning here today, and I am very keen to have policy expertise not just in the UK but also people from Africa and South Asia, as we continue building a global community.”

Deputy director David Mills thanking the audience for their participation and support.