Cardiff Met's Transnational Education (TNE) and Further Education (FE) partners came together in Cardiff for the University's annual Partner Conference on 22nd and 23rd March 2018. The conference examined the importance of partnerships in a changing academic world, and heard from a number of speakers on a range of subjects, including Leo Boe, Policy Lead for TNE at UUKi; Professor Catherine Montgomery, Specialist in Internationalisation of Higher Education at University of Bath; and Giorgio Marioni, Manager of HE and Internationalisation Policy at the International Association of Universities.
Cardiff Met staff also led interactive sessions on student engagement, enhancing student experience, and quality enhancement. The sessions were an opportunity for partners to share their own experiences and best practice, and were one of a number of highlights of the two days.
The conference kicked off with an introduction from Professor Sushila Chang, Deputy Vice Chancellor, who spoke about Cardiff Met's Strategic Plan and was followed by Professor Mohamed Loutfi, Pro Vice Chancellor (International), who introduced the themes that would form the foundation of the University's new Internationalisation strategy. The strategy will include a commitment to humanitarian internationalisation, which was a theme that continued through the conference.
On day two, President and Vice Chancellor, Professor Cara Aitchison, before introducing Kirsty Williams AM, called for Cardiff Met and its partners to harness the strength of its relationships and experience for global diplomacy and social good.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education, who gave the keynote address, was a firm highlight for many. During a stimulating speech, she declared Higher Education in Wales to be an educational, economic, cultural and scientific asset, and later tweeted "Cardiff Met can be proud of what it does for its student community, region and wider academic community in connecting Wales and the World".
Professor Loutfi remarked that seeing see Cardiff Met's partners coming together was always a highpoint of the year. He commented, "Cardiff Met is proud of its global family and through this family, we all have an opportunity to make a positive impact on the world".
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