Author: Anna

Delegates from 30 world universities and 20 other institutions travelled from Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North and South America, together with leaders of major organisations and industry to the second World Technology Universities Congress hosted in Bradford in August 2017.

Last year’s Congress, also hosted by Bradford, considered the feasibility of creating of a World Technology Universities Network. This year’s event took that one stage further and formally launched the network, with a memorandum of understanding and statement of intent being signed by attendees.

The purpose of the network is to:

• promote better understanding of the role and the characteristics of the technology university;
• promote mobility and global citizenship opportunities;
• collaborate on research and knowledge transfer to address global challenges;
• develop position and policy statements;
• facilitate links between world technology universities and industry, NGOs and SMEs;
• share best practice, and provide opportunities for capacity-building among members.

University of Bradford Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brian Cantor, said: ‘Higher education, research, science and innovation are key drivers of economic growth, which depends on the positive exploitation of knowledge. Education transforms lives and societies, providing the route for technological advancement and social mobility.

‘By harnessing the combined strength, resource, expertise, experience and knowledge of a network of the world’s great technology universities, we will create a global alliance of the brightest and best, dedicated to making knowledge work for the benefit of society.

‘This is a significant development in how universities see their place in the world and will, I am sure, open up a future of immense possibility and capability. It will also be a significant moment in the history and development of Bradford and the wider region.’

The 2017 Congress was attended by almost 30 technology universities from all around the world and a raft of senior business and other leaders. The Congress programme and speakers represented a great wealth of perspectives from across the world, providing lively sessions with strong discussions and debate on the skills and innovation gap, global challenges for the 21st century and University- Business collaboration. A summary of the Congress is available in this report: Congress Report (PDF, 102 KB).

At the Congress dinner  we launched the World Technology Universities Network. The Network will promote collaboration on a global scale with thirteen institutions who signed the memorandum of understanding to become founding members. We have a further seven institutions who signed the statement of intent and plan to join the Network in the coming months. A selection of images of the Congress are displayed below.

Hear from some of the Congress participants about the reason they attended and the idea of launching a network of world technology universities.

“The challenges facing the world are complex. Solutions are required urgently. Ill-health, poverty, climate change, energy and water supply, food security, industrial development, conflict, migration and terrorism: the 21st century’s problems are difficult and threatening to us all.”

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Professor Brian Cantor looks at the need for a World Technology Universities Network.

“The challenges facing the world are complex.  Solutions are required urgently.  Ill-health, poverty, climate change, energy and water supply, food security, industrial development, conflict, migration and terrorism: the 21^st century’s problems are difficult, frightening and threatening to us all.

“But as well as threats, there are opportunities: opportunities that technological research and the application of technology can exploit to help deliver solutions.  Technology is, broadly, the use of knowledge to improve society, and it is clear that technology universities must play a leading role in meeting our 21^st century challenges.

“This is why I have invited major technology universities from around the world to the first World Technology Universities Congress, at the University of Bradford, in September.

“Universities, and technology universities in particular, can be amongst the greatest forces for progress. Working together and alongside our business and industry partners, we can perhaps create the greatest community for good in the world.

“The world student population is approximately 100m and growing at six per cent per year.  The world market for research is on the order of $1.5t, also growing at six per cent per year.  There are approaching 40,000 universities worldwide, most created in the last 20 years, most technology universities, and the number growing rapidly.  Every city wants the economic drive of a successful university, and everybody wants the advantage of a university education.

“Technology universities are playing a direct and critical role as creators of wealth and as motors for economic and social change.  Here in Bradford alone we have developed drugs to treat and prevent cancer, we have promoted chemical and biochemical disarmament, and our engineering and healthcare products have saved lives and generated wealth worldwide.  Other technology universities across the world are engaged in similar, inspiring work.  Imagine the power of these universities collaborating actively and jointly deploying their resources, knowledge, teaching and research expertise.

“The World Technology Universities Congress will bring together senior members of a wide range of international technology universities, together with business leaders and representatives of other governmental and non-governmental organisations, on the 8^th and 9^th September in Bradford.  We will be discussing whether and how to set up a continuing World Technology Universities Network, and we will be sharing best practice about collaborative research tackling 21st century problems, how to teach the next generation of world leaders who will have to solve these problems, and how to work most effectively with business and other societal organisations.

“What might a World Technology Universities Network mean in practice?  Shared ideas on the application of emerging technologies; worldwide student exchanges with all the knowledge and cultural benefits that brings; pump-priming of collaborative research projects; opportunities for capacity-building with developing countries; joint teaching and research programmes; and identifying and accessing a technological capacity and funding streams that are not be open to us now.

“Higher education, research, science and innovation are key drivers of economic growth, which depends on the positive exploitation of knowledge. Education transforms lives and societies, providing the route for technological advancement and social mobility.

“By harnessing the combined strength, resource, expertise, experience and knowledge of a network of the world’s great technology universities, we will create a global alliance of the brightest and best, dedicated to making knowledge work for the benefit of society.

“It will, of course, take time. These are huge ambitions. But the World Technology Universities Congress will, I believe, mark a significant moment in the development of how universities see their place in the world and will open up a future of immense possibility and capability.”

Professor Brian Cantor CBE, Vice-Chancellor, University of Bradford

Representatives from universities and other major organisations will converge on the University of Bradford for the first World Technology Universities Congress.

The Congress takes place at the University’s Emm Lane and Richmond Road campuses on Thursday 8 and Friday 9 September 2016 with a range of high profile speakers and an extensive programme. It aims to create a global partnership between education, business, governments and development organisations.

Delegates will travel from institutions in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and North America, together with leaders of major organisations and industry.

The Congress will provide a setting for considering the feasibility of the creation of a World Technology Universities Network and agreeing terms of reference and objectives for such a network.

If a core number of universities are in agreement, a statement of intent to develop the Network will be signed.  The Congress will provide a platform for senior figures from technology universities, business, government and NGOs to develop alliances and discuss capacity-building opportunities. It will also consider the importance of educating graduates to be global citizens in a technology-rich 21st Century.

The Congress will provide the opportunity for the presentation and sharing of ideas on the application of emerging technologies and create opportunities for technology universities and businesses to showcase how they jointly work towards addressing the challenges society faces.

Speakers at the Congress will include The Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, Getachew Engida: Vivienne Stern, Director of UK Higher Education International Unit; Baroness Ann Taylor, University of Bradford’s Chair of Council; Dr Mamdouh Shoukri, President and Vice-Chancellor, York University, Toronto; Professor Brian MacCraith, President, Dublin City University; Professor Julia Buckingham, Vice-Chancellor and President, Brunel University; Professor Bertil Andersson, President, Nanyang Technological University; Professor Wahid bin Omar, Vice-Chancellor, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia;  Jo Quinton-Tulloch, Director of the National Media Museum; and Professor Brian Cantor, Bradford’s Vice-Chancellor.

Speakers from business and industry will include: Mike Houghton, Managing Director of Siemens Process Industries and Drives; Tom Baker, Business Development Director, Smart and Healthier Cities, BT Global Services; Michael Cervenka, Head of Strategic Research Centre, Rolls-Royce;  and Helen Finch, Senior Manager for External Technical Engagement, Jaguar Land Rover;

Senior international academics will chair education and research sessions, including Professor Hu Shougen, President of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Professor Peter Coaldrake, Vice-Chancellor of Queensland University of Technology, and Professor Per Michael Johansen, Rector of Aalborg University.

Professor Cantor said: “Technology universities are at the heart of the 21st century information revolution, with countries worldwide competing aggressively to build knowledge economies.

“Economic strength depends on high tech manufacturing and international trade, with a knowledge economy based on high-quality research, and a steady flow of highly-trained graduates. This has created demand for both the research and the graduates from well-established technology universities like those in the proposed World Technology Universities Network.

“I am very proud that Bradford, with its worldwide reputation as a technology university and its world-leading research, is taking a lead in this initiative and will be hosting such a prestigious, global gathering.”