Global Education
U21 Global Education and Senior Leaders’ Meeting 2024: Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
In October 2024, Shanghai Jiao Tong University welcomed over 100 attendees for the U21 Global Education and Senior Leaders’ Meeting, bringing together our Senior Leaders, Educational Leaders and Student Experience colleagues for the first time. With 28 universities represented, the event facilitated truly global discussion on key issues from transdisciplinary learning to geopolitical implications for international education.
Feedback overwhelmingly showed that this format provided useful content for attendees (95% agreed) and that it aided improved connections with colleagues across the U21 network (93% agreed).
The innovative format and group structure enabled cross-functional collaboration about international priorities both within and across member institutions.
- Senior Leader discussions centred on the major external challenges facing our sector, such as the impacts of government policies, encampments on campuses, along with challenges to autonomy and academic freedom.
- Professor Simon Chesterton, Vice Provost (Educational Innovation) from the National University of Singapore provided the keynote. It initiated discussions about the future of learning with a focus on AI and its accompanying opportunities and challenges. He commented, “We are all on a journey to fundamentally reshape how we deliver global competencies, opportunities and teaching and learning across campus. The U21 network brings university leaders from across the globe together, to share best practice and collaborate for effective change and to ready ourselves for the future.”
- 11 member-led workshops highlighted how universities are supporting students to foster essential transferable, soft skills, exploring topics such as transdisciplinary education, integrating AI in teaching and learning and increasing access to global learning.
- 47 colleagues from 17 universities led sessions to share their current approaches, collaborations and challenges to furthering international learning in their institutions.
- A blend of plenary sessions and workshops, together with informative student-led and employer-led panels, enabled future-focused insight and best practice to be shared.
The Global Education and Senior Leaders’ Meeting is a true highlight of our year. We were delighted to host so many representatives from prestigious institutions on our campus and facilitate conversations that will lead to improved outcomes for students and staff globally.
Now, more than ever, we need to bring people together and support international collaboration. From the development of the agenda through to the delivery of the event, we found U21’s expertise and guidance invaluable in delivering on this goal.”
Liang Guo, Universitas 21 Senior Leader and Deputy Director International,
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Year-Round Engagement
Alongside our in-person events, our members benefit from a year-round programme of structured collaboration opportunities. These allow for continued discussions on many important areas of focus, such as AI, sustainable international learning and curriculum design fit for the future and also provide our network with the ongoing viewpoints of what matters most to universities and what U21 should focus on moving forwards.
Below are the Peer-to-Peer Groups for Global Education.
The Educational Steering Group & Student Experience Steering Groups oversee the educational activities delivered through U21.
