In the light of global and domestic challenges, 30 UK and Australian university leaders will meet over two days on 1 and 2 October in Melbourne to deepen the engagement between universities in the two countries.

This high-level dialogue is jointly presented by the International Education Association of Australia, Australian Education International, Universities Australia, the UK Higher Education International Unit at Universities UK and the British Council.

“Australian and UK universities believe they have major contributions to make to their local, national and international communities”, said Stephen Connelly, President of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), one of the organisers of the event. “We are meeting to explore opportunities for the UK and Australia to cooperate in new ways, in the tradition of universities in the Western world for almost a thousand years, to advance knowledge and to improve the wellbeing of their communities and the people who live in them. Today, this extends to a global level,” said Connelly.

Professor Colin Riordan, Chair of the UK Higher Education International Unit and Vice- Chancellor of the University of Cardiff, said that this was an important event and “a first step to formalising an agreement between our two sectors that will encourage our institutions to look for new and innovative ways to collaborate, especially in third countries.”

The Chief Executive of Universities Australia, Belinda Robison, welcomed the high-level dialogue. “Australia and the UK have a strong common heritage in higher education and this meeting will serve to further strengthen this relationship through the discussion and agreement on ways to deepen collaboration and cooperation, not just in the interests of our own countries but for the international community more broadly.”

Presenting partners
Jointly presented by the International Education Association of Australia, Universities UK, the UK International Unit Universities Australia,
the British Council and Australian Education International.
Supporting partners
The financial support of IDP Education, RMIT University and The University of Melbourne is gratefully acknowledged.
UK university leaders will include Professor Riordan, Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor University of Exeter and Immediate Past President Universities UK, and Sir Adrian Smith, Vice-Chancellor, University of London. Australian university leaders will include Professor Glyn Davis AO, Vice-Chancellor of The University of Melbourne and Chair of Universities Australia and Professor Margaret Gardner AO, Vice-Chancellor of RMIT University and Lead Vice-Chancellor International for Universities Australia.

16 Australian Universities will participate in the Dialogue.

Topics to be discussed include a vision for cooperation, deepening research collaboration, cooperation in transnational education and in student mobility, and cooperation in research and data in international education.

Outcomes of the Dialogue are expected to include agreement between UK and Australian universities to pursue a number of priority projects.
  

Media Contacts
Australia UK
Paul Noonan Cat Finlayson
Marketing and Communications, RMIT University Communications, UK HE International Unit
Email: paul [dot] noonan [at] rmit [dot] edu [dot] au Email: cat [dot] finlayson [at] international [dot] ac [dot] uk
Mob.: +61 409 239 021 Tel.: +44 0207 419 5609

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