UK and European university leaders gather in Paris to discuss international higher education

Hosted by the British Council with leading French university, Université PSL (Paris Sciences & Lettres), 15 senior panellists will debate some of the most prevalent topics in higher education.
Among those speaking will be President Macron’s Counsellor for Education and Higher Education, Thierry Coulhon; President of Université PSL, Alain Fuchs; Secretary General of Campus France, Beatrice Khaiat; and Senior Policy Adviser from the UK’S Department for Education, Jack Thomlinson.

Professor Alain Fuchs, President of PSL, said: 'As far as Europe is concerned, uncertainties surround the modalities of the brexit. In contrast to all the speeches inviting us to see in the brexit an opportunity from which we must make the most of, the United Kingdom is and must remain a stakeholder in the European Research and Higher Education Area in the same way as countries outside the Union, such as Switzerland or Israel.'

The British Council’s EU region Director for Education and Society, Bianka Stege, said: 'It’s an exciting time in the world of higher education. As higher education becomes increasingly global and competitive, an ever-greater focus is being placed on international rankings, research collaborations, institutional networks and alliances, and the mobility of students and faculty. Together with our partners PSL, we are delighted to bring together sector leaders from France, the UK and across Europe to brainstorm these issues.’

In the opening session, Global Rankings Editor Ellie Bothwell of Times Higher Education – one of the world’s highest regarded university ranking systems – and OECD senior analyst Stéphane Vincent-Lancrin will explore the role of rankings in international higher education along with senior panellists.

Representatives from British, French, Swiss, and European sector bodies will also take part in panel discussions on how European higher education alliances can be strengthened and how policy can support internationalisation.

A practical session on internationalization strategies will close the event, led by university leaders from renowned institutions including Ecole Normale Supérieure, member of Université PSL, Sorbonne University and Paris-Saclay University in France and Imperial College London.
The event takes place at Collège de France on Friday 21 June from 9.30-18.00.