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11th October 2024

University of Manchester hosts the World Academic Summit 2024

Delegates and speakers from around the world gathered for the annual Times Higher Education World Academic Summit hosted by the University of Manchester
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University of Manchester hosts the World Academic Summit 2024
Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Delegates from across the world of higher education gathered in Manchester on October 7 for the annual Times Higher Education World Academic Summit, a three-day event that included networking, seminars, and speeches.

More than 100 speakers from academia, higher education companies, NGOs, the UN, and the SU spoke at the conference hosted by the University of Manchester.

The summit was organised around the theme “Making a difference: The role of universities in a rapidly changing world”.

Notable speakers from the university included Professor of Physics Brian Cox, Former President and Vice-Chancellor Nancy Rothwell, current President and Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison, and Chancellor Nazir Afzal.

Other speakers included Irene Tracey (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford), Justine Greening (a former Education Secretary), and Jacqui Smith (Minister for Skills).

Talks focused on various topics from online learning to student recruitment to supporting student entrepreneurs.

Tickets retailed for £1695 for university, public sector, and NGO guests and £2299 for corporate guests.

The opening of the summit on October 7, the anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel which triggered Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip, made the opening day of the summit a focal point for protesters.

They alleged that the summit occurred “after a whole year of ignoring students’ demands” and voiced dissatisfaction over the university’s relationship with Israeli universities and British defence companies.

The main protest of the day coincided with an evening welcome drinks reception, hosted by the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester at the Whitworth Art Gallery.

On October 10, the World University Rankings 2025 were released at the Science and Industry Museum.

The University of Manchester was ranked 53rd, alongside the University of Science and Technology of China, marking a decline from its previous position of 51st last year.

In addition to the two evening events, the conference saw two keynote events a day.

This included a discussion on making science accessible with Brian Cox, and Nancy Rothwell interviewing Andre Geim about the impact of Graphene on science and technology.

Also discussed were developments in UK-EU academic relations and the impact universities can have on civil society.


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