Talking and thinking with the Global Academies
The General Council presents an afternoon with the University's Global Academies followed by a reception at London's City Hall with former UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir John Beddington.
Today's problems are increasingly complex and international in nature. They require collaborative solutions.
Global Academies are the University’s response to the need to adopt multi-disciplinary responses to challenging global issues. They create intellectual hubs for dialogue and critical engagement and are focused on the challenges of sustainable development, health, justice and environmental change.
Talking and thinking
Find out more about the work of the Academies as the General Council hosts an afternoon of talking and thinking
incorporating the regular General Council Half-Yearly meeting.
- Meet leading academics
- Test your ideas
- Be inspired by current and future projects
Evening reception
Talking and thinking will be be followed by a reception at City Hall, the home of the Mayor of London, featuring guest speaker Sir John Beddington, Former UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser and chair of the Global Academies Panel.
Full programme
| 13:00 | Arrival and buffet lunch at New Hunts House |
| 13:45 | General Council Half-Yearly Meeting |
| 14:30 |
The Global Academies: Introduction: Professor James Smith - The Edinburgh view on the Challenges of Global Development “Talking and thinking” sessions with Global Academy Leaders |
| 17:30 |
Reception at City Hall Guest Speaker: Sir John Beddington - “What is happening to the world?” John Beddington started his studies initially at the LSE where he took a BSc and MSc. He then moved to Edinburgh to do a PhD in what was then a the rather new discipline of Mathematical Ecology. His academic career was initially at York University and subsequently at Imperial College. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 2001 and appointed CMG in 2004. He was from 2008 until 2013 the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) reporting directly to the Prime Minister. As GCSA, he was responsible for increasing the scientific capacity across Whitehall by encouraging all major departments of state to recruit a Chief Scientific Adviser. In 2008 he raised the concept of the “Perfect Storm” of food, energy and water security in the context of mitigating and adapting to climate change. He continues to work in the area. During 2011 he chaired an International Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change and recently took on the Co-chairmanship of an International Panel on Agriculture and Nutrition. He was awarded a Knighthood in 2010 and in June 2014 received The Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese Government. He is the Senior Adviser to the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Natural Resource Management at Oxford University. Amongst other activities he is a Non-Executive Director of the Met Office, a Trustee of the Natural History Museum, Chair of the External Board at Rothamsted Research and President of the Zoological Society of London. He chairs the Global Academies Panel for Edinburgh University. |
Tickets and booking
Tickets are priced for the whole day at £20 (£15 for recent graduates up to 5 years after graduation). The ticket is valid for the whole day including the evening reception.
Further information
Please contact alumni@ed.ac.uk for further information.
Talking and thinking with the Global Academies
New Hunts House, Guys Campus, SE1 1UL
City Hall, The Queens Walk, SE1 2AA