Aston University will be hosting a prestigious Global Leadership Forum on Friday 8th of November, under the auspices of the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils (GFCC) and the GFCC Global University Research and Leadership Forum (URLF), which Vice-Chancellor and CEO, Professor Aleks Subic chairs.
This event will bring around 100 global and national leaders to Aston, including around 20 vice-chancellors, government officials, several CEOs, and other senior executives. These leaders are all close collaborators and supporters of our work, and their presence underscores the importance of the forum in shaping the future of global competitiveness and innovation.
During the forum, a strategic agreement with Vice-Chancellors from our new partner universities will be signed, to establish a Global Centre for Innovation Leadership. This Centre, created under the auspices of the GFCC and URLF, will focus on place-based innovation, technology-driven socioeconomic transformation, and inclusive growth through close academic collaboration in education and research. The founding partner universities include:
- Aston University
- Auckland University of Technology (New Zealand)
- University of San Diego (California, US)
- University Teknologi Petronas (Malaysia)
- Queens University Belfast (Northern Ireland)
This is a major global collaborative development, and a critical milestone in Aston’s journey as an emerging leader in place-based innovation, aligning with our 2030 Strategy and the Birmingham Innovation Quarter development that Aston has been driving. It positions Aston as a key player in global innovation leadership and expands our international partnerships, reinforcing our commitment to socioeconomic transformation and global impact.
Together, we are building a future that will transform not only our city and region but also contribute to global progress and position Aston as a leading university of science, technology, and enterprise.
Find out more about the GFCC University Research and Leadership Forum Conference
- Notes to editors
About Aston University
For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally.
Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.
Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming The Guardian University of the Year in 2020.
Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.