International graduate employability: Making good on the promise

28 Jan 2020, 09:30 - 17:00

20 Tavistock Square 
London
United Kingdom
WC1H 9HQ

Book here

Overview

The conference

International graduate employability is moving up the agenda. Global competitors such as New Zealand and Australia have made it central to their internationalisation efforts, and it is a key strand of the UK government’s new international education strategy. The employability outcomes of our graduates are increasingly essential for the competitive advantage of the UK’s higher education sector. Now we have the post study work visa we have argued for for so long, how do we make sure that universities have the support in place to help our international graduates secure good jobs, in the UK, in their home countries, or elsewhere?

Why should you attend?

While the post study work visa will help the UK compete, supporting international graduate employability is the next competitive frontier. There is a clear imperative to place international graduate employability front and centre of our international strategies in a constantly shifting environment. Technology and globalisation are radically changing the skills needs of the future workplace.

This conference will pull together expertise from the UK and around the world to help participants learn from their counterparts and competitors. It will be underpinned by case studies drawn from new research by UUKi and AGCAS to answer the question: how can we prepare our international graduates for global success?

Who should attend?

This conference will be useful for staff who have responsibility for or play a part in the international student experience at their university. This conference is open to all with an interest in this topic, however particularly relevant job titles include:

Pro Vice-Chancellor (International)
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Employability and Partnerships)
Director of International Strategy/Recruitment
Director/Head of Careers & Employability Service
International Marketing Officer
International Operations Manager
International Student Experience/ Support Officer/Adviser
International Development Manager
Employer Liason Officer/Manager

If you have any questions about this or any other of our events, please contact us on events@universitiesuk.ac.uk or 020 7419 5535.

We also have a range of sponsorship opportunities available at this event. Please contact Esther Dudley, Head of Events and Engagement for information. tel: 020 7419 5412; email: esther.dudley@universitiesuk.ac.uk.

Agenda

09.55 – 10.00	Welcome from the Chair Amy Baker, CEO, The PIE News
10.00 – 10.15	Lord Karan Bilimoria: from international student to international employer Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chairman, Cobra Beer Lord Bilimoria, who studied in the UK as an international student, is the President of the UK Council for International students, Vice-President of the Confederation of British Industry, Chancellor of the University of Birmingham and founder and Chairman of Cobra Beer. From his unique position as a spokesperson for international students, business and the higher education sector, Lord Bilimoria will reflect on his own experiences to highlight ways in which the sector can make good on the promise of careers success for its international graduates.
10.15 – 10.45	The global picture: how study destinations around the world support international graduate employability Brett Berquist, Director International, University of Auckland The UK higher education sector has long wished for a graduate visa offer as attractive as some of our overseas competitors. But how successful have other study destinations been in maximising their graduate visa offers to make good on the promise of employability for their international students? And now that a two-year graduate visa route has been announced in the UK, what can we learn from the experiences of colleagues overseas to ensure that we deliver for our international students and see sustainable growth in recruitment? Brett Berquist, International Director at the University of Auckland and member of the International Education Association of Australia's Research Committee, will give us an insight into the successes and challenges of some of our competitor countries.
10.45 – 11.30	Beyond post-study work: what’s next for international graduate employability? Kate O'Hara, Talent Acquisition Lead Early Careers, Dyson Maria Forrest, Overseas Graduate Recruitment Lead, KPMG Harry Anderson, Senior Policy Adviser, Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Our panel of local and global employers will discuss their views on the future of international graduate employability. How are the skills needs of the global labour market shifting, and how can universities keep up with the changes? How would employers like to work even more closely with universities to ensure they can make the most of globally skilled graduates? How can the sector work with industry to ensure the new graduate visa route is a success?
11.30 – 11.50	Refreshment break
11.50 – 12.50	Morning breakout sessions
Foster & Bloomsbury Room	Making the local global: engaging local employers Luke Hahn, Employment Advisor, Portsmouth University Janet Woolnough, Careers Advisor, Portsmouth University Saskia Loer Hansen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement, Aston University Rachel McIntosh, Head of Professional and Postgraduate Employability, Aston University Raveena Shekhar, Student (MSc International Accounting and Finance), Aston University Engaging local SMEs can be a fruitful approach to providing all-important work experience for our international students, but how can we present the benefits of this collaboration to the employers themselves, and how do we make these partnerships sustainable and mutually beneficial? Two universities who have worked extensively with SMEs in their local area share their experiences, successes and learnings.
Woburn Hall	The international student perspective Anne Marie Graham, Chief Executive, UKCISA Riddi Viswanathan, Overseas Representative for International Students, NUS Erica Ramos, Vice President, Union Development, NUS Ian Wong, Elected Member of NEC, NUS At the heart of this conference is the international student experience. How do we deliver on the promise of good employment outcomes for students from around the world who choose the UK as their study destination? Where does a UK education take you? In this breakout, we'll hear about international student priorities and expectations first-hand, and explore recommendations for the sector.
Boardroom	What does the data say? Robin Hallows, Principal Consultant, iGraduate Zoe Marlow, Head of Client Relations (Education), Sannam S4 Louise Nicol, Founder and Director, Asia Careers Group Esther de Perlaky, International Employability Manager, University of Warwick Employability prospects - in both the study destination and the home country - frequently influence the choice of country, university and course for international students. Yet university careers services can be overlooked, with funding more often concentrated on recruitment. As international student recruitment becomes ever more competitive, universities proactively supporting the employability of their graduates will have a compelling market advantage. This session highlights data from five major studies conducted in 2019 which can be used to highlight the importance of careers and employability support in international student recruitment.
12.50 – 13.50	Lunch
13.50 – 14.50	Afternoon breakout sessions
Woburn Hall	Tailor-made: matching careers advice and guidance to international students’ needs Esther de Perlaky, International Employability Manager, University of Warwick Gail Angus, Careers Manager, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow Helen Atkinson, Careers Consultant, Newcastle University University careers services cater to a wide range of student needs, interests and ways of working – but are the needs of international students always reflected in their range of services? To what extent should we provide bespoke support for international students, how can we gather the necessary expertise to do so with minimal resource and how can we make this as engaging as possible for our students? This session will discuss the ways in which universities' careers services can improve their careers guidance offer to international students, drawing on three case studies of best practice across the sector.
Boardroom	Engaging international employers David Gee, Founder, GradLink UK Stuart Johnson, Director of Careers Service, University of Bristol Paul Blackmore, Divisional Head for Student Employability and Academic Success, University of Exeter International students are globally-minded, and many will look to pursue further international opportunities following study in the UK. Others will want to, or be required to, return to their home countries. To ensure that these students are given the best possible start to their professional life, we need to be able to offer them information about and routes into global employers, but how can we build relationships with such a vast and varied range of employers across the world? We look at two case studies – the Gradlink UK project at UWE and the GW4 Alliance between the universities of Bristol, Bath, Cardiff and Exeter – to explore successful strategies for engaging global employers.
Foster & Bloomsbury Room	Global networks: alumni engagement and international employability Jonathan Goode, Head of Alumni Relations, Bournemouth University Charlotte Richards, Alumni Networks Manager, University of Oxford UUKi's recent International Graduate Outcomes report showed that international alumni are very keen to remain connected to their UK universities. Taking advantage of this can open up a wealth of opportunities for current students and recent graduates, from mentoring schemes to work placements. Yet many universities have found it hard to crack alumni engagement as a route to improved international graduate outcomes. In this session, two representatives from alumni offices will explore their experiences in this area, sharing their challenges, successes and recommendations.
14.50 – 15.10	Refreshment break
15.10 – 15.30	Making good on the promise: recommendations for change Jamie Arrowsmith, Assistant Director, Policy, Universities UK International The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, on behalf of UUKi, UKCISA and the University of Coventry, has conducted an extensive study into best practice in international graduate careers support in the UK. The results of the study will be launched in this session, along with a set of ambitious recommendations for the sector which aim to ensure the UK maintains and advances its position as a world leader in international graduate employability.
15.30 - 15.50	Address from the Minister The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation
15.50 – 16.35	Making international employability a strategic priority Doug Cole, Deputy Director of Employability, Nottingham Trent University Dr Paul Marshall, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Careers and Enterprise), University of East London Dr David Pilsbury, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International Development), Coventry University Lisa Umenyiora, Executive Director of Careers, Imperial College Business School It’s a key strand of the government’s International Education Strategy, it has an impact on student decision making and scholarship eligibility lists and the Secretary of State for Education recently asked the Office for Students to focus on it. International graduate employability is moving quickly up the agenda. How can institutions reflect this at a strategic level to ensure an integrated and impactful approach?
16.35	Closing remarks

Speaker Biographies

	Amy Baker, CEO, The PIE News Amy Baker was originally a journalist and editor before turning entrepreneur and setting up The PIE, which she co-founded with two professional associates in 2011. Reaching 3.3 million people since launch, The PIE has become a well known and trusted independent media brand offering news and analysis for professionals in international education all around the world, creating a community for those working in language learning, secondary and tertiary education. With a successful executive search division and now an annual event, The PIE Live & The PIEoneer Awards, The PIE has become a multi-faceted company which is uniquely positioned to understand challenges and opportunities globally in the industry. Amy travels widely attending industry events, engaging with global agenda-setters and still finds time to sometimes write content for the site. She spent a year in France as part of her degree in Journalism from City University, London.
	Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chairman, Cobra Beer Karan Bilimoria is the founder of Cobra Beer, Chairman of the Cobra Beer Partnership Limited, a Joint Venture with Molson Coors, and Chairman of Molson Coors Cobra India. In the Monde Selection, one of the most prestigious quality awards in the world for beer, the Cobra range have collectively been awarded a total of 111 Gold and Grand Gold medals since 2001, making it one of the most awarded beers in the world. Lord Bilimoria is the Founding Chairman of the UK India Business Council, a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London, a former Chancellor of Thames Valley University (now the University of West London); he was the youngest University Chancellor in the UK when appointed. Karan was a former Senior Non-Executive Director of the Booker Group now TESCO PLC (2007-2016); he is one of the first two visiting entrepreneurs at the University of Cambridge; he is a founding member of the Prime Minister of India’s Global Advisory Council. In 2006, Karan Bilimoria was appointed the Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, making him the first ever Zoroastrian Parsi to sit in the House of Lords. In 2008 he was awarded the Pravasi Bharti Samman by the President of India. He is an honorary fellow of Sidney Sussex College Cambridge and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Judge Business School, Cambridge University. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young and graduated in law from the University of Cambridge. He is also an alumnus through executive education of the Cranfield School of Management, the London Business School and the Harvard Business School. In July 2014, he was installed as the seventh Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, making him the first Indian-born Chancellor of a Russell Group University in Great Britain, and he is the President of the UK Council for International Students Affairs (UKCISA). Since 2017 Lord Bilimoria has been a Bynum Tudor Fellow at Kellogg College, University of Oxford. Lord Bilimoria is an Honorary Group Captain in 601 Squadron Royal Air Force. In June 2019, he was appointed Vice President of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
	Brett Berquist, Director International, University of Auckland Director International at the University of Auckland since 2015, Brett Berquist oversees New Zealand's largest international student recruitment effort attracting 8,500 international students. He has over 25 years' experience in the sector, in Europe, the US, and Asia, as academic staff and administrator leading international recruitment strategy, transnational education, ESL provision, campus-wide internationalisation strategy, and credit mobility. He speaks frequently on the role of internationalization in employability and has co-chaired the content committee for the Global Internship Conference since 2012. His most recent publication is: • Berquist, B. & Moore, A. (2019). Internationalization and Employability – the case of the kiwi Overseas Experience (OE). In R. Coelen & C. Gribble (Eds.), Internationalisation and Employability in Higher Education. London: Routledge.
	Kate O'Hara, Talent Acquisition Lead Early Careers, Dyson Kate has worked within Early Careers for 6 years across a range of industries including apparel & fashion, logistics and technology. Her roles have encompassed talent acquisition, learning and development and career management. Currently, Kate is the Talent Acquisition Lead for Early Careers in the UK for Dyson. Dyson hire around 200 graduates and interns every year in the UK including many international students, as well as onto programmes globally in our key markets.
	Maria Forrest, Overseas Graduate Recruitment Lead, KPMG Maria is a graduate in Marketing and German and began her career doing multilingual recruitment in London. She then moved to Hong Kong where she managed the national graduate recruitment programme for KPMG across China for several years. She has since returned to the UK and still works for KPMG China but is now dedicated to the overseas Chinese / HK Chinese student population who wish to return home after graduation. The demand for this position has arisen from the increasing number of Chinese students studying in the UK, US, Australia and Canada. KPMG China recruits around a third of its graduate programme / places from overseas universities. Maria can advise extensively about being competitive as an overseas graduate and how to get through some of the challenging selection processes in the market today.
	Harry Anderson, Senior Policy Adviser, Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Harry Anderson is a Senior Policy Adviser at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the UK's foremost business organisation which speaks for 190,000 businesses. Harry leads on higher and further education policy, ensuring that firms have access to the skills they need, but also working with education institutions – such as universities, colleges, and training providers – to make sure Government gives them the support they need to flourish. He has led the CBI's work across several issues including: the post-18 education and funding review, reforms to immigration including post-study work opportunities, and developing more flexible learning opportunities.
	Saskia Loer Hansen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement, Aston University Saskia Loer Hansen is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) at Aston University with responsibility for business and civic engagement, international and marketing, development & alumni relations, and student support functions. Prior posts include Pro-Vice-Chancellor International at Aston, Executive Director, Global Development and Performance at RMIT, Australia, and roles at Strathclyde in Scotland and Aalborg University in Denmark. For eight years, Saskia was the Secretary General to the European Consortium of Innovative Universities on a part-time basis. Saskia has degrees in Social Anthropology and Ethnography and European Studies from Aarhus University, Denmark, and an MBA from Strathclyde in Scotland.
	Rachel McIntosh, Head of Professional and Postgraduate Employability, Aston University Rachel McIntosh is Head of Professional and Postgraduate Employability in the award-winning Careers and Placements Department at Aston University. Rachel has 15 years' experience in Higher Education in a variety of employability focussed roles. In recent years leading strategic and funded projects in Aston's Careers and Placements senior management team before her current role establishing a new area with a focus on postgraduate employability. Rachel studied French at Lancaster University, spending a year abroad which helped her to understand first-hand the impact of embedding employability early. She champions the placement year, work experience and the value it brings to all students.
	Janet Woolnough, Careers Advisor, Portsmouth University Janet works as a Careers Adviser for the University of Portsmouth’s Careers and Employability Service. In her role she has a particular responsibility for supporting the needs of international students and home students interested in global working opportunities. She led a cross-University project to review the University’s employability offer to international students, which had input from a wide range of stakeholders. This led to a bid for UKCISA project funding to establish the International Student Talent Pool project.
	Luke Hahn, Employment Advisor, Portsmouth University Luke works as an Employment Adviser for the University of Portsmouth’s Careers and Employability Service. He specialises in support for international students and global working. Alongside Janet he implemented and runs the International Student Talent Pool programme which aims to bring local business and international students together in order to form meaningful work experience opportunities.
	Anne Marie Graham, Chief Executive, UKCISA Anne Marie joined UKCISA in 2019 from the Association of Commonwealth Universities, where she was Director of Chevening, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's flagship global scholarship scheme. Prior to that, Anne Marie has led on a range of educational programmes and projects promoting international mobility and intercultural exchange. At Universities UK International, she developed the first government-funded UK Strategy for Outward Mobility, and established the Go International programme to build capacity and influence institutional change in UK universities to increase the proportion of UK-domiciled students with international experience. Before moving into the education sector, Anne Marie spent several years in the language services industry managing high profile accounts with multinational engineering and pharmaceutical companies. Anne Marie is a linguist, with a first degree in Modern Languages from Anglia Ruskin University and a postgraduate translation qualification from University of Westminster.
	Riddi Viswanathan, Overseas Representative for International Students, NUS Riddi Viswanathan, a graduate in Business Studies and Economics from the University of Manchester is the founder and CEO of Generation Purple, a digital technology company aiming to improve diversity in the graduate recruitment industry. She is also the elected Overseas Representative of the National Union of Students (NUS) representing over 400,000 overseas students in the UK. Riddi is the first-ever elected full-time International Students' Officer at the University of Manchester Students' Union and has also served the Manchester Students' Union as the former diversity officer. Riddi is passionate about policymaking has represented international students at prestigious policymaking forums including the Westminster Higher Education Forum, the European Parliament at Brussels and currently leads the Thought Leadership and Policymaking wing at the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU). She is frequently invited by leading media outlets for expert opinions regarding student issues and is the University of Manchester’s spokesperson to the BBC, ITV, The Guardian, The New York Times and other leading Indian publications. Riddi is also an immigration rights, equality and peace activist. Through various initiatives and public speaking engagements, she strives to engage young people to be agents of global peace.
	Erica Ramos, Vice President, Union Development, NUS Erica Ramos is the Vice President Union Development at the National Union of Students (NUS). She was formerly the National Executive Council's 2nd Place for International Students. She ran on a platform of supporting Students' Unions, championing international students and ensuring Students' Unions have the tools to create a better world.
	Ian Wong, Elected Member of NEC, NUS Ian Wong is a LLB graduate in Law and Criminology from the University of Keele. Ian is currently a Make-Up artist at MAC Cosmetics championing diversity within the beauty sector. They are currently an elected member of the National Executive Council (NEC) at the National Union of Students (NUS) representing 7 Million students throughout the UK. Ian was the former International Students Officer at the University of Keele Students Union for 2 years. Ian is passionate for diversity and equality and has ran numerous campaigns in the past locally and nationally for students' rights. Ian has represented international students and have successfully fought off deportations throughout their time at The University of Keele. Ian is also passionate about LGBT+ issues and have been on panels at events hosted by UUK speaking on tackling sexual violence on campuses. Ian was also awarded the International Students' Officer of the year with distinction in 2018 by the National Union of Students.
	Louise Nicol, Founder and Director, Asia Careers Group Louise Nicol is an EdTech entrepreneur based in Kuala Lumpur, working with ambitious universities to map the employability & career progression of over 40,000 returning UK graduates to Asia, Louise connects Universities with leading ASEAN employers and provides internship/job opportunities for returning Graduates to Asia. Louise has undertaken extensive government projects with the UK FCO, DIT, DFID and Malaysian Government: modelling the distribution of Prosperity Funding in ASEAN; hosting the Asia Employability Forum in Kuala Lumpur linking UK University leaders with Business in Asia and the Talent Corp Malaysian/UK University Employability Roadshow visiting intuitions in Scotland, Wales and the North of England connecting them with ASEAN employers. She has 20+ years' experience working in Global Education & Employability, she previously worked for the Japanese Ministry of Education, Hobsons and i-graduate. She is an alumnus of the University of Exeter.
	Robin Hallows, Principal Consultant, iGraduate Robin has 18 years’ experience in the Higher and Further Education sectors providing financial, outcome and value for money benchmarking support to executive teams and government. Half of those years were spent based in New Zealand establishing and delivering a benchmarking process for the NZ Tertiary Education Commission. More recently he has been leading a refreshed and revitalised i-graduate team providing survey data and analysis for hundreds of clients across the globe. He also contributed to the iGO 2019 report published last year by UUKi.
	Zoe Marlow, Head of Client Relations (Education), Sannam S4 Zoë has 20 years' experience in the international education sector, including periods in the TEFL industry in the UK and abroad (Senegal and Sweden); US study abroad and exchange (Middlesex University); international student recruitment (City, University of London); pathways marketing (Kaplan International Colleges); independent schools (Roedean and Harrogate Ladies' College); and international education consultancy at Sannam S4. Her special interests are in marketing communications for parents, graduate employability and emerging African markets.
	Esther de Perlaky, International Employability Manager, University of Warwick At the University of Warwick, Esther is responsible for leading and delivering the strategy to support the international employability of students. Esther recently led a government funded UK-wide Higher Education research project to explore the gaps between students' career expectations compared with the needs of Chinese employers. She has extended this collaborative research to include Hong Kong, Indian and ASEAN students who have studied in the UK. Esther also leads on a number of UK Higher Education collaborations delivering joint university careers fairs and events, both in the UK and overseas. Esther is a member of the Midlands International Group of 16 universities and Co Chair of the UK Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) International Task Group, where she leads on delivering an annual sector workshop to support International Student Employability.
	Gail Angus, Careers Manager, University of Glasgow As the Careers Manger for the Adam Smith Business School, Gail leads in the design, development and delivery of high-quality careers guidance and education for a largely international student cohort. She is passionate about the use of technology in careers and has worked to expand and scale up digital careers provision for students at the University of Glasgow. Prior to training as a Careers Adviser 10 years ago, she worked in a marketing role promoting international work and volunteering opportunities to students.
	Helen Atkinson, Careers Consultant, Newcastle University Helen works as a Careers Consultant at Newcastle University's Careers Service where she specialises in developing initiatives to support international student employability. She has most recently established an extracurricular programme, China Career Gateway, to help students develop strategies to better plan for their career and make effective applications for graduate roles in the UK and China. She is also a current member of the UK AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group. Prior to joining the Careers Service, Helen worked in international relations at Newcastle University Business School, managing the award-winning GEO global employability programme. She also has experience working in the corporate sector at Procter & Gamble.
	David Gee, Founder, GradLink UK David is Global Employability Manager at UWE Bristol, and creator of GradLink, the award-winning careers site for international students studying in the UK. GradLink has a global network of over 700 employers, and in excess of 100,000 followers on social media. David has worked extensively with graduate employers across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America to develop a strong understanding of global graduate recruitment trends and practices. David has regularly presented on international student employability at key careers events both in the UK and overseas.
	Paul Blackmore, Divisional Head, Student Employability and Academic Success, University of Exeter Paul has 30 years strategic and management experience working across the University-Business interface, delivering nationally and internationally acclaimed and award-winning services. His divisional portfolio includes strategic and operational responsibility for employability, careers, enterprise education and interdisciplinary and place-based learning in the UK and globally, via central Professional Services and the curriculum. Paul has led-several £multi-million projects across relevant areas including ‘Nucleargraduates’ contract delivering a HRM graduate development programme for the nuclear sector. He has also assisted universities, graduate employers, professional associations and governments in reviewing related services and strategies. Paul has delivered + 60 keynotes at regional, national and international level across various education sectors and industries
	Stuart Johnson, Director of Careers Service, University of Bristol Stuart is Director of the Careers Service at the University of Bristol, where he leads a team of approximately 50 staff. He is a careers professional with substantial experience in service management and strategy and has more than 20 years’ experience in careers, learning development and training and development. He has a particular interest in skills development and is the author of two Oxford University Press books on study, communication and employability skills. Stuart is passionate about the key role employability prospects play in the student experience, especially in the current higher education landscape.
	Jonathan Goode, Head of Alumni Relations, Bournemouth University Jonathan Goode is a marketing, communications and alumni relations professional with more than 10 years' experience in the education sector. As Head of Alumni Relations at Bournemouth University, he is developing the institution's approach to alumni engagement, with a focus on enriching the student experience and enhancing graduate employability. Jonathan has overseen the development and launch of a new volunteering programme, including a mentoring scheme designed to help final year students make the successful transition into employment. He is an active contributor to sector events and commentary and his team's work was shortlisted for a HEIST Education Award in 2019.
	Charlotte Richards, Alumni Networks Manager, University of Oxford As Alumni Networks Manager for the University of Oxford, Charlotte’s role is to assess, audit, manage and create strategy for almost 190 alumni groups around the world, which equates to almost 800 volunteers. The aim is to create a vibrant, active and engaged group of volunteers who are willing to help the University of Oxford’s strategic priority to “Inform, empower and mobilise alumni to become more knowledgeable and involved in support of the wider University.” Charlotte started in the sector in 2004 and has also worked for Cancer Research UK as a Research Engagement Manager.
	Jamie Arrowsmith, Assistant Director, Policy, Universities UK International Jamie Arrowsmith is Assistant Director, Policy, at Universities UK International. Prior to joining UUKI, Jamie was a Programme Manager in the Policy Group at UUK and lead work on research policy and efficiency and effectiveness. Before joining Universities UK, Jamie worked as a researcher at the Education and Social Research Institute in Manchester. He holds Masters degrees from the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.
	Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation Chris Skidmore is the returning Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation jointly at the Department for Education and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. He has previously held posts as Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He has been the Conservative MP for Kingswood since May 2010. Chris was educated at Bristol Grammar School before studying history at Oxford, where he continued with postgraduate research. Chris has written several history books including 'Edward VI: The Lost King of England', 'Death and the Virgin: Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley and the Mysterious Fate of Amy Robsart' and 'Bosworth: the Birth of the Tudors'. Recently, Chris published 'Richard III: Brother, Protector, King'. Chris is also a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
	Dr David Pilsbury, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International Development), Coventry University Responsible for all Coventry's international activities including joint ventures, student recruitment, collaborative partnerships, curriculum internationalization, mobility, and cultural enhancement. Pilsbury leads a sector leading global engagement agenda recognised by many awards including the Queen's Award for Enterprise and EAIE's premier award. He holds a number of Board level positions including of the China-Britain Business Council & EURIE. Previously the founding CEO of the Worldwide Universities Network, HEFCE Head of Research Policy and Assistant Director R&D at Cambridge University Hospital. He spent a number of years in strategic consultancy and investment banking after completing a D.Phil and research at Oxford University.
	Doug Cole, Deputy Director of Employability, Nottingham Trent University Doug is Deputy Director of Employability at Nottingham Trent University, prior to this he spent three years with the Higher Education Academy focused around developing strategic approaches to employability and student success. In 2012 Doug developed the concept of a national framework for embedding employability to support institutions in developing graduates with the qualities and characteristics that are vital for success, not only in securing employment, but more broadly in life too. In 2013 Doug co-authored the Higher Education Academy publication; Defining & developing your approach to employability: A framework for higher education institutions with Maureen Tibby.
	Dr Paul Marshall, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Careers and Enterprise), University of East London Dr. Paul Marshall took up the role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Careers and Enterprise) in May 2019. Paul champions, develops and leads the delivery of the University's Vision 2028 'Future Professional' and International strategic objectives. Dr Marshall has more than 25 years senior level experience in Higher Education management at including former roles as Executive Director of the 1994 Group of Universities and Chief Executive of the Chartered Association of Business Schools.
	Lisa Umenyiora, Executive Director of Careers, Imperial College Business School Lisa Umenyiora is the Executive Director of Careers at Imperial College Business School which supports 1,500 MSc students and 600 MBAs. She is responsible for the strategy and leadership of the Careers department, including Careers Consulting, Employer Relations, Information Resources and Global Skills Development. Lisa is a senior leader with over 15 years' experience within higher education and career services who thrives on creating impact by bringing structure to chaos, creating high performing teams, and driving new initiatives forward. Prior to joining Careers, Lisa ran the Finance suite of MSc programmes at the School focusing on programme strategy and managing change to double the portfolio of programmes, build student numbers and increase students' careers success. Lisa holds a BSc in Social Anthropology, a Diploma in Leadership & Management, and has a coaching qualification.

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International graduate employability: Making good on the promise

Overview

The conference

Why should you attend?

Who should attend?

Agenda

​09.55 – 10.00

​Welcome from the Chair

​10.00 – 10.15

​Lord Karan Bilimoria: from international student to international employer

​10.15 – 10.45

​The global picture: how study destinations around the world support international graduate employability

10.45 – 11.30

​Beyond post-study work: what’s next for international graduate employability?

​11.30 – 11.50

Refreshment break

​11.50 – 12.50

​Morning breakout sessions

​Making the local global: engaging local employers

​The international student perspective

​What does the data say?

​12.50 – 13.50

​Lunch

​13.50 – 14.50

​Afternoon breakout sessions

​Tailor-made: matching careers advice and guidance to international students’ needs

​Engaging international employers

​Global networks: alumni engagement and international employability

​14.50 – 15.10

​Refreshment break

​15.10 – 15.30

Making good on the promise: recommendations for change

​​15.30 - 15.50

​Address from the Minister

​​15.50 – 16.35

​Making international employability a strategic priority

​16.35

​Closing remarks

Speaker Biographies

​Amy Baker, CEO, The PIE News

​Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chairman, Cobra Beer

​Brett Berquist, Director International, University of Auckland

​Kate O'Hara, Talent Acquisition Lead Early Careers, Dyson

​Maria Forrest, Overseas Graduate Recruitment Lead, KPMG

​Harry Anderson, Senior Policy Adviser, Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

​Saskia Loer Hansen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement, Aston University

​Rachel McIntosh, Head of Professional and Postgraduate Employability, Aston University

​Janet Woolnough, Careers Advisor, Portsmouth University

​Luke Hahn, Employment Advisor, Portsmouth University

​Anne Marie Graham, Chief Executive, UKCISA

​Riddi Viswanathan, Overseas Representative for International Students, NUS

​Erica Ramos, Vice President, Union Development, NUS

​Ian Wong, Elected Member of NEC, NUS

​Louise Nicol, Founder and Director, Asia Careers Group

​Robin Hallows, Principal Consultant, iGraduate

​Zoe Marlow, Head of Client Relations (Education), Sannam S4

​Esther de Perlaky, International Employability Manager, University of Warwick

​Gail Angus, Careers Manager, University of Glasgow

​Helen Atkinson, Careers Consultant, Newcastle University

​David Gee, Founder, GradLink UK

​Paul Blackmore, Divisional Head, Student Employability and Academic Success, University of Exeter

​Stuart Johnson, Director of Careers Service, University of Bristol

​Jonathan Goode, Head of Alumni Relations, Bournemouth University

​Charlotte Richards, Alumni Networks Manager, University of Oxford

​Jamie Arrowsmith, Assistant Director, Policy, Universities UK International

​Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation

​Dr David Pilsbury, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International Development), Coventry University

​Doug Cole, Deputy Director of Employability, Nottingham Trent University

​Dr Paul Marshall, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Careers and Enterprise), University of East London

​​Lisa Umenyiora, Executive Director of Careers, Imperial College Business School

​Delivered in partnership with:

Esther Dudley

Blog

Funding for adult learners will boost the UK's economic recovery

How university careers services are supporting graduates through Covid-19

News

Majority of adult learners would upskill at university if given the chance

New guidance can ensure universities protect and develop international partnerships

09.55 – 10.00

Welcome from the Chair

10.00 – 10.15

Lord Karan Bilimoria: from international student to international employer

10.15 – 10.45

The global picture: how study destinations around the world support international graduate employability

Beyond post-study work: what’s next for international graduate employability?

11.30 – 11.50

11.50 – 12.50

Morning breakout sessions

Making the local global: engaging local employers

The international student perspective

What does the data say?

12.50 – 13.50

Lunch

13.50 – 14.50

Afternoon breakout sessions

Tailor-made: matching careers advice and guidance to international students’ needs

Engaging international employers

Global networks: alumni engagement and international employability

14.50 – 15.10

Refreshment break

15.10 – 15.30

15.30 - 15.50

Address from the Minister

15.50 – 16.35

Making international employability a strategic priority

16.35

Closing remarks

Amy Baker, CEO, The PIE News

Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chairman, Cobra Beer

Brett Berquist, Director International, University of Auckland

Kate O'Hara, Talent Acquisition Lead Early Careers, Dyson

Maria Forrest, Overseas Graduate Recruitment Lead, KPMG

Harry Anderson, Senior Policy Adviser, Confederation of British Industry (CBI)

Saskia Loer Hansen, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement, Aston University

Rachel McIntosh, Head of Professional and Postgraduate Employability, Aston University

Janet Woolnough, Careers Advisor, Portsmouth University

Luke Hahn, Employment Advisor, Portsmouth University

Anne Marie Graham, Chief Executive, UKCISA

Riddi Viswanathan, Overseas Representative for International Students, NUS

Erica Ramos, Vice President, Union Development, NUS

Ian Wong, Elected Member of NEC, NUS

Louise Nicol, Founder and Director, Asia Careers Group

Robin Hallows, Principal Consultant, iGraduate

Zoe Marlow, Head of Client Relations (Education), Sannam S4

Esther de Perlaky, International Employability Manager, University of Warwick

Gail Angus, Careers Manager, University of Glasgow

Helen Atkinson, Careers Consultant, Newcastle University

David Gee, Founder, GradLink UK

Paul Blackmore, Divisional Head, Student Employability and Academic Success, University of Exeter

Stuart Johnson, Director of Careers Service, University of Bristol

Jonathan Goode, Head of Alumni Relations, Bournemouth University

Charlotte Richards, Alumni Networks Manager, University of Oxford

Jamie Arrowsmith, Assistant Director, Policy, Universities UK International

Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation

Dr David Pilsbury, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International Development), Coventry University

Doug Cole, Deputy Director of Employability, Nottingham Trent University

Dr Paul Marshall, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Careers and Enterprise), University of East London

Lisa Umenyiora, Executive Director of Careers, Imperial College Business School

Delivered in partnership with: