Overview
Join Universities UK International (UUKi), a wide selection of innovative speakers, and fellow global mobility professionals at Woburn House, on 24 February 2025.
With so many questions answered and posed at Global mobility 2024, we look to continue the momentum within this growing discipline at an expanded event this coming February.
Attendees will be provided the perfect platform to discuss everything from the strategic, high-level issues facing global mobility, to the individual impact a life-changing mobility experience can have on students.
Following a day of discussion and debate, the conference will conclude with a networking reception, allowing delegates to engage and build connections with like-minded professionals.
Join fellow mobility professionals, alongside our esteemed supporting partners and exhibitors, for an unparalleled opportunity to explore the latest trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of global mobility.

We have a range of sponsorship opportunities available at our events. Please contact Donna Taibe, Head of Events and Engagement, for more information: [email protected]
This is a unique opportunity to continue to develop the exciting discipline of global mobility. This event is open to all and welcomes representatives from a variety of organisations. It would be particularly useful for leaders of international teams at UK universities and those looking to expand and develop their strategic and management skills. Job titles for those who may find the event of particular use include:
- Director of Global Engagement
- Director of Internationalisation
- Head of Study Abroad
- Head of Global Mobility
- Global Engagement Officer
- International Mobility Officer
This list is not exhaustive and Global mobility conference 2025 is open to all.
Agenda
Speakers

Lisa Beare
Deputy Head of Global Opportunities
Lisa Beare is the Deputy Head of Global Opportunities at the University of Leeds, overseeing teams that manage the University’s incoming and outgoing study abroad programmes, shorter global opportunities, Leeds International Summer School, the Turing scheme, and exchange and study abroad partnerships. With over 14 years of experience at the University, Lisa has dedicated her career to global mobility, developing opportunities and enhancing international experiences for students.

Claire Belkadi
Head of Global Partnerships
Claire Belkadi is Head of Global Partnerships at the University of Birmingham, part of the team leading the International Education strategy. Her current focus is the management of global education partners and the design of study abroad incoming programmes including summer schools. In the past, Claire was also involved in the management and design of outgoing programmes and assessing the power and impact of short-term and long-term mobility programmes. Claire holds a French ‘Grande Ecole’ business UG from GEM and a MSc in Marketing Management from the UK.

Ellie Bevan
Head of Programmes, Policy and Engagement
Ellie is the Head of Policy, Programmes and Engagement at Taith, the Welsh Government funded international learning exchange programme for Wales. Taith funds life changing international opportunities for learners and staff across Wales.
Ellie has held a range of different roles in the schools, youth and Higher Education sectors. Early in her career she worked as an outdoor education instructor and youth worker, and has subsequently held roles overseeing international operations for an overseas volunteering charity, supporting students at Leeds University and managing the Reaching Wider team at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Anna Dukes
Director of Global Engagement
Anna Dukes is Director Global Engagement at Cardiff Metropolitan University and is responsible for delivering across a range of strategic internationalisation priorities to include global partnerships, global civic mission, global student support, student and staff international mobility, and the University’s Transnational Education (TNE) provision. An experienced leader in international higher education, Anna has worked in the field for over 17 years, since graduating from the University of Exeter with a BA (Hons) Spanish with complementary Italian.
Kirsten Förster
Global Opportunities – Outbound Officer
Kirsten Förster is an Outbound Officer at Aberystwyth University, guiding students towards enriching global experiences. An alumna with a BA in European Languages, she possesses firsthand knowledge of the transformative power of international education. Kirsten advises on diverse opportunities, including study abroad, internships, and volunteering, fostering intercultural understanding and student development. Her passion lies in empowering students to embrace global citizenship and broaden their horizons.

Sarah Hosker
Global Opportunities Officer - Inbound
Sarah Hosker is the Inbound Global Opportunities Officer at Aberystwyth University, where she oversees programs for study abroad, exchange, summer school, and research internship students. Starting her career just weeks before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarah quickly adapted to the challenges of a rapidly changing global landscape and has since continued to navigate the complexities of student mobility. With a strong commitment to providing students with the best possible international experience, Sarah plays a key role in supporting and enhancing opportunities to ensure each student has a positive and enriching time abroad.

Rohit Kumar
Director, Strategic International Partnerships (Interim)
Rohit Kumar is the Director of the International Office at the University of York, overseeing international recruitment, partnerships, and mobility. With nearly two decades of experience across Higher Education and Investment Banking, he has managed projects advancing institutional strategies in the UK, US, Asia, and beyond. Previously, Rohit held leadership roles at the University of Bristol and the University of Liverpool, contributing to their global expansion. Before entering higher education, he worked in Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank across US and Asia offices. He holds an MBA from the University of Liverpool and is a Chartered Management Institute member.

Dr Anthony Manning
Dean for Global and Lifelong Learning
Dr Anthony Manning is Dean for Global and Lifelong Learning at the University of Kent, where he is responsible for leading international education and lifelong learning. Anthony has lived and worked in five countries and is also a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a National Teaching Fellow. Anthony is co-chair of the UUKi's working group for Internationalisation at Home and a passionate supporter of the internationalisation of the curriculum. He is an experienced international external examiner, the Chair of the British Accreditation Council’s Accreditation Committee and an expert member of advisory groups for the British Council and AdvanceHE.
Annette Mares-Duran
Member Engagement Manager
Annette Mares-Duran serves as the Membership Services Manager with The Forum on Education Abroad. She develops and implements strategies for membership engagement and outreach related activities.
Prior to joining The Forum, Annette was the Faculty-Led International Program Coordinator at the University of New Mexico and an elected Forum Council member. As a program leader herself, she facilitated group programs to Ecuador and Peru. As a student, she studied abroad in Spain and Nicaragua. Annette received her B.S. in Education and M.A. in Language, Literacy, & Sociocultural Studies at the University of New Mexico.

Emma Marku
Global Opportunities Manager
Emma Marku is a Global Opportunities Manager at the University of Kent and has been involved in international education for the past 15 years. In her current role Emma works closely with colleagues to identify, explore and develop new global opportunities for students that supports Internationalisation at Home initiatives. These include the management and coordination of Kent’s Global Officer Leadership Development Programme, International Student Advisory Board and Virtual Mobility/Exchange activities. Emma co-chairs the UUKi’s working group for Internationalisation at Home, is a staff sustainability champion at the University of Kent, and a member of the Association of Higher Education Professionals, participating in their Student Experience and Engagement, Partnerships, and International HE networks.

Professor James Miller
Principal & Vice Chancellor
Professor James Miller FRSE became Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West of Scotland in November 2022, the first nurse in Scotland to hold such a position. Starting as a clinical nurse in Edinburgh, he has held senior healthcare roles, including Deputy Director of Nursing and Divisional General Manager, and pursued advanced education at Abertay, Edinburgh Napier, and Edinburgh universities, as well as Harvard.
Formerly Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University, he is a published scholar, educator, and reviewer.
In 2023, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and serves on prominent academic and charitable boards.

Iona Murdoch
Policy Advisor Global Mobility
Iona is a Policy Advisor on Global Mobility at UUKi, with experience in the international student experience and years of involvement in the mobility space. She is dedicated to fostering global connections and inclusive sustainable practices in higher education, advocating for the value of cultural exchange and the benefits of all forms of mobility. Alongside her work, Iona delivers freelance training in intercultural dialogue and cross-cultural communication.

Ben Oldham
Head of Global Opportunities
Ben Oldham is the Head of Global Opportunities at the University of Leeds. He oversees a diverse portfolio of local, national and international experiences for students that empower them to become active global citizens and future leaders. Ben is responsible for developing partnerships across a global network to create collaborations and experiential learning opportunities that support the curriculum at Leeds. These efforts equip students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to contribute to positive change in the world.

Nanna Pedley
Placements & International Programmes Officer
As a Project Officer in the Placements & International Programmes Office at the University of Manchester, Nanna is responsible for Monitoring & Evaluation and has developed an Evaluation Framework to define and measure the expected outcomes and impacts of the University’s mobility programmes. Nanna has over 20 years’ experience in higher education, having worked in roles across student mobility, international student recruitment, marketing and communications and international admissions. She currently also holds the position of Marketing & Communications Officer on the committee of Butex, the UK member association for student mobility professionals.

Dr Jacqueline Priego
Interim Associate Dean, Global Engagement
Dr Jacqueline Priego is a social psychologist with a keen interest and experience in creative research methods and in research skills acquisition. Her most recent project is titled ‘TNE as capacity strengthening: Social research methods for sustainable development’, funded by the British Council and delivered in collaboration with FLACSO-Mexico. Jacqueline is a chartered member and associate fellow of the British Psychological Society, and a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Having progressively attained leadership roles in international higher education, Jacqueline is the Associate Dean (Global Engagement) in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Portsmouth.

Charley Robinson
Head of Global Mobility
Charley works in UUKI’s policy and global engagement team on our international student recruitment and outward student mobility policy and programmes. She has worked in universities in roles covering international student recruitment, partnerships, and outward mobility since 2007, most recently as Head of International at Goldsmiths University of London. She was previously on the British Universities International Liaison executive and chaired the China Regional Interest Group.

Dr Caroline Whitehand
Manager, Placements and International Programmes Office
Caroline has led the International Programmes portfolio for The University of Manchester since 2005 and worked in international education for over 25 years. She has oversight for the planning/governance of all UK and international placements including the University’s International Exchanges, Overseas Summer Schools and International Research Placements. Caroline leads the University’s bids for external funding and co-ordinates risk and emergency response for overseas mobility. She holds a BSc(Hons) in Geography and Psychology, a PhD in International Development (Geography), and Postgraduate Certificates in Teaching in Higher Education and Higher Education Marketing. She has studied/undertaken field research in both Canada and Nepal.
Breakouts
This year's Global Mobility Conference will showcase exciting breakout sessions led by prominent voices from our member institutions. These sessions will highlight their expertise and share case studies on innovative mobility programs, strategies for widening participation, and the impact of international placements on student outcomes.
Join us to gain valuable insights from their experiences!

Global experiential learning at the University of Leeds
This session will introduce an exciting initiative at the University of Leeds which offers students unique opportunities to engage in global experiential learning programmes, particularly for those from underrepresented backgrounds (URBs). The scheme is supported by Footsteps Funding (alumni donor funding) and the Turing Scheme.
You will explore the integration of experiential learning techniques and leadership skills frameworks, illustrating how these programmes provide cultural immersion and foster global citizenship and employability skills, as well as exploring a creative approach to applying for funding. Join this session to discover how the University of Leeds is widening participation, enhancing the student experience, and supporting strategic educational and international objectives through global experiential learning.
Evaluating the impact of international mobility programmes on student outcomes
Evaluating the impact of international mobility programmes is often overlooked amid day-to-day operational pressures. However, with an ever-growing focus on employability, pressure on student finances, and tightening of university budgets, mobility teams must demonstrate the value of international placements to students, funding bodies and university leaders.
Join colleagues from the University of Manchester as they give an overview of their International Placements Evaluation Framework and share the results of their 2023/2024 evaluation. The evaluation focuses on student outcomes, including academic and independent learning skills, intercultural competence and employability skills and compares these across different placement types and student demographics to help inform future investment and planning.
Assessing the power and impact of short-term mobility
Five years have passed since the University of Birmingham’s innovative short-term mobility programme for students from underrepresented backgrounds. As part of the programme, 25 first-year students meeting widening participation criteria joined students from the University of Nottingham and the University of Hong Kong for a week-long global leadership programme in Hong Kong.
Join this interactive session to learn more about these students’ experiences, the impact on their degrees and employment prospects, and how short-term mobility compares to longer-term experiences. You will hear directly from participating students and discuss with the University of Birmingham how to create mobility programmes for underrepresented students.
Aftercare: the importance of post-mobility support
Studying or working abroad is transformative for students. However, the importance of post-mobility support is often underemphasised. This session will highlight the importance of structured post-mobility support to help students reintegrate into their home/university environments and turn their time abroad into lasting advantage.
Join colleagues from Aberystwyth University to explore reintegration challenges (reverse culture shock, the feeling of dual identities and difficulties readjusting to home/university life), leveraging international experiences (guidance for students to effectively articulate international experiences’ value to employers and in postgraduate applications), and career development (how students can make the most of their experiences for professional growth).
Reimagining global opportunities: a continuum approach to student internationalisation
Drawing from the University of Kent's Global Learning Opportunities framework, this session will explore how institutions can create an interconnected ecosystem of international experiences that is visible and accessible to all students, with a particular focus on widening participation.
Join this session to harness tools in the UUKi Internationalisation at Home Handbook to support systematic practice, gain practical insights on identifying and implementing flexible, inclusive global mobility opportunities, and discuss how to measure impact across a diverse spectrum of global opportunities. You will leave with practical tools, templates, and strategies to help you implement a continuum approach at your institution.
Students as global researchers: the University of Portsmouth’s Junior Research Associate scheme
This session explores the rewards and challenges of enabling mobilities to strengthen global research capacity among students, using the Junior Research Associate (JRA) scheme as a case study. Drawing on the students-as-researchers pedagogy (Walkington, 2016), the JRA scheme offers four-week research placements to final-year undergraduate and postgraduate taught students. JRAs are hosted and supervised by academics at the University of Portsmouth’s global partner universities.
Join this session to discover how to turn the following challenges into learning opportunities when implementing such mobility schemes: adapting to the evolving mobility funding landscape; alignment with students’ varied commitments; and supporting student researchers when navigating multiple migration systems.
Group bookings
We are offering a group discount for delegates attending from one institution.
Group bookings for UUK/UUKi members:
- For three: £877.50
- (10% discount applied to £975)
- For four: £1105
- (15% discount applied to £1,300)
- For five: £1300
- (20% discount applied to £1,625)
- For more than five: will receive 20% discount
Not sure if you’re a member? Check the list on our webpage.
Group bookings for Not-for-profit:
- For three: £985.50
- For four: £1,241
- For five: £1,460
- For more than five: will receive %20 discount
Group bookings for Standard:
- For three: £1,147.50
- For four: £1,445
- For five: £1,700
- For more than five: will receive %20 discount
Please note, this event is exempt from VAT.
Blogs
1. The global opportunities framework: making room for all at the table
- Co-authored by Emma Marku, Global Opportunities Manager, University of Kent, and Dr. Anthony Manning, Dean for Global & Lifelong Learning, University of Kent
2. Why post-mobility support matters for students
- Kirsten Förster, Global Opportunities – Outbound Officer at Aberystwyth University
3. Student mobility trends: who really studies abroad, and why?
- Iona Murdoch, Policy Advisor for Global Mobility at Universities UK International
4. Global experiential learning: a pathway to inclusive international education
- Lisa Beare, Deputy Head of Global Opportunities at the University of Leeds