Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 2014: Sir Patrick Stewart to speak at launch

Sir Patrick Stewart, OBE, is to speak at the launch of the 2014 Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 rankings in Miami.

Sir Patrick, an actor famous for roles such as Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies and Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, is the chancellor of the University of Huddersfield. Huddersfield, which obtained its university status in 1992, is located in the county of Yorkshire in the North of England, where Sir Patrick was born and brought up.
 
Sir Patrick will open the special launch session of the 2014 THE 100 Under 50 rankings at the Going Global conference at 17.00 on 30 April, at the Miami Beach Convention Centre, with a speech on the new breed of young institutions which are “not encrusted by age or tradition but which are quick on their feet, hungry to play a key role in the global research community and responsive to the needs of industry and the economy”.

The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 rankings 2014 – listing the world’s top 100 universities under 50 years old – will be published on 30 April 2014.

The 100 Under 50 rankings 2014 results will be formally unveiled at a special session at the British Council’s Going Global conference in Miami at the same time as their worldwide online release – 21.00 GMT (16.00 EST).

“The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 rankings give us a glimpse into the future,” said Phil Baty, THE’s rankings editor. “By examining the performance of the world's top 100 research-led institutions under 50 years old, they look at those institutions who have risen to world-class status in a matter of years and those showing the most potential to be future world leaders - while their competitors have often had many centuries of development.

“This will be the third year we have published the annual rankings and they have already become firmly established on the academic calendar – offering a valuable insight into an exciting new breed of global institutions,” he added. “We are delighted to be launching the rankings at Going Global, one of the most important global gatherings in international higher education.”

The Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 rankings 2014 launch will be complemented by the inaugural THE Young Universities Summit which will take place in Miami on 28 April 2014, before the opening of Going Global.

The THE Young Universities Summit, in partnership with the UK’s Plymouth University, will be the world’s first major global gathering dedicated to the challenges and opportunities faced specifically by young institutions – those under 50 years old.

As well as providing networking opportunities, the free summit will address a number of key issues:

• How can young universities compete on a world stage?
• The challenges of establishing world-class universities without centuries of history and tradition
• Developing a niche research strategy
• Leadership challenges for less established universities
• Funding and the pursuit of excellence
• Distinctiveness and brand in a competitive global market

The THE Young Universities Summit is FREE to attend, by invitation only.
To register your interest in attending, please contact:
claire.margetts@timeshighereducation.co.uk