Young international talents meet at IE University to examine the influence of higher education on the current global situation

Sixteen young people from different schools operating in different education systems around the world are at the IE University centers in Madrid and Segovia to exchange ideas about the current global situation and how universities should adapt to the current scenario.

Now in its ninth edition, the Junior Advisory Board 2017 is comprised of pre-university students selected from a group of young people from a total of 49 countries around the world for their extraordinary profile, their academic achievements, and their command of different disciplines, coupled with a firm commitment to humanistic values. IE’s thirty international offices distributed worldwide played an active role in the selection process.

Students taking part in this year’s edition are from countries that include Japan, China, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Turkey, Mozambique, Belgium, South Africa, Brazil, America, Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Ukraine, and Germany.

The key objective of the Junior Advisory Board meeting is to glean young talents’ vision of the academic world and consider improvements that can be made in the field of university education. In particular, the Spain-based meeting asks the young board members about the kind of tools a university should provide to enable students to meet challenges posed by the current socio-political context.

During this week students are taking part in a series of workshops and classes led by IE University professors and experts and focused on a range of areas related to the influence of higher education on the current global situation, ranging from entrepreneurship and innovation, to politics, education and critical thought.  The students will also visit key monuments in both cities to experience Spanish culture in depth.

Finally, the 16 members of the Junior Advisory Board 2017 will present their conclusions to IE University’s Management Committee. Their finding will be based on the knowledge acquired during their stay in Spain as well as their personal experience.

The organizers of the initiative say that IE University is aware that it is essential to keep abreast of young peoples’ educational needs. “It’s the only way to innovate and create new and better programs that educate students not only in the academic sense of the word but which also provide an integrated education.”