Confronting global challenges - leadership, innovation, technology

Industrial Symposium: 16th and 17th September 2010, the Møller Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge, UK

Background to the Symposium

Organised by the University of Cambridge Centre for Technology Management, this annual two day Symposium, now in its sixteenth year, is a firm fixture for those at the forefront of new ideas and practical application in the field. Aimed principally at an audience of senior technology and innovation managers from companies of all sizes, it draws on leading practice and research to address the current key issues in an international context.

This year's theme:

Confronting global challenges: Leadership, innovation, technology

Significant challenges face all the world’s leading economies, with implications for the future health and prosperity of mankind. Key amongst these challenges are renewable energy sources, healthcare and mobility. These, and other related issues, have been identified by many nations as requiring an urgent response if a good quality of life is to be maintained and extended around the globe. This response is highly dependent on the leadership, innovation and technology provided by the industrial, political and academic communities – and makes great demands on their creativity.

The Symposium will explore the ways pioneering organisations and the leading researchers are responding to these issues, with inspiring examples of the wide variety of human ingenuity that is being applied. Clean technologies contribute towards sustainable energy goals, radical new transport solutions are under development, and medical practice will have to change in order to deal with escalating demand and costs. None of these challenges exists in isolation, all potential solutions face resource constraints and initiatives often cross link in search of viable ways forward.

The programme will draw on current research at the Institute for Manufacturing and elsewhere, while providing insights from industrial, academic and governmental perspectives. Invited speakers from leading external organisations will explain how they are seeking new business opportunities while addressing these challenges.

The Symposium aims to highlight the key lessons that can guide managers, policy makers and researchers through these challenging times.

Structure of the event

The Symposium is limited to about 100 participants in order to retain open discussion and a good networking atmosphere. The programme is a mixture of keynote plenary presentation from leading international figures in innovation and technology management, case study sessions providing more opportunity to discuss particular company experiences in a more informal setting, and small group workshops which give access to some of the latest practical research findings.

Venue

The Møller Centre is conveniently situated in the grounds of Churchill College, and has the benefit of on-site parking. It provides up to date conference facilities providing a versatile range of meeting and work rooms, with overnight accommodation and excellent catering. The Symposium dinner on Thursday evening is the key social event in the programme, and guests are welcome.