Where we've been
As the Official Partner of the Queen’s Baton Relay, International Sector, we are celebrating our rich commonwealth connections in research and education through a programme of events and activities, including academic workshops, seminars and receptions, in partnership with government, education and business in key countries along the route of the relay.
Nigeria 16-17 October 2021
Along with academics from a number of partner research institutions in Nigeria, University of Birmingham academics participated in a webinar discussing Nigerian leadership in global challenges focusing on environment, democracy & security, and health.
Sport challenges us to be our best selves and I want to be a role model for children around the world. I love my successes in sport and being the University of Birmingham’s Batonbearer in Nigeria is the icing on the cake.
Abaiola Joy Jonathan, University of Birmingham Batonbearer in Nigeria
Zambia 20-21 November 2021
When the Baton visited Zambia it was presented to the newly elected President, Hakainde Hichilema, University of Birmingham MBA alumnus with close ties to the University of Birmingham.
India 12-15 January 2022
Highlights included a panel discussion organised in partnership with the British High Commission, which brought together accomplished women in STEMM from both Birmingham and India to discuss the best ways of attracting and retaining women in STEMM careers. In partnership with Sports Authority of India, our school of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences also hosted a symposium on applied sports science for performance, which attracted over 300 attendees.
The University’s scientists are really inspirational – they are living my dream of finding solutions to the big challenges that we face.
Vinisha Umashankar, University of Birmingham Batonbearer in India
Singapore 17-19 January 2022
Hosted at our partner institution, Singapore Institute of Management, panel members representing sports, global sports business, app driven start-ups and social media giants convened to examine the impact of digitisation on sports, fitness and wellness. Our School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Science co-hosted an insightful symposium with partner institution Nanyang Technological University, on applied research to improve sports science performance with speakers from both institutions and representatives from major sporting bodies in Singapore.
Malaysia 22-24 January 2022
In partnership with our partner institution Taylor’s University, we co-hosted a roundtable on engineering and sustainability where academics from both institutions, businesses and policy makers came together to discuss challenges that engineering faces for sustainability, what role engineers can play in sustainability economic, environmental and social impact of sustainable engineering.
Australia 17-20 March 2022
Australia, we celebrated our partnership with the University of Melbourne by organising a student-focussed Batonbearer activation on their iconic campus. Seven outstanding students and alumni were chosen to be Batonbearers including a Raymond Priestley Scholar, exchange students and alumni, and University of Melbourne elite athletes and aspiring Commonwealth Games 2022 participants. The event was attended by the Deputy British Consul General. A series of virtual academic events were organised including a virtual academic panel discussion in youth mental health and an academic debate on the role of character in sport through our Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues.
Jamaica 15-17 April 2022
The visit of the Baton to Jamaica coincided with a University of Birmingham – University of Technology (UTech) symposium on Railway Engineering held on UTech’s campus in Kingston. The delegation was led by Professor Clive Roberts and our Batonbearer moment consisted of an MoU signing ceremony between Utech and UoB to celebrate the historic links between the UK and Jamaica and of course to highlight the potential to collaborate for the long term within railways research and education, and more broadly speaking across engineering. Our Batonbearer was Larissa McBean, and alumnus of both UoB and Utech, who majored in Poverty, Inequality and Development. Professor Clive Roberts was also invited to the University of the West Indies headquarters to give remarks on behalf of the University of Birmingham whilst the Baton was present.
