The world in 2113: what will it be like, how can we prepare? 

Thursday 8 - Monday 12 August 2013
Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park, United Kingdom

The Commonwealth Residential School was instigated by the ACU in 2011. It aims to provide a forum to bring together high quality students from every corner of the Commonwealth to discuss interdisciplinary issues of global importance.

A key element of the School is its desire to mix students who have studied overseas with those who have never had the opportunity to leave their own regions. The inaugural School was held at the University of Buea, Cameroon, in July 2011. The 2012 School was hosted by the University of Botswana.

In 2013, the United Kingdom will host the School for the first time. Since it will coincide with the ACU's Centenary, delegates will consider what the world might be like in another 100 years, and what measures society needs to put in place to anticipate this.

Our keynote speaker is Rolph Poyet, who is the Minister of Environment and Energy, Seychelles; a lead author with the IPCC (who were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007); and a former Commonwealth Scholar.

Topics might include:

• Keynote speech – Will there be a world in a hundred years' time?
• The world economy – Where will power lie in a hundred years' time?
• International relations – Will there be a Commonwealth in a hundred years' time?
• Education and training – What skills will society need in a hundred years' time?
• Science and technology – What will be the main innovations in the next century?
• Communications – How will we keep in touch and what will the implications be?
• Faith – Will religion enhance or restrict our lives in the next century?
• Demography – What will the population be like in a hundred years' time?
• Gender – Is a hundred years too soon to expect gender equity?

Who can attend?

The School is open to those engaged on postgraduate courses at ACU member universities, or currently in their final year of undergraduate studies at such universities.

Home | Programme | Speakers | Application | Costs & Bursaries | Venues | FAQs