I want to talk about two events which apparently have little in common. The first is the sixth Conference of Romanian Students, Professors and Researchers in the UK hosted by our Embassy last Saturday.
Ion Jinga, ambasadorul Romaniei la Londra, scrie, intr-un articol publicat in The Telegraph, despre cea de-a 6-a Conferinta a studentilor, profesorilor si cercetatorilor romani, gazduita sambata trecuta de Ambasada Romaniei in capitala Marii Britanii. Conferinta de anul acesta a avut ca tema "2014 – Valorile romanesti din Marea Britanie", tara in care se afla 6.000 de studenti romani, plus profesori si cercetatori, potrivit lui Ion Jinga. "Le-am spus participantilor la conferinta ca ei sunt ca un pod intre Romania si Marea Britanie si ca au sansa sa studieze sau sa lucreze la unele dintre cele mai bune universitati din lume. Le-am mai spus ca sper ca nu vor folosi aceasta sansa doar pentru ei, ci si pentru Marea Britanie si pentru Romania – tara de unde ei vin si unde sper ca se vor intoarce intr-o zi", scrie Ion Jinga in The Telegraph.
Ion Jinga anunta si o cooperare intre politistii romani si cei britanici: "Astazi am primit in biroul meu 8 ofiteri romani de Politie care au venit la Londra pentru a colabora cu Politia metropolitana intr-un proiect numit Nexus. Londra este un mediu multicultural, iar Politia metropolitana a invitat cateva tari sa ia parte la proiectul de creare a primei echipe multinationale de politisti. Romania a fost prima tara care a raspuns pozitiv invitatiei."
un articol publicat in The Telegraph:
There are 6,000 Romanian students in the UK. Young Romanians come to study in British universities because some of the best universities in the world are located in the UK and many Romanian students are among the brightest in the world, so obviously these valuable brains are wanted by the British universities. Needless to say they pay fees in order to study here.
There are also hundreds of Romanian professors and researchers in British universities, developing projects in areas such as lasers, medicine (a new treatment for the Alzheimer disease), or even teleportation of sub-atomic particles.
This year the conference topic was “2014: Romanian values in the UK”. It brought together a part of the Romanian elite in the UK and prominent British speakers: Bill Rammell – Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire and former Minister of State for Higher Education, Anne Marie Martin – Chief Executive of the Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe, Dr. Nigel Townson – Director of the British Council Romania, Ray Breden – Executive Chairman of the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce.
In previous editions we had Lord Norman Lamont, Lord Quentin Davies, Lord Alan Watson, Keith Vaz MP, Greg Hands MP, Dame Julia Cleverdon, as well as top business leaders: Sir George Iacobescu – Chairman of the Canary Wharf, Nick Anstee – former Lord Mayor of the City of London. The Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee in the House of Commons noted that this conference is probably unique among all foreign communities in the UK…
Speaking about the UK Universities and Internationalization, Vice-Chancellor Bill Rammell acknowledged that “Students from Romania – and there are more 250 in our university – perform exceptionally well”. COBCOE’ Chief Executive spoke about “Lies, damned lies, and statistics”, dismantling misguided stereotypes about Romanians in the UK. Dr. Nigel Townson’s topic was “The long and Winding Road – 75 Years of the British Council in Romania”. Yes, the British Council is settled in Romania since 1938…
