Lord Watson of Richmond greeted the presence of the Romanian students in the UK, emphasizing on the importance of globalising the activities of the education institutions which led to the students’ mobility and freedom of movement: “Mobility is the key to success in a globalised society.” English is the “catalyst which brings societies closer, contributing to the exchange of ideas and opinions, and amplifying the chances of growth and development of a nation.”

In today’s fast moving and knowledge-based environment, the challenge of retention and development of people could not be higher, nor could the need for a fully prepared, well trained and talented workforce. Over the last few years leading up to the more recent sombre growth rates, Romania has witnessed record levels of economic development and growth and with these, opportunities have created a more diverse suite of career options. We have for the first time in many eons see greater importance in Romania being placed on previously less obvious domains such as the voluntary sector, health, hospitality & tourism, business services, retail, training and development of people. The annual Student Conference first introduced in London in 2008 has set a precedent for a focussed forum of information exchange, knowledge transfer and debate for the many bright and talented representatives of Romania walking the corridors of the UK’s academic institutions, and the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce is a proud partner of this proactive and innovative approach to encouraging Romanian students in the UK to develop, discuss and implement some their many ideas.