2021 and 2022 Nuffield Ireland Scholars travel to CSC 2022 in Norwich, UK

Nuffield Scholars on the road again!

Nuffield Ireland 2021 and 2022 Scholars who will travel to Norwich for the 2022 CSC on 7th March 2022: l to r, Aoife Feeney, Pat Collins, Ray Ó Foghlú, Lance Woods, Brendan Crosse, David Dolan, Alex Eivers and Brian McCarthy

Attendees at the March 2020 Nuffield International Contemporary Scholars Conference in Brisbane, the last in-person Nuffield gathering since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic

For what will be their first in person travel in two years, the 2021 and 2022 Irish Nuffield Scholars will be attending the 2022 Nuffield International Contemporary Scholars’ Conference (CSC) from 7th to 15th March in Norwich, UK.

A packed one-week programme of learning, personal development and networking awaits them. They will be meeting with the over 100 Scholars selected in 2021 and 2022, their contemporaries from all over the Nuffield International world.

“In the last two years, our Scholars have had a very challenging time, with limits to their ability to travel and carry out their research. We see this year as hopefully a return to more normalised opportunities to learn from and exchange with agri-stakeholders and fellow Scholars worldwide,” Chairperson Karen Brosnan said.

Joe Leonard, Nuffield Ireland Vice-Chairman and Nuffield International Board Member will be travelling with the Irish Scholars to the CSC. He added: “The Nuffield Scholarship programme is an exacting two-year journey of learning and leadership development which is heavily dependent on international travel and in person connection. The CSC, after our February briefing day, is the first real step in this programme for our new Scholars. They will start to broaden their horizon by networking with global leaders in agribusiness and fellow Scholars, to gain an appreciation of the perspective of others, from different cultural and professional backgrounds.”

The CSC gathers all the Scholars from Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Japan, Canada, the US, Brazil and many more associated countries. The week-long packed programme includes presentations on global agriculture, workshops on new technology and science in the agri-food sector, visits to local food businesses and agricultural research facilities in Norfolk. Scholars will be challenged to participate actively daily, introducing their own country’s agriculture and taking responsibility to lead debates and round tables. They will participate in a Design Sprint at the Norwich Research Park to develop and articulate proposals on agricultural policy in times of climate change and geopolitical strife in advance of engagements with farming and food leaders, policy decision makers and legislators on the last day in Westminster.

Nuffield Ireland Executive Catherine Lascurettes, who will also travel with the Scholars, concluded: “This will be an exceptional opportunity for our Scholars, and we all look forward to meeting the Nuffield International community, challenging ourselves intellectually and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone! Do keep an eye on our social media channels, especially Twitter and LinkedIn, for updates during the programme!”