Warwick International Development Summit

The Warwick International Development Summit (WIDS) is an annual, weekend-long conference organised and run by the International Development Society at the University of Warwick. Normally taking place during the first term, WIDS has attracted hundreds of internal and external students, professionals and academics, from a wide range of disciplines. The Summit aims to encourage critical debate and exchange of ideas between different stakeholders in development, as well as raising awareness of development issues and plausible solutions for such global concerns.
International Development encompasses is a central topic addressed by the social sciences department at the University of Warwick, and thus past summits have aimed to address issues covering a range of disciplines, including economics, sociology and international politics. Recent summits have expanded to respect work done in the field of engineering towards development.
Origins
In 2006, James Clarke founded the International Development Society at the University of Warwick with the intention of raising awareness to debates in the field of development that were not given enough attention or were only discussed from a biased angle.

"WIDS was established because there didn't seem to be an adequate platform to explore issues of utmost importance for the global poor. The emphasis on development has waned in the wake of the Make Poverty History campaign, and public attention has been re-focused onto disaster relief following the Boxing Day Tsunami".
- James Clarke, WIDS Founder and President, 2006.

Since its inception the inaugural summit has attracted over 3,000 visitors, with high-profile speakers from 6 continents. WIDS was named Best New Society at the Warwick Student's Union awards for their work in 2006. The summit has continued to grow rapidly, and has since developed into an internationally recognised event, attracting students all over the UK and Europe.
Partnerships
The Summit in the past has promoted and worked with:
* Global Poverty Project
* World Vision
* One Water
* Development in Action
* Wateraid
* Colalife
* Engineers Without Borders
* AIESEC at the University of Warwick
* Right to Play
* 10:10
Format
The Summit features around 15-20 speakers during the weekend event, with a mix of speeches, panel debates, forums and workshops. The summit is held annually in the Zeeman Building, University of Warwick, typically in November.
To see the schedule of last year's Summit, please click here.
Gallery
Notable speakers
WIDS has always aimed to seek some of the leading figures in the field of international development as speakers and panelists. Notable past guests include:
* Branko Milanovic, Lead Economist, World Bank
* Peter Eigen, Founder, Transparency International
* Jon Sopel, Presenter and Correspondent, BBC
* Katherine Nightingale, Senior Research and Policy Officer, Christian Aid
* Duncan Green, Head of Research, Oxfam
* Valerie Msoka, UNMIS
* Dr. Anke Hoeffler, Research Officer, Centre for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University
* Julia Bucknall, Manager of the Central Unit for Water, World Bank
* Michael John Foster MP, Department for International Development
* Sir Richard Jolly, Director of the Institute of Development Studies
* Hugh Bredenkamp, Deputy Director of the International Monetary Fund Strategy, Policy and Review Department
* Patrick Low, Chief Economist, World Trade Organization
* George Assaf, United Nations Industrial Development Organization
* Patrick Watt, Head of Public Affairs and Campaigns, World Vision
Reception
"A great mechanism for global awareness and engagement".
:The Guardian
"Superbly executed, the most refreshing and stimulating event, with so many bright and engaged people".
:Jon Sopel, BBC correspondent and host of The Politics Show
"n excellent conference ... the turnout was great and people took the topic seriously and were keen to discuss it".
:Branko Milanovic, Lead Economist, World Bank
To date have attracted nearly three thousand people. Whilst during the summits the committee make sure that all sponsorships, advertising, partnerships and summit paraphernalia are all Fairtrade, of organic certification and are corporate and socially responsible.
Previous summits
2011
Theme: Ideas for a Better World
Key speakers:
* Branko Milanovic, Lead Economist, World Bank
* Peter Eigen, Founder, Transparency International
* John Hilary, Executive Director, War on Want
* Jon Sopel, Presenter & Correspondent, BBC
* Nic Marks, Founder, Centre of Well-being, New Economics Foundation
* Jonathan Glennie, Research fellow & Author, ODI
2010
Theme: Resources, Crisis and Conflict: facing up to the new decade
Key speakers:
* Katherine Nightingale, Senior Research & Policy Officer, Christian Aid
* Muzzafar Khan, Director, Space Energy AG
* Dr. Anke Hoeffler, Centre for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University
* Dr. John Hancock, World Trade Organization
* Valerie Msoka, UN Mission to Sudan (UNMIS)
* Claude Clemenz, Senior Research Analyst, OPEC
* Julia Bucknall, Manager - Water Anchor, World Bank
2009
Theme: Development for the Modern Age: Crisis, Climate and Cooperation
Key speakers:
* Michael John Foster MP,
* Andrew Mold, Senior Economist, OECD
* George Assaf, United Nations Industrial Development Organization
* Hugh Bredenkamp, Deputy Director of the International Monetary Fund Strategy, Policy and Review Department
2008
Theme: Contributions to Development: Help or Hinderance?
Key speakers:
* Philippe Guichandut, European Microfinance Network
* Mark Narron, Associate Global Social Investment Funds, Deutsche Bank
* Patrick Watt, Head of Public Affairs and Campaigns, World Vision
2007
Theme: The Role of Global Governance in International Development
Key Speakers:
* Patrick Low, Chief Economist, World Trade Organization
* Duncan Green, Head of Research, Oxfam
* Ndioro Ndiaye, Deputy General Secretary, International Organisation of Migration
2006
(no fixed theme)
Key Speakers:
* Sir Richard Jolly, Director of the Institute of Development Studies
* Richard Barker, General Director, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
* Ransford Smith, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General
Post-summit magazine
After the summit, the International Development Society executive committee release a magazine offering an in-depth coverage of issues raised during the weekend.
* [http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1uox0/NewDevelopmentAfrica/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ffree.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F436638%2FNew-Development---Africa-in-Focus 2011 Winter Magazine]
* [http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1tg7d/WIDSNewDevelopmentsM/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F384031%2FWIDS--New-Developments--Middle-East-In-Focus 2011 Summer Newsletter]

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