Programme: Kingston is Global 2020

9–9.45am: What does it look like to be an entrepreneur in 2020?

Join top entrepreneurs as they share crucial lessons and adaptations they have made to continue; scale back or even pause their business endeavours. Explore the current working environment in different parts of the world. Add your voice to the discussion by posing questions and comments during the Q&A.
Panel: Anthony Marsella (Thailand), Dempsey Naidoo (South Africa), Martha Mador (UK), Neomi Bennett (UK), Stefano Ciampolini (UK)

10–10:30am: The rise of the non-linear career

Careers today will take many twists and turns, whether through your choice or necessity. Join Tricia Weglarz, from Kingston University as she explains this squiggly career phenomenon, and how you can develop the right skills and mind-set to maximise this to your advantage.
Speaker: Tricia Weglarz (UK)

12.15–1pm: Caring for yourself

Have you made yourself a top priority today? You should. Join our discussion as we debunk Covid myths, learn techniques to combat the fear of Covid and daily actions at work and home that will increase your well-being.
Panel: Faith Ruto (UK), Jo Heath (UK), Mark Fielder (UK), Stefano Ciampolini (UK)

1.30–2pm: Demystifying economics

Feeling baffled by economic terms and how they are relevant to you? Join the Chief Economist at Santander UK as she explains well-known, but not always well understood, economic terms and what these mean for you or your organisation.
Speaker: Frances Haque (UK)

2.30–2.55pm: Cybersecurity – basic tools to help you and your business

Technology is essential to every business. This makes understanding cyber risks extremely important. Come and learn about the innovations and challenges ahead for you and your business. Also get an insight into what a career in cybersecurity could mean in the 2020s.
Panel: Carl Hunt (UK), David Pickard (UK), Hamid Ahmadi (UK)

3–3.45pm: Breaking into the creative industry

Keen to utilise your skills to break into the creative industry? Learn how individuals from creative and non-creative backgrounds can apply their talents and build a career in the creative sector.
Panel: Damian Chapman (UK), Kirsten Hill (UK), Louise Halliday (UK) Paul Bishop (Dubai), Tim Bonnet (UK)

5–5.45pm: Adapting your business in Covid

Looking to innovate in order to sustain or even grow your customer base or even take your business global? Get essential advice from business owners on what SMEs can do to adapt and survive the pandemic. Add your experiences to the discussion by posing questions and comments during the Q&A.
Panel: Abimbola Kila (Nigeria), Dwain Reid (UK), Jon Warner (US), Pieter Aarts (Netherlands), Soumya Singh (UK)

5.15–5.45pm: Lower your environmental footprint

Businesses around the world want to integrate environmentally friendly practices as part of heightened social awareness and business incentive. Join this discussion to meet professionals from construction, finance, hospitality and local government and learn how these professionals are incorporating sustainable practices into their work and reducing their carbon footprint.
Panel: Gary Elliot (UK), Monika Andrasek (Hungary), Robert Nicoll (UK), Seng Low (Switzerland/Malaysia)

7.15–8pm: Caring for your workforce

Looking to provide greater support to your colleagues or employees? Join our discussion on how to manage a healthy workforce during a pandemic. Our panel will identify major risks and how to support vulnerable members of your team. Add your voice by posting your comments and questions in the Q&A.
Panel: Marcus Fila (USA), Dr Tushna Vandrevala (UK)

9–9.15am: Mindful motion: how movement can reduce anxiety

Join mindfulness coach Darren to experience the calming effect of gentle, flowing movement from qigong, chi kung and tai chi, which can help reduce stress and anxiety, as well as overcome mind-set blocks.
Host: Darren Yap (UK)

12 noon–1.15pm: Student hackathon: a LIVE idea competition

Watch students pitch their ideas in our live hackathon competition. Audience members will be asked to cast their vote for a favourite idea to receive the Alumni Choice Award.
Host: Amanda Baker (UK)

3.30–4.15pm: Crafternoon

Join staff from the Stanley Picker Gallery and Dorich House Museum for a peep behind-the-scenes, to learn about our current and upcoming exhibitions, and take part in a creative activity alongside your fellow alumni.
Hosts: Natalie Kay (UK), Rebecca Moss (UK)

3.45pm–4.05pm: Thriving in the workplace: a tool kit for BAME professionals

Looking to build on your current skills and techniques to advance in your career? Join Faith, a resilience coach, who will share tools she has shared with senior clients across many industries. Open to all, Faith is particularly experienced in coaching BAME professionals.
Host: Faith Ruto (UK)

Please note that entry to virtual workshops will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Kingston alumni hosts will also be running reunions during the day. You can join a regional or country reunion if you live in or have a link to the area. It's an opportunity to meet-up with Kingston alumni near you, and share region specific careers advice and tips.

Reunion start times

Australia and New Zealand

• Kingston University time GMT: 9am
• Local time AEDT: 8pm
• Local time NZDT: 10pm

Hong Kong

• Kingston University time GMT: 10am
• Local time: 6pm

Japan

• Kingston University time GMT: 10.15am
• Local time: 7.15pm

Malaysia, Singapore and surrounding area

• Kingston University time GMT: 11am
• Local time: 7pm

Sri Lanka

• Kingston University time GMT: 11.15am
• Local time: 4.45pm

Middle East

• Kingston University time GMT: 1.30pm
• Local time AST: 4.30pm
• Local time GST: 5.30pm

Nigeria

• Kingston University time GMT: 2pm
• Local time: 3pm

Caribbean

• Kingston University time GMT: 4pm
• Local time: 11am

North America

• Kingston University time GMT: 6.15pm
• Local time PST 10.15am
• Local time EST 1:15pm

Kingston alumni (All regions)

• Kingston University time GMT: 6.15pm

Please note that entry to virtual reunions will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

A–Z of Kingston is Global 2020 Speakers

• Abimbola Kila – Founder, Diamond Shine Nig. Ltd
• Amanda Baker – HackCentre Project Manager, Kingston University
• Carl Hunt – Director, Telecoms Media and Technology (TMT) and KPMG
• Dr Anthony Marsella – CEO, P&A Thai Lanna Resort Ltd; Author
• Damian Chapman – Head of School, The Design School at Kingston University
• Darren Yap – Founder, Wimble Wellness
• David Pickard – Cyber Security Centre Coordinator, Kingston University
• Dempsey Naidoo – Chairperson, AIH Group and PD Naidoo Group
• Dwain Reid – Entrepreneurship Project Officer, Kingston University
• Faith Ruto – Founder, Transformation21st; Resilience Coach; Author and Speaker
• Frances Haque – Chief Economist, Santander UK
• Gary Elliott – CEO and Founder, Elliott Wood
• Hamid Ahmadi – Regional Cyber Security Lead, ARM
• Kirsten Hill – Head of Recruitment, Winch Design
• Jon Warner – CEO, Silver Moonshots
• Louise Halliday – Director of External Affairs, The Royal Albert Hall
• Marcus Fila – Associate Professor of Management, Hope College
• Mark Fielder – Medical Microbiology, Kingston University
• Martha Mador – Head of Enterprise Education, Kingston University; Past President, Royal Borough of Kingston Chamber of Commerce
• Monika Andrasek – Municipal Representative, Érd City, Hungary
• Neomi Bennett – Founder, Neo-Innovations Ltd
• Paul Bishop – Founder, Bishop Design
• Pieter Aarts – Managing Director & Owner, RoOomy and The Greenfield BV
• Robert Nicoll – Co-founder & CMO, Chip[s] Board Ltd
• Soumya Singh – Head of HR Consulting, Boringbits
• Stefano Ciampolini – CEO and Founder, Renal Services UK Ltd; Founder & Managing Partner, Healthcare Capital Partners Ltd
• Tim Bonnet – President, Unlimited Group
• Tricia Weglarz – Careers and Employability Advisor, Kingston University
• Tuck Seng Low – FCCA Chartered FCSI

Whether you are looking for your first position or to make a career move, our Careers and Employability team will be available to offer advice and support in the Careers Advice booth.

The team will be offering alumni the opportunity for 15 minute one-to-one CV advice sessions, bookable in the Careers Advice booth between 9 and 11am and between 3 and 5pm (GMT). The team can help focus your job search, enhance job applications, develop your interview skills and much more.

Covid-19 has made technology an educational necessity. We have worked hard to maintain 30% of our teaching in-person, but this means that 70% of our course content is now delivered online.

Digital poverty affects 12% of UK children and young adults. At Kingston alone, over 4,000 students have started this academic year without access to a laptop or a good internet connection.

Please support our Digital Poverty Appeal to ensure our students have access to essentials like laptops and software packages, data and WiFi, and IT support.

Read more about our appeal and make a donation today >

If you are based in the UK, you can make a £10 donation by texting KINGSTON followed by your name to 70456.

If you get lost or don't know where to go next, please come to our Help Desk and we'll point you in the right direction.

What's student life like today? Take a virtual tour of Kingston University today and a lightning tour of Kingston-upon-Thames with recent graduate Alberto. We hope you'll spot some of your favourite places too!

Visit your local booth to find the latest Kingston University news from your region, photo galleries from past events and to meet Kingston alumni near you!

Pop in to our Networking Lounge between talks, workshops and reunions to meet other Kingston alumni and/or continue discussions from our Kingston is Global sessions.

Become an Alumni Champion! Volunteering at Kingston helps our students and our alumni volunteers. Come and see us to find out about the range of volunteering opportunities on offer, such as hosting local reunions, online judging, guest lecturing, student mentoring and more!