43. Worshipful Company of Educators’ Franklin Lecture, February 2023

The Thames Warden, Martin Bigg, represented the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators at the Franklin lecture (named after the Foundation Master of the Educators Company, Professor Raoul N Franklin CBE, sometime Vice-Chancellor of the City University) given by Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli in the presence of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs in the Mansion House.  The title of Professor Mainelli’s lecture was “Teacher, Tutor, Scholar, I,- A metaverse of education or conundra of confusion” and was attended by leading academics and livery representatives.  

Professor Mainelli explored the new technology challenges from neuroscience to the ‘persistent’ Metaverse.  He challenged radical institutions to overcome ‘the establishment’ and, described how the establishment could reform to deliver superior performance for society and its own benefit.  He questioned the specialisation in education, for example, by demonstrating the link between mathematics and art.  He doubted the benefit of league tables citing engineering where middle ranking institutions and countries such as the Netherlands produce many higher quality engineers.  It was a challenging and enjoyable evening.

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