21st Century Challenges

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• 04 November, 2008

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Migration: Skills and the job market, a 21st Century Challenge event at the Royal Geographical Society with IBG

The Panel & Chair of Migration event, 11 November 2008

Sir Andrew Green, Chairman of MigrationWatch UK; Philippe Legrain, author of Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them (2007) and Dr Khalid Koser, expert on migration policy, will discuss the challenges facing the UK in considering the needs of the economy for migrant labour in the fifth of the Society’s 21st Century Challenges series, organised by the Royal Geographical Society with IBG and taking place at the Willis Building on 11 November.

What kind of migrants will the UK need in the next century? What role will the economic downturn play in the demand for the skills that migrants can provide? How far does public opinion influence policy – and indeed, should it? Chaired by Jonty Bloom, reporter for BBC Radio 4 on business and economics for the World Tonight, the evening promises a highly topical and energetic discussion addressing these issues, and more. 

Before his retirement in 2000, career diplomat Sir Andrew Green served as ambassador to Syria and Saudi Arabia, and served as Director for the Middle East in the FCO. Since leaving the diplomatic corps, Sir Andrew founded MigrationWatch UK in 2001, an NGO dedicated to providing the public with the facts on immigration and informing debate. As a regular – and occasionally controversial – media commentator on all manner of migration issues,  Sir Andrew is sure to ensure a rigorous debate examining every aspect of the skills gap, migrant inflows and what this means for the public.

Philippe Legrain is a writer, journalist and economic consultant, and was shortlisted for the 2007 Financial Times Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award for his book, Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them. As a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics’ European Institute, journalism fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and contributing editor to Prospect magazine, Philippe is an esteemed commentator on globalisation and the broader European context for the UK’s migration challenge.

Our third panellist, Khalid Koser, is an expert on migration policy. He is a Course Director at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. Prior to this appointment he was Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, and before that Senior Policy Analyst for the Global Commission on International Migration. Khalid will focus on how recent financial turmoil will affect the demand for migrant labour in the UK.

Drawing on their unique knowledge of the enormous economic, political and social challenges that migration into the UK during the 21st century poses, Sir Andrew Green, Philippe Legrain and Dr Khalid Koser will no doubt provide a fascinating and thought provoking evening.

Journalists would be welcome to attend subject to space; for press enquiries please call Henry Rummins, Press and PR Officer, on 0207 591 3019 or email h.rummins@rgs.org

Tickets: RGS-IBG Members £5, non-Members £10. RGS-IBG Schools Members free (maximum 10 tickets per school).

To book, please visit www.rgs.org/21CC or call our events office on +44 (0) 20 7591 3100
 
- Ends -

Notes to editors
 
1. For media enquiries contact Henry Rummins at the RGS-IBG press office on 020 7591 3019  or email press@rgs.org

2. All guests are happy for their comments on the evening and to be transcribed for press use.

3. There will be no filming or vocal recording of the discussion permitted.

4. None of the speakers will be available for interviews either in advance or immediately after the evening’s discussion.

5. Images from the Society’s official photographer will be available after the event for press purposes. No other photography will be permitted.

6. There are a limited number of press seats and these will be allocated at the discretion of the Press Office.

7. The Royal Geographical Society with The Institute of British Geographers is the learned society and professional body representing geography and geographers. It was founded in 1830 and has been one of the most active of the learned societies ever since. It was pivotal in establishing geography as a teaching and research discipline in British universities, and has played a key role in geographical and environmental education ever since. Today the Society is a leading world centre for geographical learning - supporting education, teaching, research and scientific expeditions, as well as promoting public understanding and enjoyment of geography  www.rgs.org

8. 21st Century Challenges is a public engagement series organised by the Royal Geographical Society with IBG, which aim to encourage and support people in engaging with the key challenges of the 21st century – national and international – that will affect our environments, our societies and the way we live, and about which we will all need to make decisions.