There’s a lot of criticism about the travel that academics do to go to international conferences. The Swedes even have a word for it “flygskam” or the shame of having flown. The main criticism we face is jetting into a city, spending half an hour presenting a paper, a couple of hours talking with international colleagues, and then we´re all off to the next stop in the academic roadshow. So I really appreciate it when a conference makes an effort to give you a sense of the place you are in, and doubly so when that relates to the overall conference theme. I’ve been living away from Newcastle for a decade prior to the ISBE 2019 conference, and I was delighted when the organisers took the time and effort to let me learn a little more about the entrepreneurial history and present of the city, from the opening in the Stephenson waggonsheds to a fascinating set of presentations from the local business schools. Added to that the fact that the social entrepreneurship sessions were amongst the best and most interesting I have ever attended, the conference setting and context – and an intriguing conversation during my journey there – inspired me whilst writing my column the next day for Newcastle’s regional paper. Read more…
Professor Paul Benneworth
Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
