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My name is Neil Kinnock,
a long time ago I was leader of the Labour party and before
that for several years
a Labour member of the House of Commons.
When I left the House of Commons
in 1994
I became a member of the European Commission nominated as it happens by
John Major's Government,
and I was there for five years as the
Commissioner with the Transport
Portfolio which was fascinating which we made a lot of progress, I must say
on the strength of that I was made Vice President of the European Commission in
1999
with the obligation most other things for
securing a very radical administrative
reform,Routen branch reform
which we actually accomplished under budget
and on schedule. I was very proud of that
and then I retired from the commission
at the end of 2004 and to my great delight was appointed
Chairman of the British Council
The
organization, the best in the world
that promotes
the value
of British Culture and Education
across the world and in hundred and ten countries
I derived massive pleasure from that
and we made some progress too
and retired from that in 2009
by which time I had become a member of the House of Lords which is where I now am.
The British Council
throughout most of its history
has acted very deliberately, indirectly and transparently
as an agent of
British Universities
. and wherever we can for instance we advertise the British universities,
we actually in offices physically display
the prospectuses of British Universities
and through our Education
and Cultural Activities
we encourage those who participate,
obviously particularly young people
but also experienced academics,
to contributed as much they can
but also to use British facilities
that are available
sometimes in their own countries but more frequently of course
we encourage people to come here as undergraduate and postgraduates and
still speaking in the present tense because i still feel part
of British council despite the fact I retired
in 2009 it is such
a fine a genuine noble
and progressive
institution and part of its greatest strength
as derived from the way in which it's extended its reach
to enable
literally
over thirty million mainly young people throughout the world
to participate in it activities
and for many of them
to gain access over generations to the British Education system
specially of Higher Education Level.
Education is
fundamental
too
the advancement of social justice
no enlightened mind
can accept
in justice
and therefore with the spread and development
of standards of education people's expectations rise
their willingness to accept no for an answer
goes down
but in addition they can by being encouraged to think for themselves
figure ways of
enhancing
they have body of rights as individuals and part of their community
and
the rights
of others.
A British
degree
from our higher education institutions
is recognized
and admired
throughout the world
and people
who graduate from British universities
can be absolutely certain
that the value of
their qualification
is acknowledged
so that opens the first door
gaining access whether it's in terms of an International conference
or working for multinational concern or contributing to global thinking or
actually going to another country to work or to study,
they don't have to prove
the quality of
the certificate
that they've got
its usual to ask an old man like me
what's my advice to graduates when they graduate
and
the first thing to do is to avoid being patronizing
.. because I remember what I was like at that stage I didn't think i knew
everything
but I thought I was sufficiently in command of my destiny to know what I
wanted to do and where I was going
Life held a few surprises
I think the only thing i would say
is something that you know already
which is
don't think that your Education stopped today
or when you finished yourt last exam.
It is perpetual it continues,
and you will be enriched
in every conceivable way
if you keep an open mind
and continue to absorbed,
to comprehend,
and to use knowledge,
and
you wouldn't have got as far
as you have
if you weren't able to do that just
don't forget you've always got that ability
and you can build on it whether it turns into further
formal qualification or not
it's almost irrelevant
the fact that you are a lifetime learner
was a good start
that does matter.