36 John Monash Scholars came together in Oxford from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November for the Leadership Academy’s 2026 UK/EU Regional Symposium, the first gathering of the Foundation’s broader UK and European scholar community in the city. Participants travelled from across the United Kingdom and from Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark, with scholarship cohorts spanning 2012 to 2026.
The weekend opened on Friday with scholar-led tours of Keble, Magdalen, Trinity and Balliol colleges followed by welcome drinks and dinner at a good old fashioned Oxford pub, giving opportunities for Scholars to connect and network.
Saturday’s program at Rewley House included a rapid-fire presentations, Scholar keynote presentations focussed on AI, a career panel, a Scholar connection activity and a symposim keynote. The outstanding keynote address was as delivered by Professor Myles Allen CBE FRS of the University of Oxford, speaking on Geological Net Zero.
Sunday offered a relaxed farewell, with some social activities around Oxford.
This year’s regional symposium was a vivid demonstration of how our Scholars are making their mark across disciplines and borders, and it was wonderful to see our internationally based Scholars come together.
The Foundation looks forward to welcoming all Scholars to the John Monash Global Symposium held in Melbourne later this year, from 11 to 13 December.
