BRISTOL, England, November 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

The Next Generation Education summit - which took place from 1^st to 3^rd November at The Homestead, Hot Springs, Virginia - provided leading executives with an ideal framework for new business relationships to flourish.

The summit saw CIOs, IT executives, and provosts of computer and IT from the higher education sector across the US meet to discuss demands for the 21^st century in a relaxed and vibrant environment. Speakers included leading industry professionals such as; Adrian Sannier, VP Product Management, Pearson; Kamran Khan, Vice Provost for IT, Rice University; and James Hilton, VP & CIO, University of Virginia, plus many more. Companies including VMWare, PeerApp, and Sprint sponsored the event.

Executives had ample opportunity to network with peers. Charlie Baker, Director of Product Management, PeerApp, said of the event, "It's direct business, it's direct opportunity, it's better than a lead," while Jim Bottum, CIO & Vice Provost, Clemson University, commented, "I've found partnerships here that I didn't expect to find."

As well as comprehensive workshops, the summit involved panel discussions offering executives moderated, peer-led discussions on major industry issues. One-to-one meetings gave delegates the chance to meet with business analysts and analyst partners to discuss strategy and demands for the rapidly evolving higher education sector.

A total of 16 workshops covered a range of exciting and pressing topics for higher education. Topics included the evolving role of the CIO, disruptive technology, risk management, mobilization, cloud computing, and much more.

Oliver Smart, CEO at GDS International - the leading global business event company behind NG Education - says, "We have always been proud of the quality of our summits, but this years' Next Generation Education summit was one of our best yet. It is very rewarding to know that our events provide the environment for executives to meet and build valuable relationships that will lead to many exciting new ventures and innovations."

See what the delegates had to say about the event at http://www.ngesummit.com/.

About GDS International:

 

GDS International is one of the most innovative events and media companies worldwide and a globally renowned producer of business-to-business summits, conferences, online information and advisory group gatherings.

Founded in 1993, GDS International specialises in meeting the B2B marketing needs of our clients. Having a strong presence in mature industrial sectors but a finger on the pulse of emerging markets - as well as up-and-coming B2B business verticals - means we are perfectly placed to capitalise on the exciting developments brought about by the advent of a globalised economy.

Our value proposition is simple: we deliver tangible business results from world-class events. http://www.gdsinternational.com

Contact:  Hannah Duffie, Hannah@gdsinternational.com, +441179214000

SOURCE GDS International