Uniting Newcastle University’s global community to build resilience in our rapidly changing world
Join our global community of students, alumni, colleagues and partners to deep dive into the rifts and shifts facing society in 2026 and beyond, and how we can harness the collective knowledge and skills of our community to prepare for what the future holds.
2 September 2025
As a new academic year begins, we’re excited to announce the theme for this year’s NCL in Action programme.
The world in 2025 is characterised by shifting geopolitical power dynamics, hopes – and concerns – for technological advancements, economic uncertainty and a ticking clock against climate change.
As a society, we have never been more connected thanks to developments in technology. But this same technology is exacerbating inequalities and polarising us on every topic.
We consume and spend with a simple tap while economies crash and the numbers of those falling below the poverty line increase.
We have more reason than ever before to work together as a global people, but we continue to grapple with conflicts that are displacing and destroying communities.
Over the course of the upcoming academic year, Newcastle University invites its global community of students, alumni, colleagues and partners to explore how these ongoing changes and challenges can be tackled together.
Rifts and Shifts: Our changing world
The 2025/26 NCL in Action programme brings together the Newcastle University community to explore the themes of geopolitics, climate change, technology and AI, and the economy – so whatever the future has in store for us, we are ready.
Strengthen your professional position with alumni mentoring to help navigate an ever-changing work landscape and CPD courses to help you lead confidently.
Develop personally with a series of thought-provoking lectures on the rise of misinformation in the media, the climate emergency and the role education plays in shaping our future.
And reconnect with your university community at in-person events across Europe, North America and Asia, where you can learn together on these vital topics and grow your network.
Launching the 2025/26 NCL in Action series
‘Rifts and Shifts: Our changing world’ officially kicks off in October with launch events in Newcastle and London, hosted in partnership with Lloyds.
Join your university community at Newcastle Civic Centre on Friday 17 October or at Lloyds Banking Group in London on Tuesday 21 October to hear from leading Newcastle University academics and alumni changemakers on the four pillars our future rests on. Together, we will explore the shifting tectonics of global power and the intersections of geopolitics, economics, climate emergency, and the latest tech revolution.
With thanks to our partners
This year’s NCL in Action launch events will be delivered in partnership with Lloyds, a leading financial services provider with around 28 million customers and a presence in nearly every community. Lloyds' purpose is to Help Britain Prosper, and it has supported Britain for more than 320 years.
Our Newcastle event is also supported by Debate Mate, a world-leading communication consultancy, delivering training, events, and digital tools that enable people to speak well and disagree better.
Since 2015, Debate Mate has worked with over 100 of the FTSE100 companies and equipped hundreds of thousands of professionals globally with the lasting techniques that transform how people influence stakeholders, navigate challenges, and lead with impact. Ultimately, Debate Mate equips everyone, everywhere, with the human skills to thrive in the modern workplace.
