The visit to Luxembourg on 26 and 27 February of Lord Chris Smith, who was elected Chancellor of the University of Cambridge by its alumni and staff on 23 July, 2025, was the occasion for one of the most significant events in the history of the Cambridge Society. This was the Chancellor’s first visit outside the UK since his election, and his first visit to Luxembourg
High-level Panel Discussion
First, on 26 February the Chancellor took part in a highly distinguished panel discussion with Luc Frieden, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg and a Cambridge alumnus, and Joanne Olivier, the British Ambassador to Luxembourg on the highly topical and challenging subject of “The Future of Education in the Age of A.I.” This was co-organised and sponsored by A&O Shearman in their magnificent premises on the Kirchberg. The panel discussion was expertly moderated by our Committee member Dr. Mithu Storoni, the author of “Hyperefficient”, the 2025 Business Book of the Year. The audience of 130 persons , made up of members of the Cambridge Society and clients of A&O Shearman, a range of members of other Societies, educationalists, and other interested parties, filled the auditorium.
The Chancellor, when asked about the future of educational establishments in the era of an expansion in AI-assisted teaching pointed out how the purpose of a Cambridge education has never been to “learn what to think” but to “learn how to think”. The goal of Cambridge educators is to inspire, motivate and infuse a yearning for learning. They aim to enable students to grow and develop their potential, to discover themselves and to “become the best they can be”. The creativity that this generates is essential for the effective, positive use of AI. The Prime Minister, when asked about the rapid pace of unprecedented change in the work landscape, described Luxembourg’s dynamic and forward thinking stance with regard to opportunities for continuous learning, skilling and reskilling, and the importance of nurturing a European AI ecosystem that supports systems like Mistral AI. The Ambassador, when asked about the ways in which diplomacy is different in an AI world, described her optimism about collaboration and teamwork across the UK and Luxembourg, highlighting the recent example of the SatGov conference.
The panel touched on the dangers of AI and the need for intelligent regulation, but they agreed that AI offers extraordinary opportunities for the future of education and the role that universities will have in it.
The Q&A session generated several interesting questions from the floor which took the debate further, indeed the discussion could have gone on much longer than the available time allowed. Participants used the networking reception that followed to continue discussing the issues raised amongst themselves.
In addition to thanking our distinguished panelists, and our sponsors A&O Shearman, special mention must also be made of Justine Yansenne and Emel Tulun who are members of the Cambridge Society and who also work at A&O Shearman. They persuaded A&O Shearman to sponsor and co-organise the event with the Society, and then played a major role, together with Mithu Storoni in preparing the panel discussion. Their contribution was key to the success of the event.
Dinner at the Residence of the British Ambassador
Following the panel discussion, the British Ambassador hosted a dinner at the Residence with the Chancellor as the guest speaker. This enabled the Chancellor to meet a number of distinguished Luxembourg figures from the education, finance, industry and commerce, politics and the public sectors, plus a few members of the Cambridge Society.
Lord Chris Smith took as his theme “Cambridge is 830 years old. But what does the future look like?” In this he elaborated on some of the points discussed by the panel, highlighting some of the special characteristics of Cambridge education such as the individualised supervision system which must be maintained as the University moves forward.
Lord Smith also recalled the key pillars of his manifesto when standing for the Chancellorship. Protecting free speech was his “number one priority”. He argued that a university is a place where ideas should be tested and contested, stating, “Disagreement is not merely permitted, but essential”. He is also committed to improving access and widening participation: He pledged to ensure that talented individuals from all backgrounds have the opportunity to study at Cambridge. The Collegiate structure of Cambridge is a fundamental feature of Cambridge, he highlighted the importance of the relationship between the university and its colleges for success in teaching and research. He emphasized that, in a time of political volatility, the Chancellor must serve as a “shield” for the university’s academic freedom and its core values.
Meet-and-Greet Breakfast
The next morning, EY sponsored a meet-and-greet walking breakfast in their premises which enabled The Chancellor to meet a number of Cambridge Society members who were unable to attend the panel discussion. The Chancellor made a short version of his speech at the Ambassador’s dinner the night before, but this was mainly an opportunity for members to speak directly to Lord Smith. He is a remarkably approachable person and clearly enjoyed chatting with the participants in what was a very relaxed setting.
Interview with Lisa Burke, RTL Today
Straight after the breakfast, the Chancellor was whisked away to the studios of RTL Today for an interview with Lisa Burke who is Cambridge alumna and a member of the Society. The interview is most interesting so we have included a link here to it. It is well worth watching, you can hear the Chancellor set out in his own words many of the points he made during his visit. it provides a fine conclusion to the Chancellor’s very successful stay in Luxembourg.
Once the interview was over, our Secretary Norry Welch, who had admirably transported the Chancellor while he was in Luxembourg, drove him to Brussels and handed him over to the Cambridge Society of Brussels where he was the guest speaker at their Annual Dinner.
