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This October 21–22, 2025, BlueSky Education invites you to London for the BlueSky Media Connect conference – an insightful two-day event dedicated to forging stronger, smarter connections between business schools, higher education professionals and the world’s most influential media.
Who Should Attend
BlueSky Media Connect is tailored for communications, PR, media relations, marketing, and branding professionals working within business schools, universities, and other higher education institutions, as well as those representing corporate firms in the education sector. If your role involves shaping institutional narratives, pitching to the media, or building brand visibility in the education space, this conference is designed specifically for you.
What to Expect
This conference is about real talk with the media. You’ll get:
- Candid panels with editors and journalists from the world’s most trusted news brands: Bloomberg, FT, The Economist, Forbes, Reuters, TIME, The Guardian, Business Insider, The Times, and more.
- Unfiltered insights into what makes a story stick, how editorial decisions are made, and the kind of pitches that get noticed (and the ones that don’t).
- Immediate networking after each panel - connect directly with media decision-makers in a relaxed, professional setting.
We’ve also co-ordinated the event to coincide with the Financial Times Business Education Drinks Reception on October 21*.
Workshops & Strategy Sessions
Benefit from interactive workshops led by BlueSky’s expert consultants, who bring years of experience in education PR and media relations. These sessions will provide you with practical, hands-on insights and strategies tailored to your needs—helping you refine your approach to media outreach, storytelling, and navigating today’s global media landscape.
Evening Networking
Kick off the event with a Drinks Reception on the evening of Monday October 20th, giving you the chance to mingle with fellow attendees and journalists in a relaxed, informal setting before the conference begins.
Then, wrap up the conference with our fabulous BlueSky Media Connect Conference Dinner on October 22nd—an exclusive gathering where conversations with peers continues in a more informal and intimate environment.
Meet Your Hosts: Matt Symonds & BlueSky Education
Few know the intersection of business education and global media better than Matt Symonds. A former journalist for the BBC, The Economist, Forbes, and Bloomberg, Matt is also the S in QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the co-founder of CentreCourt with Poets & Quants, and an expert in crafting meaningful dialogue between media and higher education.
With over 15 years of experience organising high-profile media conferences in London, Paris, and beyond, Matt brings unparalleled insight into what makes stories resonate and how communications professionals can earn their place in the global news cycle.
BlueSky Education, the team behind BlueSky Media Connect, is an established leader in education public relations. With an excellent track record spanning over 15 years, we have worked with top business schools, universities, and education-focused organisations to elevate their media profiles across key international markets. Known for expertise in strategic PR, media outreach, crisis communications and content creation, BlueSky Education is at the forefront of shaping how higher education institutions engage with the media, ensuring that stories reach the right audience and have lasting impact.
Venues & Schedule
Monday 20 October — Drinks Reception
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (UK time)
Location:
The Happenstance, Paternoster Square
10 Paternoster Square, London EC4M 7DX
🔗 The Happenstance – Drake & Morgan
Tuesday 21 October — Conference Day 1
Time: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (UK time)
Location:
Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars
19 New Bridge St, London EC4V 6DB
🔗 Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars
– 8:45- 9:15am Registration
– 9:15-9:30am Welcome
– 9:30 - 10:45am Media Panel 1 – Management, Careers and the Future of Work
– 11:00 - 12:15pm Media Panel 2 – VC, Entrepreneurship & Start-ups
– 1:15 - 1:45pm Best Practice MasterClass 1
– 1:45 – 2:30pm Media Panel – FireSide Chat 1
– 2:45 - 4pm Media Panel 3 – Technology
Schedules are subject to change.
Wednesday 22 October — Conference Day 2
Time: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (UK time)
Location:
Chicago Booth School of Business – London Campus
One Bartholomew Close, Barts Square, London EC1A 7BL
🔗 Chicago Booth London Campus
– 8:45am Welcome
– 9:00 - 10:15am Media Panel 4 – Global Business & Economy
– 10.30 - 11:00am Best Practice MasterClass 2
– 11:00 - 12:15pm Media Panel 5 – Opinion & Features Editors
– 1:15 – 2pm – Fireside Chat 2
– 2:00 - 3:15pm Media Panel 6 – Finance
– 3:30 - 4:45pm Media Panel 7 – Sustainability
– 4:45 - 5pm Closing Remarks
– 7 – 11pm Conference Dinner
Schedules are subject to change.
Wednesday 22 October — Dinner & Drinks Reception
Time: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM (UK time)
Location:
The LookOut at 8 Bishopsgate
8 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
🔗 The LookOut at 8 Bishopsgate
Recommended Hotels
Through our partnerships with Hyatt and Chicago Booth, we can provide a list of nearby hotels, including discounted rates. These are available upon request. Discount codes will be shared once your conference invoice is paid in full.
Media Outlets in Attendance
- Financial Times
- Fortune
- The New York Times
- Bloomberg
- The Guardian
- The Economist
- The Times
- Reuters
- Politico Europe
- Business Insider
- Forbes
- Euronews
- China Daily
- Press Association
- FastCompany
- BBC Worklife
- TIME Magazine
- Entrepreneur
- Sifted
- Agence France Presse
- City A.M.
- Poets & Quants
- The Spectator
- FT Adviser
- WIRED
- Financial News (Dow Jones)
- The Banker
Terms & Conditions
Registration Deadline: To guarantee your inclusion in the conference materials, registration must be completed no later than 15 days before the event.
What's Included: Fees cover access to all sessions, scheduled meals, refreshments, and the conference drinks and dinner. Travel and accommodation are not included.
Accommodation: Preferential hotel rates will be available nearby. Delegates are responsible for making and managing their own bookings - please book early to secure availability.
Cancellation Policy:- Substitutions are allowed with written notice up to 15 days prior to the event.
- For cancellations, written confirmation must be received no later than 30 days before the conference start date to qualify for a refund (minus an admin fee of £90 / €105 / $125).
- No refunds will be issued for cancellations received after this period.
- In the unlikely event of cancellation by BlueSky Education, registered delegates may transfer to another BlueSky event or request a full refund. BlueSky Education is not responsible for any travel, hotel, or other costs incurred.
All registrations are subject to availability and acceptance at the organiser’s discretion.
This is your chance to sit down with the people shaping the stories that shape the world.
We look forward to seeing you at the BlueSky Media Connect London Conference 2025.
*Note: The FT Business Education Drinks Reception is hosted independently by the Financial Times. Sign-ups for this event must be co-ordinated with the Financial Times directly, and a ticket for this conference does not ensure attendance at the FT Business Education Drinks Reception.