Wittenborg President Participates in PIE Live’s ‘Eurovision’ Session

25.03.2025

The Pie LIVE Europe 2025 Gathers over 800 Higher Education Professionals in London

From 11 to 12 March, Wittenborg President Peter Birdsall participated in The PIE Live Europe 2025, an event that brought together in London over 800 higher education professionals representing nearly 400 institutions from 40 countries. The annual initiative is organised by The PIE, a news and events group dedicated to connecting the education sector and strengthening its networks.

The programme included numerous presentations, workshops and lectures, along with networking activities. Additionally, business-to-business organisations and large educational agencies had the opportunity to set up stands to promote their services.

One of the highlights of PIE Live this year was the EAIE Eurovision session, which included Birdsall representing the Netherlands, along with representatives from Germany, France, Switzerland, Ireland and Sweden. Each participant had four minutes to deliver their speech, focusing on the current state of international education in their respective countries. The audience voted for the best pitch, with Sweden taking first place.

In his speech, the Wittenborg president discussed the current political climate in the Netherlands, highlighting that the Dutch government is considering new legislation that could significantly restrict the influx of international students by limiting the number of English-language programmes at public universities. Creatively weaving the titles of past Eurovision hits into his pitch, Birdsall underscored the inconsistencies and risks posed by the proposed legislation and encouraged policymakers to embrace an open, global and liberal approach.

“Last year I was invited to speak on a panel about the political situation in the Netherlands at PIE Live and this year they have changed the format to reflect a more relaxed approach through this idea of Eurovision. This allowed them to give space to people for updates on various things going on in international education in Europe,” he said.

Birdsall concluded by praising the event’s atmosphere. “Participating in PIE is always a pleasure, as it allows us to meet up with people from the industry, including old and new friends. It’s an easy-going event, where the main focus is on networking.”