Also on the agenda for January are Inspection and Regulation in Early Years; The 10^th Annual School Transport Conference and Sports and Physical Activity Provision for Children and Young People.

Focusing on ‘attracting and retaining international students in an increasingly competitive international market’, the first event, on 17^th January, will feature Dr Joanna Newman, director of UK Higher Education International Unit, and Professor Colin Riordan, vice-chancellor of University of Essex, as headline speakers.

With the subtitle of ‘Building the strongest foundation’, at the Inspection and Regulation in Early Years conference on 18^th January, speakers such as Professor Christine Pascal OBE, director of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood, will look at the huge changes facing early years provision in 2012.

‘New innovations, efficiencies and revenue streams in times of austerity’, will be discussed at The 10^th Annual School Transport Conference, on January 24^th.

Chaired by Ian Gwenlan, chair of the Association of Transport Co-ordination Officers, other speakers include Dr Jessica Anderson, LSTF programme manager at Newcastle City Council, and Dan Blanchet, director of Act Travelwise.

Kate Hoey MP, Mayor of London’s Commissioner for Sport, and Richard Sangster, Children and Young People’s Public Health Policy Lead, will be the headline speakers at Sports and Physical Activity Provision for Children and Young People, on January 26^th.

Opportunities provided by the 2012 London Olympics will be one of the key topics of the day.