In a private meeting before his appearance at the Penn Biden Leaders Dialogue, the Rt. Hon. Sir Nick Clegg, former deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom from 2010-2015, met with a group of about 30 Penn students from across the U.K. to discuss a range of topics.
Clegg was at Penn to speak with the 47th Vice President of the United States Joe Biden as part of the Perry World House’s Fall 2018 colloquium, “Competing Visions of the Global Order.”
“We at Perry World House are committed to ensuring that when we bring distinguished global leaders to campus, they have the chance to engage directly with our students,” said William Burke-White, the Richard Perry Professor and Inaugural Director of the Perry World House. “This meeting gives these particular students the chance to connect with one of their own politicians.”
In 2017, former President of Mexico Felipe Calderón met with Mexican students when he was that year’s inaugural Dialogue guest.
Students gathered around tables set up in the Class of 1974 Lobby in Irvine Auditorium, anticipating Clegg’s arrival. Undergraduates from an array of schools, doctoral students from various disciplines, and graduate students discussed topics that would likely come up during Clegg’s talk.
“I’m really looking forward to hearing more about Clegg’s vision for England in this period of uncertainty,” said Adam Watson, a freshman from Manchester, England. Watson is leaning toward pursuing a degree in International Relations.
Clegg entered the room and sat down with the students, who asked questions about global politics spanning a wide range of issues.
One student asked how Clegg remained inspired to navigate a tumultuous political climate, and what advice he might have for students planning to eventually enter politics.
“It’s a battle. You just clip on the armor everyday as long as you’re doing things with the right motives,” Clegg said.
One popular topic was what implications Brexit could have on global politics, and the subsequent changes to the U.K.’s relationship with countries in the European Union, as well as how it could impact the U.K.’s rapport with the U.S. Clegg insisted that the students should remain optimistic.
“I’m really glad that [Clegg] discussed Brexit,” said Watson. “I hadn’t previously considered his point that leaving the European Union might make England less influential in terms of our changing relationship with America, and I found that particular discussion quite interesting.”
Following the discussion, the students joined other audience members as Clegg and Biden dove deeper into these issues and other global matters.
The Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, together with Penn’s Perry World House, established the Penn Biden Leaders Dialogue to host discussions that connect Penn’s academic research with researchers and policymakers from all over the globe.
