The Vice-Chancellor of De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has flown to Los Angeles to represent British universities in the UK’s largest ever trade mission to America.
Following King Charles's historic address to Congress, the UK Government's GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Campaign has assembled more than 250 of the UK's leading figures from finance, technology, education and culture for the flagship expo, running from 18 to 22 May 2026 in Los Angeles.
The UK delegation about to take off for LA
Professor Normington is among a small cohort of vice-chancellors invited to participate in the British Council's invite-only UK-US Higher Education Sector Dialogue, a closed session bringing together just six UK and six US university leaders.
The session will address one of the defining challenges facing the sector on both sides of the Atlantic: rebuilding public trust and demonstrating the civic and economic value of higher education in a rapidly changing world.
The dialogue, themed Reputation Building in a Changing and Challenging World, will bring senior leaders together alongside Universities UK chief Vivienne Stern and representatives of some of America's most prestigious liberal arts colleges.
As a member of the UCAS Board, Professor Normington will also address prospective students at the British Council's Study UK event, speaking on university admissions and the personal statement process, championing UK higher education as a world-class destination for American students.
Professor Katie Normington
Professor Normington said: "It is a real privilege to be part of this delegation and to be here in Los Angeles representing DMU alongside so many brilliant people from across British business, culture and education.
“DMU has distinctive strengths in creative industries, sustainable design and fashion, and a unique role as the UK's only UN Academic Impact Global Hub Chair.
“I'm also looking forward to reconnecting with some of our remarkable alumni who have built incredible careers here in LA. The UK's higher education sector is one of our greatest national assets, and I'm proud to be here championing it."
Throughout the trip, Professor Normington will also attend the Greater Together LA Opening Reception at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures alongside some of the most influential figures in British and American business and culture, including Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, and Sir Jony Ive, founder of LoveFrom and former designer at Apple, responsible for shaping, among other products, the iPad, iPhone and iMac.
And she will also meet with a number of DMU alumni, who have forged successful careers in the US, in industries like fashion, video games, sports and AI.
Posted on Tuesday 19 May 2026