On Tuesday 20 January, UCL School of Management hosted BETT Brazil at UCL, an event that welcomed delegates from across Brazil to share academic and professional perspectives on education, technology and sustainability.

 

Organised by Professor Magda Hercheui, Programme Director MSc Management, and Associate Professor Michael Manlangit, Director of International Programmes, BETT Brazil at UCL invited 

James Jennings, Senior Partnership Manager (Public Sector) at UCL Innovation and Enterprise, to share their insights and address the social impact created by partnerships between UCL and Brazilian institutions. Professor Onesun Steve Yoo, Director of Research and Products at UCL Centre for Sustainable Business, highlighted how the School embeds sustainability across its curriculum, emphasising research, teaching and broader social impact. Finally, Associate Professor Anil Doshi, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and a leading expert on AI adoption in the classroom, engaged the audience with his approach to teaching effectively with AI.
 

A key theme throughout the day was UCL’s strategic role in fostering entrepreneurship in educational technology. A panel of experts explored the challenges and opportunities for EdTech companies seeking to scale adoption across different educational sectors. Graça Carvalho, Director of UCL Centre for Digital Innovation, shared insights into how UCL supports innovation through its Impact Accelerator, powered by a partnership with Amazon Web Service and UCL ARC (Advanced Research Computing Centre). Houtan Froushan, Director of UCL EdTech Lab, explained how UCL helps startups grow through capability development and the creation of strong support networks. Professor Manolis Mavrikis, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Analytics in Education at UCL Institute of Education – IOE, brought a researcher perspective, discussing entrepreneurship in the AI-for-education space and his experience nurturing early-stage ideas at the UCL Knowledge Lab.

 

Concluding the session, five companies from the UCL EdTech Lab showcased their products, demonstrating potential applications in Brazilian educational contexts.
 

Reflecting on the event, Professor Magda Hercheui noted the exceptional exchange between speakers and participants, observing a strong alignment of interests in research, teaching and social impact. “On both sides, we had professionals dedicated to improving education. At this moment, technology for education is especially relevant for building better and faster capabilities. And we cannot think about education without considering the sustainability of our practices. We could feel the motivation of everyone in the room.”

 

Gabriel Kineippe, BETT Brazil Manager, said, “The experience we had at UCL was, without a doubt, one of the most impactful moments of the Bett UK Delegation 2026 program. Being at a university with UCL’s academic standing and global relevance, and engaging directly with researchers, experts, and education leaders, added a remarkable level of depth to the discussions we aimed to foster throughout the week.”