Prize-winners and supporters I always enjoy presenting prizes to worthy winners. So it's a pleasure to host at the residence a group of academics and students who have a real achievement under their belts.

It's the annual awards ceremony for a competition organised by a Delcam, a leading British supplier of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing software, for Ukrainian universities. This year there are fifteen universities participating, and the entries range from complex engine parts to plastic surgery. It's always inspiring to see young leaders of the future gathered together, and this is no exception. If whatever new leadership emerges from the Ukrainian elections can create the conditions for businesses to thrive, including fighting corruption and making it easier for foreign companies to invest here, that will help all areas of the economy, including education.

I like the competitiveness between the universities, too. The director of the company, Hugh Humpheys, often hosts visiting academics at the company HQ in Birmingham and takes them for trips on a canal-boat. When he mentions this to the assembled guests, several rectors compete to say which of them was the best helmsman. "You were all excellent," Hugh jokes. "But I did have to get the canal-boat repainted afterwards."


Leigh Turner has been the British Ambassador to Ukraine since June 2008. You can read all his blog entries at blogs.fco.gov.uk/roller/turnerenglish (in English) or blogs.fco.gov.uk/roller/turner/ (Ukrainian).