07.09.2026
LONDON: MLA College has reinforced its position at the forefront of sustainable development, academic research and global educational leadership by co-hosting the International Sustainable Ecological Engineering Design for Society (SEEDS) Conference 2026.
Held across three days from 1-3 September, the hybrid conference addressed one of modern industry’s most critical dilemmas under the theme, “Looking at 2026 through the eyes of 2015: Intelligence beyond technology.” Following a global online opening, the in-person summit convened at GEDU House in Stratford, London, bringing together leading voices from academia and industry to examine how rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) can align with long-term climate resilience and social responsibility.
The event marked 11 years since the founding of the inaugural SEEDS conference in 2015. MLA College collaborated to organise and deliver this year’s conference in partnership with the SEEDS committee universities: Leeds Beckett University, The University of Suffolk, The University of the West of England, Bristol and Loughborough University. The programme was sponsored by Global Education (GEDU), which holds stewardship of CIFAL London.
The in-person programme at GEDU House began with an opening address co-delivered by Professor Mohammad Dastbaz, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of MLA College and one of the Conference Chairs, and Kevin McCole, Managing Director of External Engagement and Sustainability at GEDU Global Education.
Together, they officially welcomed international delegates, academics, researchers and industry professionals to London. Their joint opening highlighted SEEDS’ core objective: creating an interdisciplinary meeting point where research directly addresses how to reduce negative ecological impacts while safeguarding community well-being.
The thematic core of the 2026 conference emerged from a fundamental question: Can technological progress outstrip society’s ability to keep it sustainable? Across interactive sessions, workshops and presentations, participants evaluated whether the global pursuit of technological dominance risks compromising longstanding ecological benchmarks.
The conference agenda focused extensively on critical, interconnected subject areas, including:
A defining element of the conference proceedings was the keynote contribution from Professor John Chudley CEng FIMarEST, representing MLA College and serving as the Chair of the Engineering Council.
Delivering his keynote address, “Ethics and Sustainability for Professionally Registered Engineers and Technicians: A Regulator’s View,” Professor Chudley accentuated the non-negotiable duty of professional institutions to embed sustainability within regulatory and professional codes. His presentation challenged practitioners to consider societal welfare, ecological accountability and professional governance as primary design criteria, reinforcing MLA College’s pedagogical commitment to cultivating responsible leaders.
The speaker roster throughout the three days featured prominent international figures spanning education, engineering, research and industry leadership, including:
The conference’s celebration of real-world impact culminated on the evening of 2 September with the annual Research, Innovation, Sustainability and Enterprise (RISE) Awards, held at the historic One Birdcage Walk in Westminster.
As an official presenting partner, MLA College celebrated researchers whose work is advancing sustainability, innovation and positive societal impact. The awards honoured contributions that bridge the gap between academic theory and scalable industry practice.
By co-hosting the awards, MLA College highlighted the need for practical platforms where original research can be recognised, funded and adopted by mainstream industry to drive measurable societal change.
MLA College’s co-hosting role at SEEDS 2026 accentuates its commitment to academic thought leadership, high-impact research and applied sustainability. By convening international perspectives at GEDU House and celebrating scalable initiatives at One Birdcage Walk, the College affirmed its dedicated support for interdisciplinary solutions to modern ecological challenges.
Rather than viewing technological innovation in isolation, the institution continues to advocate for educational models that align emerging technologies with global environmental responsibilities. Through collaborative international partnerships, MLA College remains actively engaged in shaping the policies, academic research and engineering practices that will guide sustainable development in the years ahead.
MLA College is committed to translating cutting-edge academic research into real-world skills. Our flexible, industry-aligned undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in sustainability, maritime operations and engineering empower tomorrow’s leaders to address complex global challenges and drive meaningful environmental progress.
If you are ready to advance your career and lead the transition toward a more sustainable and resilient future, explore our full portfolio of degree qualifications.
