EWB is a biennial international student conference that creates networks across cultures in order to understand, and generate solutions for, some of the world's greatest challenges.

The conference achieves this end by engaging the world's most innovative students and leaders in the business, technology, education and humanitarian sector in a collaborative forum that culminates in a commitment to action.

Under the broad theme of Innovative Solutions to Global Challenges, several sub-themes have been identified which categorize methods that can be used to address these most urgent challenges of the world:

• Education: Enhancing Access; Ensuring Student Success
• Economics: Harnessing Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact
• Science, Engineering & Technology: Solutions for a Better Future
• New media: Enabling and Educating Learners
• Policy: Innovating New Frameworks for Sustainable Development

As part of EWB 2011 the HCT will host many accomplished world leaders as well as rising stars from the fields of academia, business, government, sports, science, culture, media and the like to mentor and inspire the young students from around the world, and of many different nationalities and higher education institutions. Here are just some of those inspiring mentors: