Top tech links London and Sydney

They sat around a table, teasing each other, laughing boisterously and exchanging top tips on networking - but they were half a world away from each other.

The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) decided to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week in typically creative fashion by arranging a live videoconference in the Cisco offices of both London and Sydney.

The technology donated by networking technology specialists included life-size video screens, directional microphones (so if someone was talking from the corner of the table they sound like they were coming from the corner), matching chairs and tables and even walls painted in exactly the same colour.

The five London students and the six Australian students were obviously having a great time with the technology but there was also plenty of learning about networking taking place. This in spite of the fact that the London cohort was just waking up and the Sydney cohort had already been for after dinner drinks.

In what was quickly dubbed 'Junior's law', London SSE student Junior Smart said he avoided 'conference fever' by thinking about the networking needs of others rather than his own.

Smart said: 'What has worked for me in getting over the whole conference fever thing is instead of thinking about myself I think about other people, so I'll think about the last person that I met and who I can introduce them to.

'I don't know if it's the law of the universe or what, but I always find that it comes back to me and those people will then introduce me to someone really useful.'

Other top tips discussed included making sure you're authentic and honest, asking questions to find out what people are really passionate about, putting energy into being a 'lover' who makes deep connections rather than a 'tourist', being vulnerable and admitting when you don't understand what people are saying.

They also suggested writing down where you met and what you talked about on the back of business cards, responding to every email and every phone call and thanking everyone for everything.

The cross-cultural group came to the conclusion that face-to-face communication was key to lasting connections but online was useful too.

Steve Lawrence, executive director of ASIX, and the person on the Australian side of the equation who had taken a leading role in taking the SSE franchise Down Under said he had learnt something about networking from the videoconference that morning.

He said: 'One of the critical questions I asked myself when thinking about the School for Social Entrepreneurs was whether the network could offer value across vast distances as opposed to the relatively small distances between schools in the UK.

'But this session today shows me it is possible to build relationships very quickly when there is a shared culture and trust and a willingness to be open, share what you know and be honest.'