Melissa is the director of international student recruitment and marketing at Koç University in Turkey and brings her 18 years of experience in the public, private and non-for profit sectors to help higher education institutions and government organizations advance their internationalization goals by being better at: understanding and communicating their strenghts in new markets with limited resources, and developing scholarship and sponsored student programs.

She has worked at Koç University for 8 years where she has led Erasmus+ strategic partnership projects on the use of internationalization data for decision making, digital transformation projects that included the use of CRM and online application and marketing monitoring systems, joint research partnership programs, and marketing and recruitment plans for joint Master degrees. She is a founder of the Internationalization of Turkish Research Universities group and contributes as a practitioner researcher to projects related to the role of international students at the national level. Originally from Venezuela, she graduated as an Urban Planner from Universidad Simon Bolivar, and was later a Chevening Scholar at the London School of Economics in the UK (MSc in Development and Environment Studies). Before working in international education, Melissa held sustainability, regeneration and community engagement and Development consulting roles in Spain and the UK.

Gin Bhandal is Director of upgrade: career coaching. He has 15 years’ experience working in the executive search industry with a range of commercial and public sector clients. He is a graduate from Aston Business School and over the last 10 years as worked with over 50 universities, colleges and schools to deliver consultancy assignments across the Education sector. Gin works as a Career Coach for Warwick Business School, one of the world’s leading Business Schools.
As Director of upgrade: career coaching Gin engages with clients to unlock their true talent potential. This involves coaching sessions covering all aspects of career and personal development, career transition guidance, application/interview coaching and leadership development utilising psychometric tools.

Dr Maria Gallo is a qualitative researcher and alumni scholar with 20 years’ experience in higher education leadership roles in Ireland and Canada. As the Founder of KITE Limited, she specialises in research and strategic projects including alumni strategic planning, international education with philanthropy and global alumni networks. Her recent clients include governments, universities, and organisations across 17 countries. Maria is also the appointed Expert Alumni Advisor to CERN and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin. She is the author of The Alumni Way published in 2021 by Policy Press.

Prof Christopher Hill has worked in TNE since 2008; spending 9 years in Malaysia and 5 in Dubai. Christopher is an OBHE Associate, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Specialist for the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications, an Adjunct Researcher for the Higher Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan and Senior External Examiner for the University of Westminster in Tashkent. His research interests include TNE and its impact on national systems; the role of online learning; and the development of international education and the student experience in the global arena. Dr Hill hosts the Think Education podcast.

Barbara is the Director of Global UniStudy. Barbara Howell's portfolio career spans some twenty-five years in the Further and Higher Education (HE) sector with significant leadership and management experience at a senior level in small specialist and large complex organisations. Over that period Barbara has gained a comprehensive understanding of UK higher education systems/frameworks, transnational higher education, internationalisation approaches and practice, funding mechanisms, enterprise and commercial propositions, quality assurance procedures and the implementation of strategies and solutions. Barbara is certified as IENG-MBCS CITP a Fellow of the HEA, had several external examiner roles and has been a QAA Institutional Auditor/Reviewer for the last 14 years (to include overseas review, pathway providers and embedded colleges).

Barbara is passionate about internationalisation and working with institutions locally and globally to enhance their offer. She has created many innovative strategies and approaches to encourage greater engagement in mobility opportunities and increase international student recruitment. She also has also led on the initiation development and ongoing management of many highly successful transnational higher education and joint-venture partnerships.

Dr. Helen Kelly has over 20 years experience in the Higher Education sector, across multiple jurisdictions, with a strong background in the Learning, Teaching and Professional Services space. Helen has held a range of senior leadership roles at Trinity College Dublin, University of Warwick, and SOAS, University of London, and is highly experienced at developing institutional strategy and delivering operational excellence across complex global initiatives and networks. A natural collaborator and effective communicator at ease working with and influencing multiple partners and stakeholders. Helen has extensive experience of leading and delivering change management within complex organisations. She is an inspirational leader used to managing large multidisciplinary teams - in person and remotely - to create high-performing cultures and dynamics within agile working environments. Over the course of her career this has included: global partnerships and student recruitment; TNE; access/foundation programmes; establishing pan-European HEI network; fundraising and advancement; communications; quality assurance and governance. Helen is a strong all-round educational professional and globally skilled leader, who is passionate about the power of education and the importance of creating a shared and connected international community.

Tom Kennie is Director of Ranmore Consulting, Founder of the [email protected] and a Co-Programme Director for the Leadership Foundation for HE/Advance HE Top Management Programme (TMP). Tom specialises in leadership development and innovation with a particular focus on higher education and professional service organisations. He works with individuals (as a coach), groups (to develop teams) and organisations (to enhance performance and foster innovation). He has worked with over 150 universities globally on a range of leadership, management and governance projects and programmes. Tom is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), a Chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CMIPD) and is also a member of the Institute of Management Consulting (Certified Management Consultant (CMC).

Dr Anthony Manning is Dean for Global and Lifelong Learning at the University of Kent, UK. Through his role at Kent, Anthony is responsible for the development, implementation and review of International and Lifelong Learning activity which includes international programmes, international pathways to higher education, online learning and higher and degree apprenticeships. Anthony is a Principal Fellow of AdvanceHE and a National Teaching Fellow. He has published widely in fields linked to international education, assessment and internationalisation at Home and has worked as an external examiner for more than 10 Universities in the Uk and overseas. Anthony has lived as and worked in five countries and has led educational development activities in more than 50 nations around the world. Anthony is also the founder of various networks and fora including Innovations in Internationalisation at Home. As well as being an IC Global Fellow Anthony is a trustee for the British Accreditation Council (BAC) and is also the current Chair of BAC’s Accreditation Committee.

I am an international education professional (16 years), with previous experience in the higher education sector as lecturer. I have worked in many areas of international education (Erasmus, exchange and summer programs, international marketing and recruitment, lecturing and managing services for international students). I am focusing on global education and partnerships in my current role at Istanbul Aydin University. I am also the coordinator for the conference program of EURIE Eurasia Higher Education Summit. As a true believer in the value of international education, I am involved with various associations and engage in peer-mentoring in this field. I deliver trainings/ workhops for international office staff in the areas of internationalization strategy, internationalization at home, trends in internationalization and intercultural competences. My experience and interests in higher education management also cover the areas of strategic planning, quality assurance, project management.

Jessica Price works as a counselling psychologist, lecturer and higher education consultant in the field of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and has advised on culturally sensitive mental health support for international students at various universities in Germany. Additionally, she works with international counselling clients, providing a supportive, safe space. Moreover, she lectures on Gender and Multiculturalism, Intercultural Communication and Organisational Behaviour, among other topics. She holds two Master’s degrees from New York University and Jacobs University and a PhD in Psychology, also from Jacobs University. Jessica is currently a board member of the Guidance and Counselling Expert Community at the EAIE.

Stuart Rennie is Managing Director of SJRennie Consulting Ltd and Managing Director of AfaraEd. He is an International Education Consultant with over 20 years’ experience and specialises in Sub Saharan Africa. Stuart has worked as Director and Head of successful, target-driven International Offices at leading UK universities and also has business development experience in the private sector with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Kaplan.

Justin Shaw is a specialist in communications, reputation, engagement and influence for the higher education sector. He has 30 years’ experience of working with universities. Following an initial career in journalism, Justin worked as the Communications, Media and PR Executive for the University of Hertfordshire. He then went on to set up and Education Practice within Communications Management, a communications consultancy. During his time as a consultant, he has advised and worked with more than 200 higher education clients - universities, specialist colleges, business schools, government agencies, charities and commercial partners. He has been awarded a Fellowship of the CIPR.

Dörte Stevenson has over 25 years of experience in Higher Education. She is widely respected for her expertise in global institutional partnerships, staff and students’ international experiences, transnational education, institutional internationalisation strategies, and marketing and communications. Her clients include international and national organisations, universities, and private companies.

Dörte worked for 17 years at the University of Sheffield where she led on international partnership development, implemented the University’s Internationalisation Strategy, and managed student mobility schemes including the Erasmus+ programme, one of the most successful in the U.K. She also worked at the University of Bath and held several positions within public relations, marketing, and arts management.

Dörte studied at the University of Tübingen, Germany, and at Durham University.