'Race around the world: The future of international student recruitment'

Akshay Chaturvedi is an Indian entrepreneur. He was listed on the Forbes India’s 30Under30 list, and then subsequently on the Forbes Asia’s 30Under30 list, both in early 2020. He founded Leverage Edu, and as its CEO, now runs what is India’s largest Career Guidance and University Admissions platform - with 6 Mn users, 100,000+ 1:1 counselling sessions & 3000+ admission applicants - every month. He became a CNBC Young Turk, named eponymously after India’s top business/ entrepreneurship show, in 2019. Later that year, he also won the TiE Entrepreneurial Excellence Award. In 2020, he won the BusinessWorld TechTors award, touted among the top tech entrepreneurs to watch out for. As Prime Minister’s Champions of Change, selected in 2019, he closely worked with the ministries on higher education policy framework. In July 2020, he was awarded as Entrepreneur of the Year (Consumer Business) by the Entrepreneur Magazine.

'UK Policy Update: Where do we go from here?'

Alex oversees the Independent HE’s strategic development, manages its day-to-day activities and represents members at external meetings and committees. He is also a Trustee of UKCISA, the UK Council for International Student Affairs. Alex worked previously in IT before five years as Communications Manager for the British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education. He holds a Bachelor’s in Music and a Master’s in Philosophy.

'DEI: From lip service to meaningful change - Authentically engaging historically underserved populations'

I have worked in International Student Recruitment at three UK universities (Oxford, Southampton, and Sussex), managing teams responsible for recruitment in the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, as well as recruitment through foundation years and from International Schools worldwide. I was also a Regional Assessor for the Chevening Awards in 2022, and won a SLT Recognition Award for my work as Project Lead for the University of Oxford’s first ever Virtual Open Day in 2020. I am currently undertaking a Certificate in Professional Digital Marketing with the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

'Race around the world: The future of international student recruitment'

Alyona is a specialist in international higher education student recruitment, having led the growth of EMEA region in different groups for 15+ years. Recently, she has entered the education sector to make further advancements in the industry while building substantial, long-withstanding relationships with partnered universities in the UK. Her vision has always been to expand underdeveloped, uncharted markets, either as a solo contributor or by directing a team. Presently, she is managing a talented team as the sales director of LCI Group- a leading SaaS based EdTech company headquartered in Australia, partnered with 1300+ global universities across USA, UK, Canada, Australia & New Zealand.

'Unresolved 'Admissues''

Andy worked at 3 UK universities in international student recruitment and partnership roles for 16 years before joining QS in 2021. His focus is on optimising the student journey on behalf of QS's partners and believes that every student deserves personalised and premium support during their daunting admissions journey. He often posts badly-lit videos on LinkedIn where he talks about #Admissues (admissions issues) and other topical subjects facing international higher ed.

'Breakfast briefing: Capitalising on international academic links to support institutional global ambitions'

Professor Andy Chan was recently appointed Executive Dean of Engineering at Robert Gordon University. He is the leader of a multi-national 7SEAS-NASA project that studies the propagation of haze in Southeast Asia and a government consultant on the development of urban planning guidelines against air pollution and extreme weather conditions. Prior to joining Robert Gordon University, Andy was Vice Provost of Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Nottingham Malaysia and an established global education leader in Southeast Asia. He has experience of building successful international partnerships.

'Employability: How partnerships can make a difference to securing jobs for international students'

Ann Hawkings has been working in the Language Travel industry for over 25 years including sales, product and business development roles for independent and chain schools. Since 2016 through her consultancy with Twin Group, she has become involved with University Employability programmes and currently leads the product development and programme launch team for university placement partnerships with universities. She specialises in the International Student journey and has overseen 1000 + MCc. student placement journeys.

'UK Policy Update: Where do we go from here?'

Anne Marie joined UKCISA in 2019 from the Association of Commonwealth Universities, where she was Director of Chevening, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s flagship global scholarship scheme. Prior to that, Anne Marie has led on a range of educational programmes and projects promoting international mobility and intercultural exchange. At Universities UK International, she developed the first government-funded UK Strategy for Outward Mobility, and established the Go International programme to build capacity and influence institutional change in UK universities to increase the proportion of UK domiciled students with international experience.Before moving into the education sector, Anne Marie spent several years in the language services industry managing high profile accounts with multinational engineering and pharmaceutical companies. Anne Marie is a linguist, with a first degree in Modern Languages from Anglia Ruskin University and a postgraduate translation qualification from University of Westminster.

'How to leverage social media for success'

Anxhela is an international student from Albania and came to the UK to pursue an Accounting and Finance degree. She completed her Foundation Course at the University of Brighton International College before progressing to the University of Brighton. She’s now 3 years into her Accounting and Finance degree. Anxhela is also passionate about student wellness and has been a Wellbeing Co-ordinatorat Kaplan Living Brighton for 3 years.

'Assessing readiness for tertiary education: what really counts?'

Ashleigh is an IELTS Global Account Manager at the British Council, focussing on the Further and Higher Education sector. She works with institutions recruiting international students regarding developments around IELTS and assists them with policy discussions and decisions around their English language requirements. Before joining the Council, Ashleigh spent fourteen years as a teacher, course designer and ELT Academic Manager, in countries including the UK, Slovakia and Haiti.

'Convergence of digital and face to face delivery, is this the future?'

Currently, Professor Mackenzie is the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Partnerships at Wrexham Glyndwr University, with responsibility for UK and international academic partnerships, international recruitment, online programmes, and enterprise partnerships. His international experience spans over 20 years and includes relationships across the Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. His previous roles include Pro-Vice Chancellor (Partnerships and International) at Teesside University and Dean of Academic Partnerships at the University of Essex. Professor Mackenzie has significant experience in innovation in higher education, including in technology-enhanced learning, online and blended delivery of higher education and partner delivery models. He has been involved in higher education quality assurance processes both in the UK with the Quality Assurance Agency and internationally. He is currently the Chair of the Council for Validating Universities [CVU], a HE sectors body which offers advice around good practice in partnerships, including quality assurance issues.

'How to leverage social media for success'

Bailey is originally from New Zealand and has been living and working in the UK since 2019. She’s worked in social media and communication roles for the past 8 years for a variety of large organisations. She’s currently the Social Media Manager at Kaplan International Pathways where she manages a global team of social media experts. Bailey loves the fast-paced, creative and ever-changing nature of social media and is passionate about using these platforms to inspire prospective international students.

'Employability: How partnerships can make a difference to securing jobs for international students'

Ben is Engineering Director and chartered engineer at Kilnbridge Construction Services and has 25+ years’ experience of construction and civil engineering for both main and sub-contractors. Previous project experience includes the 2012 London Olympic Stadium, Heathrow Terminal 2B, the Bloomberg London HQ and the Scalpel. Ben is currently responsible for overseeing Kilnbridge's Engineering Hub and their ongoing drive for Engineering Excellence. Ben is an active and passionate STEM and FIR Ambassador, keen to promote engineering, and more specifically civil engineering, as a viable career to underrepresented groups within the industry.

'Admissions reimagined: Leveraging technology without losing the human touch'

Bobby has worked in the Higher Education sector in the UK since August 1999 and has worked at 3 different universities and where he has held a number of different positions. In April 2017 Bobby joined the Global team at the University of Portsmouth where he now holds the position of Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement). During Bobby’s time working in the Higher Education sector in the UK he has gained a lot of experience from working in different markets around the globe and he has also done a lot of cross sector work and is currently Chair of the British Universities International Liaison Association (BUILA).

'That's so cheugy. Move over GenZ, the Alphas are coming' and 'Admissions reimagined: Leveraging technology without losing the human touch'

Chris Morling is one of the UK's leading digital entrepreneurs and has won numerous awards, including an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. He is the Founder and CEO of Studee, the online education agency - helping students maximize their chances of getting admitted to their chosen universities abroad. Chris previously founded Money.co.uk, which was acquired for £140million in 2017. He has been a director for several innovative digital start-ups and has been dubbed in the global media as “Britain’s Best Boss” for his generosity and philanthropy.

'Admissions reimagined: Leveraging technology without losing the human touch'

Chris is a true voice of the student with many years of experience in the international education sector. Her wealth of expertise in helping students and universities maximise their enrollment goals has given her a unique insight into what international students really want and need. She is passionate about supporting students in their individual development and professional aspirations and expert at supporting digital journeys while maintaining a personal touch.

'IHEC debate: Delivering better value for international students - is the answer an Office for International Students?' and 'An audience with the future. How UK politics will shape HE policy over the next 5 years'

Chris graduated with a First in History from Christ Church, Oxford and continued with his postgraduate research there. He worked as a Senior Adviser to David Willetts and Michael Gove prior to his election as Conservative MP for Kingswood in 2010. During his time in parliament, he has served on the Education and Health Committees and was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the then Chancellor George Osborne. He served in the government from 2016 until 2019, encompassing Minister of State appointments at the Departments for Business, Health and Education. He was also Minister of State for Universities and during this time he launched the first International Education Strategy in 2019, as well as previously being a Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party. Chris currently chairs the All-Party Group on Universities and is co-chair of the Higher Education Committee on Research Funding. He is the author of four history books.

'UK Policy Update: Where do we go from here?'

Colin has been COBIS CEO since 2010. Alongside a talented Executive Team and Board, he works with and supports students, teachers, leaders, support staff and governors from high quality British international schools in more than 80 countries worldwide. Prior to COBIS, Colin taught in the UK, Far East and Europe and has led educational projects in the UK and internationally, working with the DfE, Government Office for London, British Council and other global partners. Much of this has focused on school improvement, safeguarding, student and teacher well-being and professional development across the school workforce. Safeguarding is of paramount importance to COBIS. Connected to this, Colin is a founding member of the International Task Force on Child Protection. In addition, Colin is a Director of IStip, a Governor and Trustee of the British School in Tokyo and an appointed member of the Ministerially chaired, Education Advisory Group, for the UK Department for International Trade.

'DEI: From lip service to meaningful change - Authentically engaging historically underserved populations'

Courtney Temple is IIE's Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. She has oversight of multiple departments including Human Resources, Administrative Services, Communications and Higher Education Initiatives. Courtney provides strategic direction for IIE’s diversity, equity and access programming for staff and IIE-administered programs. She’s a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) and holds a B.S. in Business Administration and M.B.A from Florida A&M University.

'Introducing Univalley: An Operating System for Universities'

Digvijay is the Co-founder & Global COO of Leverage Edu. He is an ex-Mckinsey, ex-ITC, Strategy and Operations Powerhouse. He is also an IIT-KGP and ISB Alum who has led multiple Strategy and Core operations teams and consulted leaders of top MNCs with market cap as high as USD 800 Bn.

'International student recruitment from Europe: the road to recovery'

Edwin van Rest is co-founder and CEO of Studyportals – the global marketplace for higher education. He is a grateful beneficiary of and a true believer in international education. As part of his engineering studies, Edwin spent time in Japan, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands, where he learnt firsthand how international education enriches lives and can connect our world. Through Studyportals he wants to simulate and help students to make an informed choice and broaden their horizon, while making our world a more equal and tolerant place.

'The challenge of giving away free money: Are scholarships enough to convert international students?'

Elizabeth has worked at the University of Bristol since 2017 and manages the University’s international scholarship programmes as well as funding from overseas sponsor agencies. For over a decade she has worked across the sector in a number of institutions, as well as Universities UK.

'Assessing readiness for tertiary education: what really counts?'

Evelina is Director of English Research at Cambridge University Press and Assessment and leads a team of experts who focus on IELTS and other Cambridge products. Her recent work includes the challenges – and exciting opportunities – of using AI in language assessment and learning. Evelina holds a Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Applied Linguistics from Columbia University, New York.

'Convergence of digital and face to face delivery, is this the future?'

Prof. Dr Florian Hummel has been Professor of Strategic Management and Vice-Rector for International Affairs at IU since 2017. With a BA from University of Brighton and an MSc from Cranfield University, he wrote his dissertation at the University of Sheffield on A case study analysis of the effects of the Bologna Declaration on higher and vocational education in Germany. Prof. Dr Hummel began his professional career as a management trainee and corporate account manager in a large US company before moving to German education provider as a lecturer. Since then, he has worked at various Universities – as a faculty member, Dean, Vice-President, and CEO. In addition, he works as an external examiner and advisor for higher education programme and quality assurance.

'Race around the world: The future of international student recruitment'

Mr. Folabi Obembe is the founder of Worldview International Group, which specializes in promoting international education across the African, Caribbean, and Asian continents. Mr Obembe has pioneered various initiatives over the years to assist international education providers in their efforts to recruit prospective students from Africa. Worldview has held hundreds of education fairs across the continent over the past 14 years and will continue to do so in the future. Mr Obembe, who comes from a technology background, launched Findadmission.com in 2018 as a platform to assist students connect with and apply to their dream school abroad, regardless of their location. Mr Obembe, who recently established the Worldview Education Foundation, is now on a mission to promote various African countries as study destinations as well as to open up new study destinations in order to provide prospective African students with more options.

'Agent management: Is the tail wagging the dog?'

Francis has led international students recruitment strategies in 3 universities across the UK, as well as previously holding market responsibility in a variety of regions, and holding positions in international exchanges and student experience. He is currently Deputy Director – International at De Montfort University in Leicester with responsibility for enacting a refreshed international student recruitment strategy. He has also worked at University of Greenwich and London South Bank University. Alongside his work he completed a master’s in Education Policy at King’s College London, focussing on how UK policy has impacted international student recruitment.

'How to leverage social media for success'

George has been working for education marketing experts, Net Natives, for almost four years now. Originally working as a Copywriter in the NN Creative team, George honed his understanding of the student audience writing social ads and campaigns for a number of clients in the UK and US. In June of last year he took on the role of Content Lead for NN’s direct-to-student brand, Student Hut. George’s first goal was to oversee a rebrand and new content strategy, updating the look, feel and TOV for a Gen Z audience. George is in charge of Student Hut’s creative output, with a particular focus on organic social content.

'The challenge of giving away free money: Are scholarships enough to convert international students?'

Born in France, with an upbringing in Canada and the USA, Guillemette evolved in multicultural environments. After completing a masters in management, she worked in international organisations such as the UN in Iraq, the AFP press agency in Paris, and the Embassy of Afghanistan in Japan. Meanwhile, she began practicing martial arts and meditation daily. She deepened her understanding by researching East-Asian traditions at SOAS, University of London. Guillemette now unites her love for international teams with her devotion to self-development by delivering workshops, conferences and coaching sessions for international students to cultivate qualities to become leaders in their fields.

'European Panel of Presidents: Engaging with Europe post-Brexit'

Gwen Williams is Head of Global Wales and International at Universities Wales and leads on the delivery of the Global Wales programme. She has worked for Universities Wales since June 2014. Prior to that, Gwen worked at Welsh Higher Education Brussels (WHEB) and also spent two years working as a European Parliamentary Officer at the UK Representation to the EU.

'Geographic Diversification in the Recruitment of International Students'

Gwion is Head of International Recruitment at University of York where he leads on the development and delivery of international recruitment and marketing strategy. He has 13 years’ experience of student recruitment, admissions, and marketing in HE and currently leads a team of 30 staff spanning five global locations. Gwion has actively recruited in East Asia, South Asia, West Africa, and South East Asia and has occupied a number of management level positions at the universities of York and Leeds. He is a champion of continuous innovation in recruitment practices to deliver a high- quality student experience in a constantly changing world.

Chair for 'Employability: How partnerships can make a difference to securing jobs for international students'

He has worked in the ELT sector for 30 years. As a teacher, Director of Studies, University Professor as well as Country Manager, Italy for Pearson, and later Director for Pearson, UK; Regional Manager for Cambridge, Head of Business Development at Trinity College London and LanguageCert; he has also worked as Head of Business in cyber security at ISC2 before returning to ELT as Vice President of PSI for Global English Language testing for their UKVI approved English language test, ‘Skills for English’.

'UK Policy Update: Where do we go from here?'

Huan runs English UK's membership team and is responsible for all aspects of membership services, including external stakeholder relations such as the ongoing Accreditation UK partnership with the British Council. He also oversees English UK's public affairs and lobbying. Huan provides input on English UK's annual programme of conferences and training sessions and oversees the Accreditation Consultancy Service, which supports language centres preparing for Accreditation UK inspections. Huan was well-known in the ELT sector before joining English UK in 2012; previously he was TESOL manager for Trinity College London, and before that training and recruitment manager for EF English First.

'Investment in Intled: The inside view on who is investing where'

Ian Koxvold leads on strategy and M&A for Supporting Education Group, the largest provider of services to schools in the UK. He previously led the education strategy practices at PwC and Cairneagle Associates.

'Equal Access to Information in Higher Ed: a case study'

Immy is Partnerships Manager at eduKUDU for UK and Canada, supporting institutions to become more sustainable, accessible and efficient with a new way of approaching their marketing. Her experience in international/ higher education spans over 6 years, with a stint at Hobsons, Unibuddy and over 4 years at The PIE as Global Business Development Manager, working with clients in both the private and public sectors.

'DEI: From lip service to meaningful change - Authentically engaging historically underserved populations'

Isaac Garcia-Sitton is the Inaugural Executive Director of International Student Enrolment, Education & Inclusion at Toronto Metropolitan University. He is a respected leader in higher education with over 20 years of experience in international relations and business development. Isaac’s efforts to positively impact immigrant communities have been recognized by being identified as one of the “10 Most Influential Hispanic Canadians” in 2018 and as a RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award winner in 2020. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Education: Language, Culture & Teaching.

'Employability: How partnerships can make a difference to securing jobs for international students'

Jacklyn Tubb is Head of Business Operations for the Faculty of Engineering and Science at the University of Greenwich. Strong education professional with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) focused in Accounting and Finance and CMI Level 5 certificate in Leadership and Management. Experienced in Finance, Employability, Events, and Health & Safety management, with 16 years’ experience in higher education and previous experience in the construction industry. Currently leading strategy and operational administration for the MSc …with Industrial Practice module for 9 Programmes with Engineering and Science disciplines. Working strategically with external placement partners to develop employability services for international students and brokerage opportunities for student placements.

'That's so cheugy. Move over GenZ, the Alphas are coming'

Jacqueline is an award-winning marketeer with over 15 years of experience working in HE and with youth audiences across continents, from New York to Tokyo to London to Kuala Lumpur. Driven to understand changing behaviours, cultural contexts and the shifting needs of young people seeking their next steps, she creates content that connects and resonates with prospective international student audiences. As Global Director of Marketing at Hybrid, HE specialists and publishers of Study International, she leads strategy on engaging millions of students across the world on their learning journey.

'Agent management: Is the tail wagging the dog?'

Jacqueline Jenkins is the Senior Adviser for International Student Mobility at the British Council. Most recently she has developed the British Council’s new global programme on ‘influencing the influencer’ in order to scale up their ambitions around promoting the UK as a study destination. During her career at the British Council she has set up some of the large-scale programmes including the Going Global conference and the global Study UK Alumni Awards.

'European student mobility in a post-Brexit world: the view from international schools'

James is Senior Content Marketing Manager at BridgeU, where he has written extensively about UK international student recruitment and international higher education policy. James has also written a range of ebooks, classroom resources and teaching materials for counsellors and teachers in international schools.

'An audience with the future. How UK politics will shape HE policy over the next 5 years'

James Purnell joined UAL on 1 March 2021 to become President and Vice-Chancellor. James came to UAL from the BBC where he was the Director of Radio & Education.In 1997, he left the BBC to be Special Adviser on the Knowledge Economy, including the arts, internet and broadcasting policy, to Tony Blair after he became Prime Minister. He was elected Member of Parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde, before becoming Secretary of State for Culture and then for Work and Pensions. In 2009, as Secretary of State for Culture, James commissioned the McMaster Review, which reset the debate around access and excellence in culture. James has also served on the boards of the National Theatre, the Young Vic and the BFI.

'UK Policy Update: Where do we go from here?' and 'International student recruitment from Europe: the road to recovery'

Jamie was appointed Director of Universities UK International (UUKi) in November 2022. Part of Universities UK (UUK), UUKi represent s our universities globally to help them meet their international aims. Prior to taking on this role, Jamie led UUK’s research and innovation policy programme (2014-2017) before becoming Assistant Director for Policy Engagement at UUKi (2017-2022). He has led major programmes of work on a diverse range of topics, including sector agency reform, research integrity, security and risk in internationalisation, and the UK international education strategy. Jamie also helped establish the Wales Innovation Network while on secondment as Executive Head of WIN (2021-2022). In these roles, Jamie has built a reputation as an expert in research policy and international higher education, and has contributed to media including The Times, Financial Times, Times Higher Education, PIE News, Research Professional and WonkHE. He was the UK university representative on the Board of the UK Research Office in Brussels (2015-2018) and is currently on the Board of the Association of Research Managers and Administrators. He is a member of numerous advisory boards on international higher education. Jamie is a passionate advocate for and believer in higher education. Before joining Universities UK in 2010, Jamie was a research associate and ESRC research fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Education and Social Research Institute where he worked on projects focussing on widening participation, teacher education and training, and evaluating the impact of third-sector community organisations. He has BA and MA degrees in History and Modern European History from the University of Manchester, and an MRes in Education & Society from Manchester Metropolitan University.

'Live and spontaneous - PIE Chat Leaders Live'

Jeff Williams has 15+ years experience at Director and Head level roles in international student recruitment & admissions in both public and private sectors. In 2017 Jeff co-founded Enroly, a technology company with the aim of standardising and modernising offer to arrival through automation for UK higher education. Enroly has changed the face of international higher education administration and improved everyone's experience by automating the compliance, visa and arrival process for universities, 150,000+ students and 5,000+ global education agents in the academic year 21/22.

'The new Chinese opportunity'

Jessica is an seasoned international marketer and calls herself a "global citizen." She leads a cross-cultural team at United Media Solution, a digital marketing agency she founded in 2011, with a focus on helping international brands succeed in China and Asia. Her extensive business travels and work from UMS' APAC offices have honed her expertise in Western markets and in-depth knowledge of the Chinese market. Her achievements include recognition as one of Zhejiang's Top 100 Innovative Women and receiving the ANZ Women Leadership Award. In addition to her role at UMS, Jessica also serves as the president of a service trade business association in Zhejiang, China.

'Post-Pandemic Approaches to Partnership Development – Access, Innovation, and Global Mobility'

Jill Blondin, associate vice provost for global initiatives at VCU, received a B.A. from Indiana University, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She served as the inaugural director of VCU Globe, and under her leadership, VCU Globe received the NAFSA Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award and the IIE Andrew Heiskell Award. She has served as a Fulbright Specialist to Brazil, as a speaker with the U.S. Department of State Study Abroad Engagement Grant Program and Fulbright Portugal, and as an Expert Speaker on U.S. Study Abroad with the U.S. Embassy Guyana.

'Post-Pandemic Approaches to Partnership Development – Access, Innovation, and Global Mobility'

Jon Stauff is Assistant Vice President for International Affairs at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota, USA. He provides leadership in international student services, education abroad, ESL, and international student recruitment. Stauff taught modern European history at St. Ambrose University and transitioned into international education administration full time. He has also worked as the senior international officer at Monmouth University, The College of New Jersey, and Radford University. Stauff has served on the NAFSA EAKC leadership team as well as the NAFSA Region X team. He is a graduate of William & Mary and the University at Buffalo, where he received a PhD in modern European history.

'50 Voices For 2023'

A sales director who manages International recruitment for one of UK’s largest skills providers. They cover professional training, apprenticeship, consulting, and higher education particular in the areas of Modern Technology & Cyber Security. Joy manages the international sales target, Conversion, and strategy for the higher education division Joy started her career in Sales and have worked for FTSE 100 companies such as in BSKYB managing big national accounts. She ventured into recruitment consulting where she worked with employers within the health, hospitality, finance and IT sectors to find suitable candidates to fill in vacancies. Once ran her training consultancy, this involved delivering sales training, partnering with well renowned UK Universities to deliver bespoke training in Change & Project Management before venturing back into higher Education. Worked with Newcastle University managing their recruitment outreach in Africa. With a strong Public & Private sector experience, Joy holds 2 Masters Degrees and a diploma in Image Consulting, once being a personal shopper in her spare time. Joy currently engages in public speaking around International Marketing strategies and a strong advocate for Cyber Security and Technological advancement.

'Thriving in a hyper-competitive world: results from the inaugural Global Survey of International Education Leaders'

Julie brings over 30 years’ experience working across the education sector in the UK and internationally, Julie works with the leadership teams, staff and students from a wide range of universities and commercial education businesses on their most complex strategic priorities and optimises their operational capabilities.

'How to leverage social media for success'

Kenon is the Deputy Director of Marketing at the University of Nottingham and has worked in higher education for over ten years. He started his HE career as an International Digital Communications officer, winning CASE Gold and HEIST awards for his work. He is vice-chair of the CIM Higher and Further Education interest group and a member of BME Pros The Xec 2022 cohort, which helps to promote BME PR and Communications leaders.

'European Panel of Presidents: Engaging with Europe post-Brexit'

Kerstin Tham is the Vice-Chancellor, and a Professor in Occupational Therapy, at Malmö University in Sweden. As VC she has been leading the strategic development of the university for over 7-years, while her research focuses on the activities and participation in everyday life for stroke victims who are in rehabilitation. Prior to joining Malmö University and becoming their first female VC in 2015, she served as the DVC at Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Stockholm.

'Admissions reimagined: Leveraging technology without losing the human touch'

In his combined role as project manager, marketing team leader and student recruiter, Kris Achten led KdG’s (Antwerp-Belgium) efforts to shape and align its international offering with the needs of prospective students. Over the past four years, the University of Applied Sciences developed an integrated recruitment strategy, built around student well-being, inclusion and diversity. In 2022, the institution saw its international intake double, attracting students from more than 90 different countries. This rapid growth demanded scalable and partially automated recruitment systems while safeguarding its personal and student-centred approach.

'That's so cheugy. Move over GenZ, the Alphas are coming'

Kyle Campbell is the Founder of Education Marketer. Every week on a Tuesday, he publishes a quirky overview of higher ed news, analysis and demand gen strategies. He brings over a decade of higher education experience is committed to sharing how education marketers can grow and monetise audiences. You’ll find him writing daily on LinkedIn or at educationmarketer.co.uk

'Winning the Talent war post pandemic with equity, diversity and inclusion at centre stage'

Leanne co-founded LILA* Liverpool in 2004. It has since grown to be one of the leading independent English Language schools with a globally recognised brand and reputation. Since co-founding Lead5050 in 2018, Leanne has became a top voice in Gender Equity and helping organisations close their gender pay gap. She believes that people are increasingly looking to work for organisations that fit their own values and purposes and that unlocking the full potential of 51% of the population is crucial to economic success.

'Geographic Diversification in the Recruitment of International Students'

Lee has been working in the International Higher Education Sector for 18 years since graduating from Nottingham Trent University with a BA English in 2004. Upon joining the International Office at Queen Mary in 2007 Lee has focused on growing the institutions overseas recruitment activities, initially in Central and SE Asia, Africa and the Indian Sub- continent. In 2013 he took on the role of Head of International Student Recruitment before taking up the position of Director of Global Engagement in 2017, ensuring the delivery of the institutions global objectives within the 2030 Strategy.

'An audience with the future. How UK politics will shape HE policy over the next 5 years'

Lil was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer of Oxford International in 2019, after serving as the Group Commercial Director since 2017. During her tenure at Oxford International, Lil has been successful in driving massive growth across the Academic Division and has steered the Group through significant business change and development during the Covid19 crisis. With over 20 years senior management and leadership experience in education, Lil’s previous roles include Director of International Recruitment for Cavendish College, Head of International Operations for South Thames College, and most recently, International Director at BPP University. During her time at BPP, Lil set up overseas delivery centres in 6 countries, including Hong Kong, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Trinidad and Tobago and Mauritius. In addition to her current position as Group CEO at Oxford International, Lil also serves as an Advisory Board Member for IDP Connect, is a founding member and advisory board member at Business Women in Education and Non-Executive Director at Corndel Limited. Lil is passionate about gender equality in the workplace, and actively mentors women in their leadership journey, as well as their return to work post maternity leave. Lil has won the Business Woman of the Year award at the Education Investor Award in November 2021. Originally from Uruguay, Lil has lived in London for over 20 years. She is a keen runner and lives with her husband and their three children.

'China`s reopening, how to influence and market to Chinese students'

Lingzi’s career in the international education sector began in 2006. She recruited international students for two UK universities and a university in China which give her wealth of experience in student recruitment in a wide range of markets including China, Hong Kong, Japan and Latin America. At University of York, as a graduate and regional manager for China, she leads on China recruitment and marketing strategy to attract and convert good quality Chinese students and help them to achieve their dreams at York.

'Employability: How partnerships can make a difference to securing jobs for international students'

Manish's focus over 20 years has been to invest in innovative learning solutions. Through his colleges in Australia and New Zealand, he has provided more than 30,000 students with international opportunities. He is building a digital platform to provide support to campuses adjusting to hybrid learning and aggregates and trains admission officers to digitalize and automate their processes. In the UK, he has co-founded a global talent incubator - Employability.life, providing agile projects to learners, developed in collaboration with industry and academia and generating workplace readiness assessment tools to enable borderless transformative experiences.

'Agent management: Is the tail wagging the dog? '

I am the co-founder of Career Mosaic, South Asia’s leading International Student Recruitment Agency, established in 2002. I have established one of India’s biggest companies in the B2B space, working with more than 900 Universities across the world and over 1400 Agency Partners, managing about 35,000 applicants annually on the backbone of our tech-enabled operations. I am a businesswoman, having spent 25 years in Education & Technology. I have attended International Conferences for many years - ICEF, NAFSA & AIRC in USA and am also a presenter at these. My interests lie in policy making, strategy, growth and managing the technological shift. I am a proud female founder to own and run a business which is 98% female-staffed!

'50 Voices of 2023 - Europe'

Martin Uiboaid loves building brands and finding innovative ways of communicating. As one of his first ventures, he helped to build a UK-based student recruitment agency OK Student leading its marketing and operations. Currently, Martin is the COO of the Norwegian/Indian EdTech platform Dfavo. He is also working with people on their personal brands helping them leverage their knowledge and reach a wider audience by speaking their minds.

'Unresolved 'Admissues''

Prior to joining Loughborough, Martyn has held a number of senior recruitment and marketing roles across different organisations within the HE sector including the British Council, University of Nottingham and IDP Education. More recently he was Interim Director of Marketing, Recruitment and International at Swansea University. Martyn is a graduate of Cardiff University with a bachelor degree in English and a Masters in Strategic Marketing, he also holds a postgraduate qualification from the University of Manchester. He is a former Vice-Chair of the British Universities International Liaison Association (BUILA) and of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) Higher Education Special Interest Group. Martyn is also a former member of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Global Advisory Committee and currently sits on the District Cabinet UK and Ireland for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the IDP Connect International Advisory Panel.

'European student mobility in a post-Brexit world: the view from international schools'

Matt has a wealth of experience in student recruitment and Marketing, having spent ten years working for UCAS & UCAS Media before joining BridgeU. While at UCAS, Matt held the position of Head of Education Sales and worked closely with UK universities and their advertising agencies, to successfully plan and execute student recruitment and enrolment campaigns. Matt’s role at BridgeU is to lead its UK Universities Partnerships team, continue to grow and develop new partners and help maximise the value that BridgeU delivers for its customers.

'Investment in Intled: The inside view on who is investing where'

Matt is the global leader of EY-Parthenon Education Practice. He has over 20 years’ experience in public and private sector education, including every sub-sector of education: nursery, schools, vocational and professional, higher education, education support services, English as a foreign language, publishing, education support services, technology and online / e-learning. In HE, he has worked on the largest transactions in international education, from pathways to online programme management over a dozen countries. Prior to joining Parthenon, Matt worked at McKinsey & Co (7 years), Edison Schools (3 years), Tribal (3 years) and the Department of Education (1 year)

'What's your superpower? Discover how the neuroscience of imagery can spearhead your personal brand and leadership style.'

Jumpstone International is an executive coaching consultancy headed up by Matt Guiver. His international, interpersonal and innovative expertise comes from a broad and varied global career in Design, VolunTourism, Project Management and HE. As a Leadership Pathfinder, Matt helps senior leaders and executive teams identify, evaluate and confidently resolve complex business challenges. He excels in creating innovative coaching models and providing transformational leadership coaching to enable fresh perspective, and tactical outcomes to align his client’s inner compass with reaching their personal and business goals. His career has seen him work with multinationals such as Volvo, Husqvarna, Dyson and SAP.

'Live and spontaneous - PIE Chat Leaders Live' and 'China`s reopening, how to influence and market to Chinese students'

Ms. Miranda Wang is the Managing Director of ETS China. ETS is the largest private educational assessment organization in the world with 2,500 employees across 200 countries serving over 50 million people each year. Miranda assumes overall responsibility for management in Greater China region( including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). Miranda’s career goal is to integrate vision, insights, and management skills to bring in-depth communication between ETS and local stakeholders. Furthermore, to advance quality of education and reach mutual sustainable growth, under the context of globalization. Prior to joining ETS, Miranda has 10 years of management and teaching experiences in international education industry, with the mission of integrating world-class teaching and learning resources to Chinese students. Miranda holds an Master’s degree in Education from the University of Cambridge.

'What Makes Students Happy and Satisfied - A Global Perspective'

Nick has spent 20 years specialising in data driven consultancy to help higher education institutions improve the student experience. At the heart of this lies Nick’s ability to deliver engaging presentations to translate data into insight. Nick is Head of i-graduate; the world leader in student feedback surveys for the international education sector.

'The new Chinese opportunity' and 'China`s reopening, how to influence and market to Chinese students'

Nicolas Chu serves as a Professor of Practice in Marketing at UNSW Business School in Sydney, Australia. He has extensive experience in managing technology businesses, from start-ups to large corporates in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific. Professor Chu is also the CEO and Founder of Sinorbis, the multi-award-winning company that revolutionises the way businesses and organisations enter Asian markets through technology. Prior to founding Sinorbis, he was the global President of HotelClub and Ebookers, two leading global online marketplaces operating in more than 30 markets and the Managing Director of Expedia in the Pacific region.

'Home Office update: International Education'

Oliver has worked for the Home Office for 20 years and is currently the Deputy Director responsible for Study Operations within UKVI, based in Sheffield. Oliver has held a number of roles within UKVI including operational responsibility for leading visa operations in Sheffield, Croydon, Warsaw and Moscow.

'Thriving in a hyper-competitive world: results from the inaugural Global Survey of International Education Leaders'

Oliver has worked with over 20 universities and education businesses in the UK and Australia, helping them with topics including setting long-term strategy, strengthening education offers and improving culture and leadership.

'Live and spontaneous - PIE Chat Leaders Live'

As Think's Consultant Director, Olivia McLaughlin brings fifteen years of experience and passion to the table. Her track record working in education strategy, planning and delivery provides the perfect platform for the cooperation and collaboration required to achieve the right results for a wide range of projects. Specialising in partnership strategy, commercial planning, public policy and internationalisation, Olivia has a deep understanding of business strategy, analytics and public policy and is an expert facilitator, evaluator, and strategist. Outside of work, Olivia is passionate about ocean conservation; a keen surfer, kayaker and rower, Olivia translates her passion into action via sitting on the Board of two marine conservation charities providing advice and guidance on strategy, implementation, and sustainability.

'Equal Access to Information in Higher Ed: a case study'

With 25 years of experience across the international education sector, Paul has partnered with universities, colleges and schools to revolutionise their marketing practices and maximise their potential. With a keen interest in new, interactive, accessible and sustainable marketing, he takes pride in helping institutions use their resources, to maximum effect.

'European Panel of Presidents: Engaging with Europe post-Brexit'

Professor Perry Hobson is the Director of the Academy of Tourism at Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas) in The Netherlands. He has held a variety of senior academic roles in both Australia and Malaysia where he was the PVC for Global Engagement at both Taylor’s University and Sunway University. He has been responsible for initiating and managing various transnational education (TNE) relationships, actively involved in international accreditation and has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Q1 ranked Journal of Vacation Marketing for over 22-years. He is a Visiting Professor at the Management Centre Innsbruck (MCi) in Austria, an Adjunct Professor at Ton Duc Thang University (TDTU) in Vietnam, and sits on the International Advisory Board of the University of Ostrava (OSU) in The Czech Republic.

'Winning the Talent war post pandemic with equity, diversity and inclusion at centre stage'

Becky Schnauffer is an accomplished leader and currently holds the position of Head of Global Strategic Clients, Talent Solutions at LinkedIn. With a wealth of experience, she advises the world's top organizations on their workforce talent and learning strategies. Becky's expertise and guidance help companies to plan, hire, and develop the talent they need to succeed, leveraging LinkedIn's extensive global professional network of over 950 million members. Previously, Becky was instrumental in transforming LinkedIn's Sales Solutions business in the UK, leading a team that helped clients navigate the digital landscape and revamp their sales teams. She also held senior positions at IBM, gaining significant experience in hardware and software businesses, cognitive technologies, and AI. As a passionate advocate for digital technology and analytics, Becky is committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry and creating welcoming workplace cultures. She is a dedicated mentor and enjoys giving back to the community by developing future talent. When not at work, Becky loves to spend time with her family, improve her golf game, and hit the pavement for a run. She is also an avid reader, constantly seeking to expand her knowledge and understanding of the world.

'European Panel of Presidents: Engaging with Europe post-Brexit'

Renáta Tomášková is Vice-Rector for International Relations and a lecturer at the Dpt. of English and American Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ostrava. She teaches English stylistics, discourse analysis, and translation, and in her research explores web genres, incl. their culture-specific features. Since 2005 she has co-organised the nation-wide student translation competition of the UO, Translation Day, which was awarded the European Language Label of 2009. In her internationalisation agenda she focuses on activities developing internationalisation of teaching and learning as a way to internationalisation for all.

'Winning the Talent war post pandemic with equity, diversity and inclusion at centre stage'

Robert is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. After a 40 year career in global HR consulting, he now runs his own business, advising organisations and coaching their leaders on attracting, retaining and developing diverse talent. A key element of his focus for clients is on helping them build inclusive cultures and workplace environments. Robert has mentored many women and men and invested in and supported their careers and businesses over the years. He is also highly active with women’s and men’s networks, being a Global Ambassador for PWN Global, a Trustee for One Loud Voice for Women in the UK and an Associate at Token Man Consulting. Robert is a Board member of European Women on Boards and is their D&I strategist. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Spktral, the gender pay gap analysis specialists and of Talupp, the AI driven talent development platform. Robert is Disrupter in Residence in D&I on the Global MBA Program at EDHEC Business School and also a visiting lecturer on Male Allyship at the University of Amsterdam Academy.

'Breakfast briefing: Capitalising on international academic links to support institutional global ambitions'

Dr Salim has extensive experience in transnational education and international collaborations. He is an alumnus of the University of Nottingham Malaysia and worked for Heriot-Watt University when they first set up a new campus in Malaysia in 2013. He’s been in UK since 2015, first at the University of Dundee and currently at Swansea University where internationalisation is a significant part of his remit. Salim has developed several academic links with international institutions and collaborates with a global network of engineering educators through the CDIO community. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Senior Fellow of Advanced HE.

'Live and spontaneous - PIE Chat Leaders Live'

Sanam Arora is the founder and chairperson of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU). She is also the chief architect of the Achievers Honours and a consistent voice championing for international students in the UK. Professionally, she is a senior strategist to the Investment Management industry, providing transformation advice to global asset & wealth management houses. For her work towards the welfare of young Indians abroad and promoting the India-UK educational relationship, Sanam has won numerous awards, including most recently the prestigious PIEoneer award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry and the Honorary Studentship of the London School of Economics SU.

'China`s reopening, how to influence and market to Chinese students'

Sandy Bhangal joined the ETS team over thirteen years, as the Associate Director for TOEFL® Client Relations within the UK and Ireland. Sandy has a strong track record of growing and maintaining TOEFL acceptance within the UK and Ireland. She has more than twenty years of experience in working with government bodies, employers, careers services, university academic departments, international offices, marketing and admissions offices as well as graduate recruiters, aiding these groups in attracting and recruiting both domestic and international students. Prior to joining ETS, Sandy worked at Hobsons Plc in many capacities, where she was successful in consistently driving business growth. Based in London as the Executive Director of Global Strategy and Growth for TOEFL, Sandy is responsible for the growth of TOEFL across the UK and Ireland as well as overseas. Sandy continues to manage valuable partnerships with key strategic stakeholders globally. In her current role she supports prioritized growth initiatives in Asia, EMEA and Latin America working in close collaboration with the TOEFL in-country teams.

'Unresolved 'Admissues''

Sara is a UK-based international education specialist and consultant at Edified. She is highly experienced in the field of international student recruitment and admissions, marketing, alumni strategies, stakeholder engagement and global partnerships. Sara has lived and worked extensively in Latin America and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Sara is passionate about international education and the opportunities it can bring for students and her professional interests include international student experience and partnership development. Edified focuses on consultancy, solutions and services in the education industry. It helps education providers, government entities, education agents, and service providers enhance their ability to build profile and reputation, acquire and retain students, and deliver on student experience and graduate outcomes.

'Live and spontaneous - PIE Chat Leaders Live'

Education- BSc Business Management degree from Amity University, India MSc Corporate Brand management from Brunel University, London Having started my journey as an international student to the UK 16 years ago it now feels like being able to give back. I have been working with in the UK HEI sector for 12 years now and my first role with Brunel as an Alumni Ambassador for India in 2010, followed on to becoming their Regional Manager (South Asia) in 2011 and I was covering this role being based in New Delhi, India. In this role I was responsible for managing student recruitment from South Asia and Brunel achieved the highest year on year growth of more than 100% in the last 5 years. In August 2021, I made the move to the UK to work with the team on campus and very pleased to share that I was fortunate enough to have a double promotion from Deputy Head ISR to Head ISR in 2 months. Having had a degree in business and branding India & the UK, I thoroughly enjoy working in the Higher Education sector as it gives me the opportunity to meet various people from multi-cultural backgrounds and understand the need for growth of international student community of and add value to the Brunel brand in the international sector. Apart from my work I am an avid traveler, enjoy reading non-fiction novels , watching movies, and explore different culinary experiences across the world.

'The future of international student recruitment - focus on new markets'

Simon is an International Education Marketing specialist with experience of working for universities and private education companies within a range of different international marketing roles. He lived in Colombia for over 12 years, where he co-founded, managed and then sold an education agency. He then worked as Recruitment Director, Latin America for INTO University Partnerships. After seeing the need for dedicated local support Simon then launched EdCo LATAM Consulting with Jamie Ash to support international institutions achieve their recruitment aspirations across Latin America.

'Equal Access to Information in Higher Ed: a case study'

Simona has nearly 10 years of experience in international higher education with a focus on student recruitment, partnerships and digital marketing. Simona sits on The Forum on Education Abroad’s Supporting Today’s Ed Abroad Students Working Group and was recently appointed as one of NAFSA’s Poster Fair Organisers for the Model Practices in International Enrollment Management theme.

'Unresolved 'Admissues''

Stuart is the Head of International Partnerships and Student Recruitment at Edinburgh Napier University, where he leads a team of over 30 staff in 6 countries with responsibility for both UK and international student recruitment and partnership development. Stuart has worked in higher education since 2008 and has gained experience living and working in China as well as spending time at 3 Scottish universities in various internationalisation, recruitment and partnership development functions. Stuart was elected to the BUILA Executive in 2021 and leads on liaison with the wider Scottish sector.

Chair for 'Convergence of digital and face to face delivery, is this the future?

LSBU Global is led by Stuart Bannerman, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor International. Having taught at the universities of St Andrews and Glasgow, he launched the first International Study Centre in the UK at Queen Margaret University in 1998, introducing Graduate Diplomas for the first time as a pre-masters award for international students. He was also Head of EFL and Director of the Centre for Applied Language Studies at the University of Dundee, and worked at the University of Essex, setting up and running the International Academy, and followed this with the advancement of international for the launch of the new University of Suffolk.

'Developing sustainable strategies for Sub Saharan Africa that provides a full-service model for universities'

An International Education Consultant with over 20 years’ experience.   African in country specialist.   I have worked as Director and Head of successful, target driven International Offices at leading UK universities. I have business development experience in the private sector with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Kaplan.   We deliver consultancy services to the further, higher, and commercial education sectors and can deliver solutions that will improve the international position of education providers, maximising revenue in this area. Specialist in: Building high performing international business development teams; hitting targets and driving sales; international strategy; international marketing plans; training and consultancy; end to end service; agent development and management; CRM and conversion; partnership delivery, school engagement strategies.

'Geographic Diversification in the Recruitment of International Students'

Sue has over 25 years of experience in higher education, international marketing and recruitment, international partnerships, management, and language learning support. She leads on the strategy for and operationalisation of all aspects of international marketing and recruitment at the University of Kent, including progression partnerships. Former positions include Communications Officer with the UK Socrates-Erasmus Council at Kent, and student experience roles at Loughborough University and the University of Leicester.

'How to work successfully with the government's export agenda'

Working as the HE specialist in the UK Department for International Trade, Suzanna supports the delivery of the International Education Strategy, promoting the UK HE sector and identifying TNE opportunities for UK HE providers abroad. With 20+ years experience in HE, she spent the last 17 years in business development, working with academic partners in the UK and abroad at the top UK TNE players. In addition to PhD, MBA and two Masters Degrees, she is senior fellow of AdvanceHE. Suzanna has published on HE and frequently presented on internationalisation and partnerships in the UK and abroad.

'DEI: From lip service to meaningful change - Authentically engaging historically underserved populations'

Tamsin leads the Duolingo English Test’s strategic engagement efforts in the United Kingdom where she is committed to reducing barriers to English proficiency testing for university bound applicants. An international education professional with over 15 years experience, Tamsin has supported the advancement of international higher education, overseas assessment and global citizenship education through both US and UK organisations. Starting in the international office of universities in the UK, she joined Duolingo by way of the British Council USA, the College Board and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Tamsin holds a Bachelors in International Relations and a Masters in European Studies from the Universities of Keele and Birmingham respectively.

'50 Voices For 2023'

Tosin is an accomplished international education and learning and development specialist with over 15 years leading innovative engagement strategies in Africa and the Middle East. He specialises in customer-centred internationalisation, recruitment, and engagement strategies to reimagine higher education and empower everyday leaders. He advocates an alternative non-transactional approach to international higher education based on human capacity development, shared value, and knowledge diplomacy. Tosin has led workshops for a range of institutions including Siemens, UUKi, BUILA, CIS, and the British Council. He currently heads the Programme for African Leadership at the London School of Economics where he co-produces The Climb Podcast.

'The new Chinese opportunity'

Being once an international student and the first university graduate in her family, Ula is a true advocate of the life change experience of UK Higher Education. As the deputy director of international student recruitment, Ula leads a diverse and experienced team, responsible for the successful implementation of University of Nottingham’s international student recruitment strategy. Outside of her day job, Ula is the founder of the British Universities’ China Association, the executive member of BUILA, and the Chair of BUILA China Regional Interest Group.

'What Makes Students Happy and Satisfied - A Global Perspective'

Una leads the International Student Recruitment Team in University College Dublin and the UCD Global Centres, setting the overall direction for the University’s international student recruitment strategy across key international education markets. Working in the sector for 20 years, Una works in partnership with Shauna Hughes, Director of Global Relations, Partnerships and Mobility, to provide the vision, strategic leadership and management of UCD Global to realise the ambitions set out in UCD’s Global Engagement Strategy 2021-2024.

'Geographic Diversification in the Recruitment of International Students'

Vaibhav ventured into edtech to solve the access to education and student debt problem that plagues overseas education. His passion lies in innovating through technology, by challenging the traditional status quo in mainstream sectors such as education and fintech. At Leap, he is on a mission to make global education accessible for Indian students across the spectrum. Vaibhav spearheads growth, strategic partnerships and innovation. He has helped over 3000 Indian students achieve their study abroad dreams over the past 5 years through counselling and financing their education. His experience with scaling ventures like InCred and Capital Float was instrumental in building and making Leap the fastest-growing Study Abroad platform in South Asia. Vaibhav has spent over 12 years in financial services and gained experience across global investment banking constructs and the Indian fintech ecosystem. He started his career with Deutsche Bank, where he spent 6 years across the Asia Pacific region (Mumbai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney).

'Ukraine. Invasion and international education. Is there a market and will there be?'

Valeria is CEO of Business Link Educational Agency and has over 20 years of experience working in international education. She studied in a British school while growing up and has a first-hand understanding of life as an international student in the UK. Returning to Ukraine to work with Business Link, Valeria built up a network of partners in the UK and has organised large educational fairs in Ukraine. After arriving in the UK following the invasion of Ukraine, Valeria co-founded BHSU (British Homes and Schools for Ukrainians), a charity helping displaced Ukrainians get to the UK for temporary shelter and reset their lives.

'Thriving in 2030: How can Universities create sustainable competitive advantage'

General Manager, Global Strategy and Planning at Navitas. Leads Corporate Planning, Strategic decision making and M&A decisions at Navitas. 8 years’ experience in the Global Education Sector Former Senior Leader at Global Education focused management consulting firms - L.E.K. Consulting and EY-Parthenon. Led several projects advising large public and private Educational Institutions on strategic decisions such as market entry, growth strategy, product expansion, customer segmentation across 25+ countries Core focus of Vikas’ work is to predict the fast-evolving trends in the Global Education industry and help organisations adapt/pivot to remain ahead of the curve. His work is under-pinned by rigorous data analysis and close tracking of the changing market dynamics, and enables stakeholders to look at the bigger picture and take a long-term view of the sector.

'Agent management: Is the tail wagging the dog?'

Vincenzo (Enzo) Raimo is an independent higher education consultant and Visiting Fellow at the University of Reading where he previously served as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement). He has written and spoken widely on transnational education, international student mobility, global engagement strategies and in particular the role of education agents. He is co-editor with Pii-Tuulia Nikula and Eddie West of ‘Student Recruitment Agents in International Higher Education: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective on Challenges and Best Practices’ scheduled for publication by Routledge in May.

'That's so cheugy. Move over GenZ, the Alphas are coming'

"In international director-level marketing positions for the past 18 years, Véronique Malan enjoys the marketing challenges of boosting business growth and making customers smile. She joined EHL, the world's #1 hospitality management university, in 2011. Marketing Director then Business Development Director, she drove EHL’s marketing approach that contributed to tripling the number of student candidates, and she designed the recruitment strategy for EHL’s first campus in Asia. A French-Swiss citizen, Véronique Malan holds an MBA from Cornell University, USA."

'IHEC debate: Delivering better value for international students - is the answer an Office for International Students?'

Yinbo joined UKCISA in 2019 where he leads the non-member engagement function, including stakeholder communications, international student engagement, UKCISA’s strategic partnerships function, the award-winning #WeAreInternational campaign and its student ambassador programme. Prior to that, Yinbo was elected as the International Students’ Officer at the National Union of Students UK (NUS) for two terms, representing around half a million international students in the UK. He has been playing a leading role in policy influencing and campaigning on a range of issues, covering the entirety of the international student experience. Yinbo was educated at Nanjing Foreign Language School in China before coming to the UK to study for a BSc in economics at the University of East Anglia and an MSc in urban economic development at University College London.