Ulster University, UK. Sven Schottmann was recently appointed associate dean (development and partnerships) by the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Ulster University’s new Belfast city campus. Sven brings with him close to twenty years’ experience in the international higher education sector, including as a lecturer, researcher, business development manager, internationalisation lead and pathway college director. A former international student in Malaysia, the US, the UK and Australia, Sven is passionate about international education and its transformative effects on students, their families and communities, as well as the people they encounter in their destination societies. He remains research active in the field of international politics and has published on topics such as social change in Southeast Asia, inter- and intra-faith dialogue, Islamic banking, and the role of international higher education in foreign policy. But now he is really looking forward to the opportunities, dynamism and giant spirit afforded by Northern Ireland, and to enjoying ‘the craic’ with Ulster’s international students and partners from around the world.