University College Dublin, Ireland. Carl Casey has been appointed to senior manager – Greater Middle East and Africa at University College Dublin. Carl leaves his role leading outreach and recruitment at Zayed University after two highly successful years. Carl has been in the UAE since 2017 having additionally worked for a top tier American university branch campus, and one of the world’s leading school providers; he joins UCD’s Global Hub based in Dubai. From here, he will be focused on further developing the University’s internationalisation goals; embedding growth strategies in new markets within the territory; optimising school engagement strategies; partnership initiation; and developing community-based activities.

Educatius, Global. Anders Ljungdahl has been appointed as the chief financial officer for international student exchange provider Educatius. Anders brings over 20 years of experience in senior finance roles at multinational companies, including Espresso House Group, EF Education First, and Hult International Business School, where he played a key role in driving international growth. In his new role, Anders will be responsible for overseeing Educatius’ global financial strategy and operations as the company continues to expand its reach and impact around the world. His expertise in international finance and education will be invaluable as Educatius works to fulfill its mission of providing transformative educational experiences to students globally. Educatius CEO John Cedergårdh said: “Anders’ proven track record of driving growth and financial excellence at leading global organisations makes him the ideal candidate to help us capitalize on the opportunities ahead.

University of Notre Dame, US. Brigitta Richmond has been appointed the role of senior associate director of summer study abroad programs as Notre Dame’s International division becomes Notre Dame Global. Brigitta is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in international education and program management. In her position, she plays a pivotal role in shaping transformative educational experiences.  She is responsible for implementing the strategy and operations plan of Notre Dame Global’s Summer Study Abroad programs. In her role she oversees the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the summer study abroad programs, ensuring academic excellence, cultural immersion, and logistical efficiency. She collaborates closely with faculty, staff, and international partners to develop innovative curricula and experiential learning opportunities that resonate with students’ academic and personal goals. She advocates for underrepresented students in study abroad; as a first-generation college student herself, she prioritised providing opportunities for students to share their stories through the student lens.

Cranfield University, UK. Steve Guy has announced he started a new position as international operations manager at Cranfield University, in Bedford, UK. The position follows on from his previous role at the university as an admissions officer. Prior to his time at Cranfield, Steve was in graduate admissions at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Steve has over 20 years of experience in HE, with particular expertise and interest in admissions, international recruitment, foundation and university pathway programmes, student records and the applicant experience. He’s also worked with customer service, mentorship, cultural diversity and admissions systems, policy and procedure.

CIEE, US. Cheryl Donnelly is one of three women who have joined the Council on International Educational Exchange’s board of directors. Cheryl has dedicated her career to safeguarding lives through vaccination and enhancing the lives of individuals battling cancer worldwide. Currently serving as the VP of Global Vaccines Strategy & New Products at Merck & Co., Inc., Cheryl leads the strategic initiatives that enable vaccines to have a profound impact on public health both currently and in the future. Her contributions to the advancement of medicine, patient care, and equity have earned her recognition as a 2024 Luminary by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association underscoring her commitment to making a positive difference in her field and her dedication to the betterment of society.

ITECA, Australia. Mark McKenzie has been appointed as the independent board chair for the International Tertiary Education Council of Australia. Bringing with him a wealth of business experience, Mark has served on the Australian Government’s vocational education and training reform transition advisory group, which provided the framework for the ten new Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) responsible for workforce planning and qualifications development. His experience also spans higher education research through his work with the Australian Research Council (ARC). “It’s great to be working with the ITECA Board and the ITECA Chief Executive, Troy Williams, at a time when its strong governance arrangements and relationships with members, industry stakeholders, and government allow it to be a respected and effective voice for independent skills training and higher education providers,” Mark said.

Janison, Australia. Sujata Stead, who spent 11 years as the founding CEO of the Occupational English Test, has joined Janison, which creates online assessment and learning platforms for educators, corporations and governments in a “scalable” way. Sujata also has over 25 years’ experience in education and assessments, both in Australia and internationally, and she is acknowledged as a global leader in the application of technology in education and specifically assessment. Speaking of her new role, Sujata said: “I am excited to be joining Janison, another great Australian organisation in the assessment sector as its CEO. As an education technology pioneer who has been supporting organisations globally for over 20 years improve how we educate and learn, I am looking forward to continuing with the pioneering spirit and keep innovating how we use technology to create greater impact for learners globally.”

AUSCO, Global. AUCSO (Association of University Chief Security Officers) has announced that Figen Murray OBE is the organisation’s first Patron. Figen Murray OBE is the mother of Martyn Hett, one 22 innocent people killed in the Manchester Arena terrorist attack on 22 May 2017, and is the driving force behind proposed counter terrorism legislation, known as Martyn’s Law. In the past five years, Figen has successfully worked with Prime Minister’s, cross-party politicians, security industry experts, and academics to create draft legislation that will make venues safer for the public. Martyn’s Law, otherwise known as the Protect Duty, will require venues with a capacity of 100 and more to improve their preparedness for, and protection from, a terrorist attack by implementing proportionate security measures. Figen said: “I am honoured to be AUCSO’s first ever Patron, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, and I look forward to working with them as its members deliver the best standards of security on university campuses across 22 countries.”

Department for Business and Trade, UK. Krishna Joshi has been promoted to the role of interim head of international education at the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade, where she is seeking to grow the UK’s commercial education sector in the UK and overseas. This involves advising UK education companies and universities to build mutually beneficial partnerships – Krishna enjoys understanding overseas contexts and cultures to do so. Krishna is passionate about collaborating across the private and public sectors to solve problems – particularly in the spheres of education, business/trade and international development. Previously a manager in Public Sector Consulting at PwC Strategy&, Krishna advised and worked within 8 UK government departments and enjoyed forming solutions across trade and aid areas. Krishna has a MSc from the Social Policy department at LSE, where she focused on cities and development in South Asia – and she has volunteered at Magic Bus, an Education NGO in Mumbai.

CIEE, US. Roslyn Artis is one of three women who have joined the Council on International Educational Exchange’s board of directors. Roslyn brings a distinguished career in higher education leadership to CIEE. As the 14th and first female president of Benedict College, Roslyn is a champion of equity and access in education. A stalwart advocate for underrepresented communities in higher education, under her leadership, Benedict College received the 2019 ACE Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation and was named the 2019 Historically Black College and University of the Year. Roslyn’s commitment to fostering inclusive academic environments aligns perfectly with CIEE’s mission.

Rubicon, UK. Liam McGrath launched Rubicon in February 2024 to bring a fresh and disruptive approach to the international student recruitment industry. Rubicon plans a focused effort with a select group of partner institutions in each market to ensure satisfaction for all parties involved, replacing the common problem of agent overpromising and underperforming. Rubicon works directly with students and recruitment partners alike, while remaining totally transparent and compliant. Its upcoming app to be launched in Summer 2024 is set to empower everyone in the education space, removing bias, eliminating compliance issues, and bringing the very best of education to the world. Rubicon is expanding from both Hong Kong (China) and India, to Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, and the U.A.E., followed by Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. It looks forward to entering the LATAM, EU, and Home student markets in the near future.

UCD English Language Academy, Ireland. Volkan Okutkan has been appointed to the role of sales executive at UCD’s English Language Academy in Dublin. He joins UCD from his previous role at ATC Language Schools, where he was a marketing executive and most recently its senior sales executive. Speaking on LinkedIn about his new role, Volkan said: “I’m excited to be part of this wonderful team. With a focus on both B2C sales and partnership management, I’m eager to drive growth and cultivate meaningful collaborations. Grateful for this opportunity, I can’t wait to collaborate with the team. Here’s to new beginnings and exciting ventures ahead!”

Lead5050, UK. Farhan Quraishi has taken on a new role as director at Lead5050, which specialises in helping companies identify their gender pay gap with data and research, and how to help close it. The role will be alongside his current positions as CEO of English language school SpeakUp London, and as chair of ELT association English UK. Speaking on LinkedIn after the role was announced, Farhan said: “After successfully implementing a fantastic accreditation software – I was hooked! Their mission is something which resonates with me and the team are just a dream to work with. It’s a really exciting step towards the future and I can 100000% say that Lead5050 is seriously going to be on the map! (even more than it is now!) A huge thank you to Ella Tyler, Leanne Linacre, Jago Brown and Zara Nanu MBE for having the trust in me and to let me join their exciting journey.”

World Education Services, Global. Bryce Loo has become WES’ associate director of higher education research. It follows from his various previous roles, including as research manager, then most recently as associate director of research. Bryce has been at WES since 2015, where he began his career as a research associate. He also worked as a research intern at the Institute of International Education in the US. Upon the announcement of his new role, Bryce said on LinkedIn: “I will be leading research initiatives in international higher education for WES and am looking forward to connecting with scholars and practitioners around the world.”

OET, Global. COO Jaime Cortes has stepped up to the role of interim CEO at OET. Within just a few months’ time as COO, Jaime has already made a significant impact within the organisation. He brings to OET extensive global experience, with 23+ years in the testing industry, and his time as COO has been marked by a relentless commitment to excellence and innovation. Jaime has quickly demonstrated an innate ability to grasp the intricacies of OET’s operations, implementing strategies that streamline processes, drive key initiatives and empower staff. As interim CEO, Jaime’s blend of strong business acumen and strategic insight will be instrumental in maintaining the momentum of OET’s ongoing projects and initiatives during this transitional phase. On his appointment as interim CEO, Jaime shared: “I am honoured to be entrusted with ensuring OET’s continued success and progress towards our strategic goals. Under Sujata’s leadership for the past 11 years, we’ve seen remarkable growth and transformation. I’m fully committed to ensuring stability and supporting our steady progress to the next phase of OET’s transformation.”

Studyportals, Global. Isabela Santa Roza dos Santos has begun the new role of events & campaigns manager at Studyportals. With a strong foundation in event management and a passion for leveraging technology to enhance interactions, she orchestrates seamless and impactful gatherings that leave a lasting impression. Isabela’s expertise in computer science seamlessly integrates with her creativity, allowing innovation in the future of event planning. As a leader, she excels in bringing teams together, fostering collaboration and excellence. With a dedication to lifelong learning, Isabela is shaping the future of higher education events, one immersive experience at a time.

QS, Global. Shelly Maller has joined QS as its new partnerships director for Australia and New Zealand. She joins after sixteen years at Griffith University, where she led teams across various areas including global student mobility and international partnerships. Of her new role, Shelly said: “I’m delighted to share the news of my appointment. A special thanks to Jeroen Prinsen, QS APAC Executive Director and senior colleagues for this wonderful opportunity and for the warm welcome extended to me by all. I am very much looking forward to working closely with the colleagues from across the QS partnerships network in Australia and New Zealand, and to a big year ahead”.

Taylor’s University, Malaysia. Professor Barry Winn has been appointed as the vice-chancellor and rpesident of Taylor’s University, bringing four decades of expertise in higher education leadership, research, and academic development. He was previously the vice-chancellor of Sohar University in Oman and, preceding that, held senior positions in the UK. Professor Winn’s contributions extend beyond administrative roles with over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles. His dedication to academic standards is evident through his roles as a reviewer for the Quality Assurance Agency (UK) and the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA). Moreover, he has served as an external examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as well as PhDs at various universities worldwide. In response to his vision for the institution, Professor Winn said, “I will ensure we continue to aim high to allow Taylor’s to reach its full potential and become a global leader in progressive and innovative teaching, research, and knowledge transfer. The vision over the next decade is to position Taylor’s as a world-leading institution, equipped to address the challenges of the modern world.”

IELTS, US. Gwendolyne Guzman Rose has been appointed as director of Business Development and Outreach for IELTS USA. Previously, she served as the Senior International Business Development and Marketing Manager for the University of California San Diego Division of Extended Studies International Programs. In this role, she managed agent partner relations, business development, student recruitment and marketing for a portfolio of executive, higher education and visiting student programs globally. In her new role, Gwen is eager to leverage her expertise and passion for connecting people and cultures to promote IELTS as the premier English language assessment tool, ensuring its continued growth, success and adoption worldwide. Gwen’s extensive global experience includes traveling to over 65 countries for work, living and studying. She currently serves as a Board Member for UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy Alumni Board and is a member of the Association of International Enrollment Management.

University of Dundee, UK. Stella Sibbit-Johnson has now started in the team at University of Dundee, joining from the University of Edinburgh Business School where she was managing student recruitment. As global recruitment manager at Dundee, Stella will lead on the planning and management of student recruitment through agent management, commercial partnerships and digital platforms. Stella will be the key account owner for global stakeholder relationships within the team, monitoring opportunity and risk and planning accordingly. This includes leading on agent management and our commitment to the UK’s Agent Quality Framework, and agent compliance. Of her new role, Stella said: I’m delighted to be joining the team at the University of Dundee, the Herald Higher Educational Institution of the Year 2023. I’m truly passionate about the power of international education to transform lives of students as well as their wider communities; and always strive to work toward greater access and inclusion. I look forward to connecting with our partners across the globe in the coming months!”