Strasz Assessment Systems, US. Rory McCorkle has joined Strasz Assessment Systems as VP of business development. Strasz’s software solutions support assessment organisations with item creation, item banking, test delivery, scoring, and psychometric processes, helping these organisations manage one of their greatest assets, their IP. In this role, Rory will support Strasz’s clients and prospect with their assessment strategies and needs. In addition, Rory took the role of Chair of the Board of the Association of Test Publishers (ATP) in January. ATP is an international trade association focused to promote and develop testing and assessment best practices, while working to promote assessment benefits to test takers, educational institutions, corporations, and society at large. Rory has supported the education and assessment sectors for over 20 years, most recently at PSI Services, but also organizations such as the Project Management Institute (PMI), IEEE, and Prometric. Throughout his career, he has been an active volunteer with ATP, ICE, and many other educational and assessment organisations.

NousCubane, Global. NousCubane announced the appointment of Adam Gray as its CEO. Adam has been acting as CEO delegate at NousCubane since December 2023 and has assumed the permanent role in late February 2024. He will lead the business as it expands its global presence and service offering to provide higher education institutions with a greater range of data-led solutions to address their biggest strategic challenges. Adam said of his new role: “It couldn’t be a more exciting time to be leading NousCubane as we leverage the business’ strong growth to expand our international presence and broaden our offer to help more higher education institutions solve a greater array of problems. Tertiary education leaders around the world are facing unprecedented challenges as they manage the after-effects of the pandemic, high inflation and constrained government funding. Innovative and robust data-led approaches, coupled with global cooperation, will be essential to success in coming decades.”

Pitzer College, US. Karey Fuhs has joined liberal arts institution Pitzer College as its senior director of Study abroad and International Programs. She comes from a 20-month stint at ApplyBoard, as its partner relations manager for the US, and later as a senior partner relations manager for the US. Previously, she held various roles at Northwestern University in Boston, where she worked in the Global Learning Office and the Office of International Program Development. About her new role, Karey said: “After 20 months at ApplyBoard learning about international student recruitment and admissions, I’ve returned to a higher education institution and the world of education abroad/international exchange – and moved to California! To all of my EA and ISSS friends and colleagues, including and especially those of you in the Los Angeles area, along the West Coast, and/or at Liberal Arts Colleges, I look forward to collaborating!”

ENIC, UK. Tracy Ferrier has joined UK ENIC as its new interim managing director.  Tracy previously oversaw the delivery of the Skills for Prosperity programme in nine countries, on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). She has a wealth of relevant experience spanning international education, qualifications and standards, including a decade at the British Council as the global head of skills. “I am delighted to take up the challenge of leading UK ENIC, with the aim of further strengthening the excellent services we provide, and lifting the ways in which we serve our members to even greater heights,’ she said. “I’ve already set about the task of engaging with my new colleagues, members and other UK ENIC service users to listen to their thoughts and reflections.”

Oxford International Education Group, Global. Nadine Baladi has been appointed as the senior vice president for Canada with OIEG. In her role, Nadine will be driving strategy, growth, innovation and execution for Oxford International’s Canadian Career Colleges, English Language, Juniors, and IELTS testing. Nadine started her career teaching overseas as an ESL instruction and has spent over 20 years in senior roles in the international education and the higher education spaces, both in Canada and in the USA. Nadine sits on the board of the National Association of Career Colleges in Canada, and on the board of Career Colleges Ontario, and has served on various ESL Accreditation Commissions in the USA, including CEA and ACCET. About the new role, Nadine says: “I am eager to lead growth for an organization that truly value educational excellence… I look forward to moving the organisation forward in Canada, with a continued emphasis on high levels of quality standards, performance and service to our ever growing students and partners. The future is bright at OIEG and I couldn’t be more excited!”

IALC, Global. Julia Patasheva is the new marketing manager at IALC, the global network of quality language schools. She joined IALC in December 2023 and is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies, campaigns, and events that promote IALC’s brand and its member schools worldwide. Julia has a wealth of experience in the language travel industry, having worked for different IALC member schools since 2005 in various roles such as sales, marketing, and operations. She is passionate about promoting language learning and cultural exchange and believes that IALC members offer the best opportunities for both students and agents. Julia said of her new role: “I am thrilled to be part of the IALC team and to contribute to the growth and success of this amazing association. I look forward to working with our members and partners to showcase the quality and diversity of our schools and destinations.”

Bayswater Education, Global. Antonio Aragon has joined Bayswater as their new VP of business development to lead the commercial direction of the Canadian business. He will be focusing on the launch of their Career Colleges, and the growth of their language, pathway and professional certificate programmes in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. For over 20 years, Antonio has devoted his career to transforming Canadian institutions and helping them achieve their strategic goals in a high-demand, client-focused sector. He has pursued this with the best interest of international students at heart, advising and actively supporting them throughout their academic lives – from being prospective applicants through to graduation. Prior to his amazing role at Bayswater, Antonio has been with the ILAC education group, Algonquin College, St. Lawrence College and ApplyBoard in various leadership roles.

Gen Next Education, US. Maureen Czub has joined Gen Next Education as its director of marketing and communications. Gen Next is a strategic partner in international recruitment and partnerships – expanding global institutional footprints and enrollment through in-person and virtual events, platforms, and resources. With nearly a decade of experience in international education in both the private sector and US institutions, Maureen joins Gen Next from recent roles in business development at aecc and IDP Connect. Her prior roles also include positions in enrolment management, marketing, and international recruitment and admissions at Clark University and Johnson & Wales University. Maureen’s thrilled to join the team at Gen Next, elevating the organisation through new product development and global marketing efforts.

Studyportals, Global. David Bradley has been appointed as the senior partnerships director for UK and Ireland with Studyportals. David is responsible for connecting with top universities to help them diversify and grow their international student body, as well as providing them with challenging insights on international student mobility and ways to grow quality and retention of their international cohort. He also oversees multi-level business development with a focus on connecting and building trust with the board and decision-making units of top institutions resulting in multi-year partnerships. David has an extensive background in higher education in the UK and Ireland that includes a portfolio of working for Globally Ranked and Russell Group Universities. He has had great success in supporting Universities to grow and develop their global markets for over fourteen years. David also has over ten years’ experience working in professional football with Liverpool FC and Manchester United. The key challenge for this post will be supporting the wider UK and Ireland Universities to achieve their targets alongside managing and growing university international strategies.

University Bridge, Global. Jessica Christina has joined University Bridge as the regional manager for Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and will be based in Jakarta. Jessica holds Masters degrees from Swinburne University of Technology and Northeastern University, and joins University Bridge after working in the international education area promoting US programs for over 8 years, including for an Indonesian education agency , CEG and most recently for Shorelight. Jessica said of her new role: “I am delighted to join University Bridge, whose unique CollegeCare offering, has helped many students to achieve their dreams of entering one of the University of California colleges. I look forward to helping students from my region to achieve their US elite college dreams.”

QS, Global. Matteo Quacquarelli has joined the QS Executive Leadership Team as vice president of Strategy and Analytics. Matteo Quacquarelli brings his professional experience across Corporate Finance M&A and Management Consulting, supporting the development of growth strategies, as well as leading digital and data transformation projects in both the private and public sectors. “I look forward to us driving forward the strategic vision and transformation of QS into an insight-led strategic partner to higher education,” Matteo said. “QS is a globally trusted brand across the sector. A trust built from our roots as a family-owned, mission-led partner.” Matteo is a graduate of the University of Bristol and holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management. “I look forward to working with my colleagues and with leaders across the sector through this next phase of growth for QS, as we continue to support motivated individuals all over the world to fulfil their potential through educational achievement, international mobility and career development,” he added.

QS, Global. Kym Nguyen has been appointed vice president for Student Recruitment at QS. Kym is embarking on her 12th year at QS and in her new role, she will be responsible for the continued growth and transformation of QS student recruitment partnerships with institutions around the world. She has extensive experience in the global higher education sector and has proudly worked with institutions across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the UK to plan, deliver and achieve their student recruitment and retention goals. Kym’s appointment will “strengthen our end-to-end international recruitment service for our university partners globally”, CEO of QS, Jessica Turner, said. Kym added, “I am delighted to join the student recruitment leadership team at QS. I look forward to bringing together the wealth and breadth of everything we offer at QS to position our partners for success as they navigate their place in the ever-evolving landscape of international student recruitment.”

Educatius Group, Global. Kyu Kim has joined the Educatius team at as its new VP of Asia. He comes from a two-year stint as the global sales director for FirstPoint USA based in Vietnam. Kyu was born in Brazil and raised in Korea, Portugal, Peru, Washington DC, New York, France, Malta & Vietnam for a total of 25 years abroad. He has a background of 12 years in B2B & B2C sales experience in edtech and the education management industry across four different sectors in secondary and higher education, global language schools and young learners. He said of the new role: “I am very excited to join Educatius to help lead our efforts in Asia. There are a plethora of secondary programs and flexibility for international students and our objective is to simply let them know that there’s these programs right in their footsteps that they could take advantage of. Within the process, we look forward to bringing a high level of standard, performance and service to our teams and partners in respective regions.”

AEMG Education, Australia. After seven years at the University of Auckland, Ainslie Moore has joined the team at Australian Education Management Group in Melbourne as an executive officer. Ainslie will be working in her new role to support the board, focusing on strategic planning, policy development, and ensuring compliance within the dynamic landscape of international education. Ainslie was most recently deputy director international at the University of Auckland, and has also been policy director for international and student services at Universities Australia. She is also currently the global chair for the Climate Action Network of International Educators. Ainslie said of her new role:  “There is nothing quite like AEMG anywhere in the world of international education. The heart of the work is partnerships and global connection – two drivers for me personally. I’m really looking forward to joining this global team, and enjoying the relocation to the fabulous city of Melbourne.”

Curtin University, Australia/UAE. Curtin University has appointed Professor Ammar Kaka as its new PVC and resident of its Dubai campus. Ammar brings extensive experience in international higher education to the role — including in
Dubai. He is a professor of Construction Economics and Management and has an international reputation for
research on planning, management and control of construction projects. Ammar spent nine years in senior positions at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland before going on to lead Heriot-Watt Dubai as Provost and Vice-Principal. Most recently, he was president of Applied Science University in Bahrain. With 15 years of experience working in the UAE and the broader region, Ammar said he was honoured and excited to join Curtin Dubai.“Curtin University’s global reputation for excellence sets a strong foundation and my vision is to unlock its full potential to make a lasting impact in the region. With its cutting-edge programs, renowned faculty, and commitment to innovation, Curtin Dubai is poised to become a driving force in shaping the future of education.”

The Alice Smith School, Malaysia. Katy Christie was recently appointed to the role of head of brand and communications at the Alice Smith School in Kuala Lumpur. Katy is a seasoned professional renowned for her adeptness in driving sales and marketing initiatives across diverse industries. Before her role at The Alice Smith School, Katy held the pivotal position of head of marketing at Gemini Worktops, where she orchestrated disruptive digital marketing strategies that fueled remarkable growth within the competitive home renovation market. Her innovative marketing approach was instrumental in the company’s success, cementing her reputation as a dynamic leader in the field. With extensive experience in higher education through roles at NCUK and the Oxbridge Formula, as well as involvement in brand transformation initiatives at Nord Anglia Education during a period of growth and acquisition, Katy possesses comprehensive insight into international tertiary and K-12 education challenges. “My time at The Alice Smith School has been incredibly dynamic so far—just three months in, but already immersed in a fantastic team and a warm school community!”

American Councils for International Education, US. The American Councils’ board has announced that it has chosen Lisa Choate to become American Councils’ fourth, and first female, president and CEO. Lisa joined American Councils in 1987, a time when the organization employed fewer than ten staff and focused its efforts almost exclusively on language programming between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. She worked with the organisation’s founder Dan Davidson to establish American Councils offices in Washington DC and as an early leader of the organization has strongly influenced its tremendous expansion to an organization that now counts over 650 staff, 38 offices, and 100,000 students, teachers, and professionals in over 140 countries as its alumni. Outgoing CEO David Patton said: “I have no doubt that Lisa’s unique skills, vast global experience, dedication to the mission, and remarkable professionalism will ensure continued organizational growth and expanded impact for years to come.”

University for the Creative Arts, UK. Fiona Conlan has been appointed director of UCA Global, with responsibility for developing and delivering a global strategy which optimises UCA’s international student recruitment, admissions, international partnerships, and global development functions. Fiona joins from the University of Southampton where she was deputy director of Global Recruitment and Admissions and associate director international. In this role, she led a restructure of the International Office, exceeded international student number plans at all levels of study and quadrupled Turing Scheme funding. Prior to this, Fiona spent seven years in global engagement at LSE, five years at the University of Greenwich as international partnerships director where she oversaw one of the largest TNE portfolios in the UK, and held other international-facing roles at Kent, UEL and the University of California. In relation to her new role, Fiona remarked: “I am excited to work with the UCA community to lead our global vision and strategy, and to have the opportunity to support a forward-thinking beacon of creative excellence that embraces innovation, fosters creativity, and celebrates diversity.”

BISU, Ukraine. Pamela Farah recently took up the role of the international academic director at The British International School, Ukraine. A seasoned educational leader, Pamela boasts 20 years’ successful international leadership and teaching experience across a range of multilingual private and public K-12 schools. She is well-versed in British, American and Irish curriculum and assessment management and development, and familiar with education in the Western Countries and Middle East context. Pamela worked with 75+ nationalities from a range of diverse backgrounds. In her new role at BISU, she will contribute to Ukraine’s recovery, while developing an innovative education model and nurturing motivated lifelong learners – the nation’s next generation – armed with knowledge and skills for life and eager to make a positive impact on the world. Becoming part of BISU in challenging times for Ukraine, she says: “It is a privilege and honour to join such an amazing team and work alongside my Ukrainian and international colleagues who show such perseverance, dedication and resilience in the face of adversity on a daily basis.”