Transnational Education Conference 2019: the story behind the numbers

6 Nov 2019, 09:00 - 17:00

Woburn House
20-24 Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9HQ

Download the delegate guide

If you are joining us at the conference, you can download the delegate guide here.

We are currently at capacity for this event and no more tickets are available at this time. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please email events@international.ac.uk and the team will contact you should a place become available. If you’re interested in keeping up to date with our other TNE events and activities, we suggest you join our TNE e-group.

Overview

After a decade of near double-digit growth, transnational education student numbers have begun to plateau. But the headline figures only reveal a fraction of the full picture. At this year's Transnational Education Conference, developed in partnership with the Department for International Trade, we'll be unpicking the story behind the numbers…

The present: success so far

Using our newly released Scale of UK HE TNE report, we'll take stock of the crossroads we find ourselves at and unpick the data behind the student numbers. We'll examine the challenges and opportunities we're facing: Brexit, demographic shift, technological innovation and the emergence of new competitors and partners. We'll take a look at how regulatory reform overseas is opening up new opportunities for UK providers and how UK universities can make efficient and effective use of their resources to expand overseas.

The future: the journey ahead of us

We'll explore the questions that will shape the future of TNE: how can we maximise the role of TNE as a valuable education export, and generator of soft power, to fulfil the ambitions of the International Education Strategy: global potential, global growth and help the UK further grow its standing on the world stage post-Brexit? How can institutions balance capacity-building TNE initiatives with the need to break even? How will future technologies transform the international education landscape?

Agenda


9.30 – 10.00	Registration and refreshments
10.00 – 10.05	Chair's welcome Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University
10.05 – 10.15	UK HE TNE: The story behind the numbers – Scale of UK HE TNE report launch What do the latest figures tell us about UK TNE? Kicking off this year's conference, our director Vivienne Stern will introduce key findings of UUKi's newly-launched report: 'The Scale of UK HE TNE'. We'll discuss macro trends, region-specific consolidation and emerging markets as we start to unlock the story behind the student numbers. Speaker: Vivienne Stern, Director, Universities UK International
10.15 - 10.30	Championing the UK's global universities – UK Ministerial address What does the International Education Strategy mean for TNE? With the International Education Strategy on everyone's minds, this Ministerial address will provide an opportunity to consider the value of TNE to the UK, and to hear how the government can support the sector's transnational delivery ambitions. Speaker to be announced
10.30 - 11.00	TNE: sustaining growth overseas How can UK institutions make the most of TNE growth opportunities overseas? In this session we'll hear from key government representatives from countries with a strong appetite for collaboration with UK higher education. Speakers will cover priorities and target areas for their countries, and we'll discuss opportunities for engagement with the UK. Speaker: - Professor Dr. Myo Kywe, Chairman, National Education Policy Comission, Myanmar - Dr Apostolos Dimitropoulos, Secretary General for Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Greece
11.00 – 11.30	Refreshments and networking
11.30 – 12.30	Breakouts 1 (full list of breakout sessions in next tab)
12.30 – 1.30	Lunch and networking
1.30 – 2.30	Breakouts 2 (full list of breakout sessions in next tab)
2.30 – 3.00	Refreshments and networking
3.00 – 3.40	TNE in 2030: challenges and opportunities Panel discussion The Government's international education strategy looks ahead to 2030, but what will TNE look like in 2030? What can be achieved, and what is preventing the UK from meeting the strategy's goals? How will the UK's TNE offer need to develop in order to address both global and domestic challenges? In this final session, our panel will grapple with these complex questions that will define the direction of travel for our sector in the years to come. Join us as a panel of senior university representatives discuss the support institutions need to achieve the goals of the International Education Strategy and explore the trends that will define transnational education in 2030. Speakers: - Alan Mackay, Deputy Vice-Principal International and Director of Edinburgh Global, University of Edinburgh - Martin Hamilton, Futurist, Jisc - Professor Leigh Robinson, PVC Partnerships and External Engagement, Cardiff Metropolitan University - Dr Elizabeth Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Sunway Education Group - Wendy Alexander, Vice Principal International, University of Dundee Chaired by: Vivienne Stern, Director, Universities UK International
3.40 – 3.45	Chair’s closing remarks Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University
3.45 – 4.30	Drinks reception In partnership with the Department for International Trade Join us for a drinks reception to network with fellow speakers and delegates before you head home from the conference.
4.30	Close

Breakout sessions

11.30 – 12.30	Breakouts 1
Data and Analysis	Scale of UK HE TNE 2017-18: observations from the analysts Where is UK TNE being delivered? What type of TNE is most common? What future changes to TNE data can we look forward to? If you're looking to dig even deeper into the numbers, this is the session for you. Our analyst Dan Wake will present trends from our new UUKi report in more detail, so you can return to your institution with the latest TNE intel up your sleeve. Dan Cook from HESA will introduce the current review of the Aggregate Offshore record – the data source for much of the analysis in the session – and explain the improvements that will be made to the record in the short and longer terms. Speakers: -Dan Wake, Data Analyst, Universities UK -Dan Cook, Head of Policy and Research, Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)
Market Intelligence	Country surgery Here’s your chance to ask experts about TNE delivery in specific countries or regions. Save up your best questions and visit the surgery! Speakers: Myanmar - Dr Kyi Shwin, Member, National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Committee - Dr Kyaw Naing, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Union Minister Office, Ministry of Education Cyprus - Lito Miranthi, Investment Promotion Officer, Invest Cyprus - Kikis Athinodorou, Member of the Board of Directors, Invest Cyprus Vietnam AM session only - Associate Professor Hoang Minh Son, President, Hanoi University of Science and Technology - Hoang Van Anh, Director Education and Society, British Council in Vietnam
Innovation & Strategy	Oxford Brookes and the ACCA: what’s it all about? Collaborating successfully with professional bodies How can professional bodies and universities join forces to benefit from each other’s global connections? In this session you can hear directly from the team behind a hugely successful TNE partnership, with students all around the globe. Speakers from Oxford Brookes and the ACCA will share insights into how this partnership became the global phenomenon it is today. What challenges come from working in partnership, what does the Oxford Brookes-ACCA student experience look like, and how has the relationship developed over time? Come along to find out what it’s all about. Speakers: - Dr Sara Hannam, Head of Global Partnerships, Oxford Brookes University - Dr Kate Ringham, Programme Lead Applied Accounting, Oxford Brookes University - Dr Jane Towers-Clark, Head of Academic Partnerships, ACCA
International Viewpoints	TNE, the European way: areas of alignment and alternative approaches Panel discussion What can UK universities learn from the way our colleagues and partners from Europe approach TNE? Our close colleagues from the EU have developed their own approaches to TNE / IPPM, at times embedded in wider educational diplomacy objectives and often responding to emerging trends in higher education internationalisation. In this session, representatives from sector bodies and universities from TNE providing countries in the EU will present how they approach transnational education, including the highlights and difficulties in delivering education programmes around the world. Speakers: - Dr Rosa Becker, Senior Researcher & Policy Advisor, NUFFIC - Susanne Kammüller, Senior Desk Officer Transnational Education, DAAD Chaired by: - Anne-May Janssen, Head of European Engagement, Universities UK International
1.30 – 2.30	Breakouts 2
Innovation & Strategy	Would you risk it for the TNE biscuit? Institutional approaches to managing risk How can UK universities make sure that they are managing the risks of operating overseas appropriately? Working with overseas partners, running programmes remotely and navigating changing regulations – delivering TNE comes with an element of risk. This session will examine these risks and how to mitigate and manage them. Speakers: - Sarah Beresford, Director of International Relations, Liverpool John Moores University - Marie Green, Director, Global Mobility, PwC - Joana Westphal, MENA Policy Officer, Universities UK International
Market Intelligence	Country surgery Here’s your chance to ask experts about TNE delivery in specific countries or regions. Save up your best questions and visit the surgery! Speakers: Myanmar - Dr Kyi Shwin, Member, National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Committee - Dr Kyaw Naing, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Union Minister Office, Ministry of Education Cyprus - Liro Miranthi, Investment Promotion Officer, Invest Cyprus - Kikis Athinodorou, Member of the Board of Directors, Invest Cyprus Vietnam PM session only - Nicholas Mithen, Asia Policy Officer, Universities UK International - Tran Huong Ly, First Secretary, Embassy of Vietnam in the United Kingdom
Market Intelligence	Claiming the top spot: Conducting successful TNE operations in China TNE has expanded rapidly in China over the last three decades, with over 1,000 joint programmes and institutes at or above bachelor’s degree level. UK Universities have long been partners of choice in this field and many have experience of fruitful cooperation with Chinese partner institutions, but what does the future hold? In this session, institutions will gain insights into the China TNE landscape and policy environment, including changing regulations and future trends. How can UK universities maximise opportunities in China? What do Chinese universities want from TNE partnerships? Speakers: - Jazreel Goh, Director Education, British Council in China - Matt Durnin, Global Head of Insights & Consultancy, British Council - Caryn Nery, Director, TNE Partnerships, Victoria University, Melbourne
Innovation & Strategy	Digital global classroom: applying virtual reality to transnational education How can new technologies help us evolve our TNE offer? In this session, representatives from Jisc and colleagues from the sector will consider the impact of existing and emerging technologies on teaching and learning, specifically in the context of UK TNE delivery. And, if you’ve been wondering how technology might influence the way we learn in the future, here’s your chance to experience it first-hand. Jisc will be bringing along VR headsets to demonstrate how students of the future will use technologies such as VR, robotics and AI to enhance their experience. Speakers: - Dr Vangelis Tsiligiris, Founder of the TNE Hub and Principal Lecturer in Finance, Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University - Dr Esther Wilkinson, Head of International, Jisc

Speaker Biographies

	Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University Professor Alistair Fitt joined Oxford Brookes in 2011 from the University of Southampton, where he was Pro Vice-Chancellor (International). He chairs the UUKi TNE Strategy Group and UUK Health Education & Research Policy Network and serves on the UUK Board. A mathematician, he has published extensively and has many external research connections. In January 2018, he became the President of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. Alistair is a Director of the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, and is a Trustee of the Oxford Trust.
	Vivienne Stern, Director, Universities UK International Vivienne is the Director of Universities UK International (UUKi). Universities UK International helps UK universities and higher education institutions engage with international partners, and represents their distinctive strengths and interests overseas. Prior to her role in UUKi, Vivienne was Head of Political Affairs at Universities UK where she was responsible for developing and implementing the political strategy for the membership body representing 134 UK universities. She previously worked at the UK Parliament for the Chair of the Education and Skills Select Committee. She is a graduate in English Literature from the University of Cambridge.
	Prof Dr. Myo Kywe, Chairman of National Education Policy Commission (NEPC) in Myanmar (independent organisation which sets national education objectives and formulates national education policies). Dr. Myo Kywe is former Rector of Yezin Agricultural University, Naypyitaw, Myanmar. It is the only HEI in Myanmar which offers UG and PG programmes in Agriculture. Dr. Myo Kywe worked at YAU from his graduation in 1979 until 2018. He obtained his Master’s degree from the University of Queensland, Australia and his PhD degree from the University of Kassel, Germany. He has published six international publications and more than fifteen national publications. Dr. Myo Kywe is also the Chairman of Agricultural University Alumni Association (AUAA) of Myanmar and serves as a consultant to many NGOs, companies and organisations.
	Dan Wake, Data Analyst, Universities UK Before joining Universities UK in June 2017, Dan was a Senior Researcher at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). Before CIPFA, he was a Research Officer at the British Universities Finance Directors Group (BUFDG). Dan holds degrees in Politics and Media and Cultural Analysis, both from Loughborough University. He also studied at Lund University in Sweden as part of the Erasmus programme.
	Dr Kyi Shwin, Member, National Accreditation Quality Assurance Committee, Myanmar Dr Kyi Shwin is the Rector of Yangon University of Foreign Languages. He is also a member and the resource person for National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Committee of Myanmar. In addition, he is a member of Central Executive Committee of Rectors’ Committee of Myanmar. Dr Kyi Shwin has over 30 years of experience in academia and management in HEIs. His experience includes working as a country specialist to develop the Quality Assurance Framework of TVET in the Asia-Pacific Region conducted by UNESCO and contributing to developing the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework. He is also the national representative to ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework Committee linking ASEAN countries' education to the Regional Framework.
	Dr Kyaw Naing, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Union Minister Office, Ministry of Education Professor Dr Kyaw Naing has 40 years’ expertise of academic and senior leadership and management roles within the Myanmar higher education system. He gained a Master’s degree from the University of Yangon and a PhD from Hokkaido University. He continued his study at the University of Heidelberg as a research fellow in 1998, 2003 and 2012. He worked as Chemistry Professor, Pro-rector, and Deputy-director General of Department of Higher Education. His responsibilities in the ministry cover the academic and administrative functions of higher education sector.
	Lito Miranthi, Investment Promotion Officer, Invest Cyprus Lito Miranthi is a graduate from the École Hôteliėre de Lausanne. She obtained a Masters’ in Business Administration in Geneva and is currently a PhD candidate. She has extensive experience in Higher Education holding the position of Academic Director for 12 years, whilst employed as an Assessor and External Examiner for the implementation of the National Vocational Qualifications Framework. She has been with Invest Cyprus since 2015, overseeing the Higher Education Sector as well as representing the Agency at the Committee of Supervision and Control for the implementation of the Cyprus Investment Programme.
	Dr Sara Hannam, Head of Global Partnerships, Oxford Brookes University Dr Sara Hannam currently leads global partnerships (TNE, progression and study abroad) across all four faculties at Oxford Brookes University. Sara lived abroad in Greece working for City College (Faculty of University of Sheffield) for more than a decade before returning to work at Oxford Brookes. Sara has recently been involved in expanding and reshaping the international function now called Oxford Brookes Global. This includes both international recruitment and partnership teams currently focused on expanding, with an enhanced team, the TNE portfolio to new countries and partners.
	Dr Kate Ringham, Programme Lead Applied Accounting, Oxford Brookes University Having graduated from the University of Oxford, Kate qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse, where she specialised in technical training for the audit practice. Within Oxford Brookes Business School, Kate has taught on a range of finance modules and is now the Programme Lead, BSc Applied Accounting.  The BSc Applied Accounting is a unique partnership between ACCA and Oxford Brookes that provides ACCA students with an opportunity to obtain a university degree whilst studying for their ACCA qualification. Kate’s research interest is Corporate Social Responsibility reporting and she has recently analysed the CSR reporting of the FTSE 100.
	Dr Jane Towers-Clark, Head of Academic Partnerships ACCA Dr Jane Towers-Clark is Head of Academic Partnerships, ACCA. A graduate from the University of Exeter, she started her career as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst and Young, London. She went on to work as a lecturer in accountancy in Singapore and as an auditor in Australia before returning to the UK and becoming Head of Accounting, Finance and Economics at Oxford Brookes University. She is co-author of the text book ‘Accounting: A Smart Approach’ and has a Doctorate in Education from the Institute of Education, UCL.
	Anne-May Janssen, Head of European Engagement, Universities UK International Anne-May leads UUKi’s European policy and engagement activity, working to maximise the sector’s profile, impact and visibility in Brussels and in other European countries. Before UUKi, Anne-May worked at Neth-ER where she represented the Dutch knowledge field in Brussels. She represented the interests of the Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centres and Nuffic, the Dutch organisation for international education. She previously worked at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports in The Hague.  She holds an MSc in Public Policy and Human Development, a BA in European Studies and a Bachelor of Business Administration.
	Dr Rosa Becker, Senior Researcher & Policy Advisor, NUFFIC Rosa Becker is senior researcher at Nuffic, the Netherlands organisation for internationalisation of education. She holds an MA in Education from the University of Groningen and a PhD in Comparative Education from the Institute of Education University of London. Her previous research posts were at the Institute of Education University of London, and at Universities UK and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (working for the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education). Her current work focuses on national and institutional strategies for internationalisation of higher education. Rosa gives training courses, within and outside of Europe, on international joint/double degree programme development.
	Susanne Kammüller, Senior Expert Transnational Education, DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Susanne joined the DAAD’s TNE division in 2011 following six years on different positions in the regional sections for South and Southeast Asia. In her role as senior expert for TNE she advises on cross-sectional questions of TNE policy, strategy, external QA and TNE statistics. She authored and co-authored several articles on German TNE, presented at international conferences and managed for the DAAD several joint research projects with the British Council on TNE. Susanne holds a Magister degree from the University of Bonn.
	Sarah Beresford, Director International Relations, Liverpool John Moores University As Director of International Relations at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Sarah oversees international partnerships, mobility and international recruitment and plays a leading role in developing the university’s internationalisation strategy. With a career in international higher education spanning more than 17 years, Sarah’s previous experience includes international roles at the Universities of Manchester and Birmingham, working in China, an overseas posting with the British Council in Taiwan, and a strategic consultancy role specialising in internationalisation at leading global HE consultancy, The Knowledge Partnership.
	Jazreel Goh, Director Education, British Council China Jazreel joined the British Council in 2004. She set up the British Council’s Education Intelligence Unit – the first e-marketing platform dedicated to in international education research for the industry globally. She also led the development and launched the UK’s flagship outward mobility programme - Generation UK which has since led to a 70% growth in British students to China. She was awarded the Equity and Merit Scholarship by the Australian Government and holds a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistic from Monash University. She was awarded an MBE in 2017 for her services to UK education in China.
	Matt Durnin, Head of Insights & Consultancy (Global), British Council Specialising in the economics of education, Matt works with analysts across the region to provide external clients with the data, analysis and insights required to succeed in Asia’s dynamic education sector. He has helped UK institutions to develop their international strategies and identify new partnerships and growth opportunities in transnational education. Prior to joining the British Council, Matt was Chief Researcher of the Financial Times’ China Confidential custom research team, delivering in-depth analysis on a broad range of topics and industries. Matt graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in geography and has worked in China since 2007.
	Caryn Nery, Director, TNE Partnerships, Victoria University, Melbourne Caryn Nery has worked in TNE for over 15 years. She joined Victoria University (VU) as Director, TNE Partnerships in June 2019, overseeing partnerships including a joint institute with Liaoning University that celebrated 20 years old in 2019, joint programmes with Henan University and Central University of Finance and Economics, and TNE partnerships in Sri Lanka, India, Singapore, China and Malaysia. Prior to VU, Caryn worked at both Monash College and RMIT University, managing pathway, VET and HE partnerships and programmes. Caryn is Convener of the International Education Association of Australia’s TNE Network, and is highly regarded as a TNE expert.
	Dr Vangelis Tsiligiris, Principal Lecturer in Finance, Founder of the TNE Hub, Nottingham Business School Dr Vangelis Tsiligiris is a Principal Lecturer at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University and a Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University. He has developed and managed several European universities’ overseas partnerships. Vangelis is an experienced researcher in the area of international HE where he has published extensively and presented his works in international conferences. He has acted as advisor to the Maltese government on the internationalisation of HE, and he has conducted high-profile research consultancy projects for the British Council, UUKi, and NAFSA. In 2016, Vangelis founded the TNE-Hub, an international network of researchers and practitioners in international HE.
	Dr Esther Wilkinson, Head of International, Jisc Dr Esther Wilkinson is a specialist in international education in the UK, and the Head of International at Jisc, the body powering the UK’s higher and further education’s teaching, learning and research and inspiring its digital transformation. Esther leads the international strategy and strategic development of Jisc’s transnational education support programme. Esther has worked in various roles in higher education, as Assistant Director at Universities UK International; the UK Research Councils; the Open University and a brief spell as a police officer. Esther has a BSc Hons, DIC and PhD in Chemistry from Imperial College, London.
	Associate Professor Hoang Minh Son, President, Hanoi University of Science and Technology Associate Professor Hoang Minh Sơn is president of Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST). He was awarded with the Doctorate Degree in Control and Automation at Technical University of Dresden, Germany in 1998. His research focuses on Advanced Process Identification, Control Design, and Automation Software Technology. He was appointed as the university President in 2015. Associate Professor Son is also a regular consultant for the Vietnamese Government and the Ministry of Education and Training regarding higher education reforms. He contributes his expertise to developing an innovative university model towards the Industrial Revolution 4.0 in Vietnam.
	Hoang Van Anh, Director Education and Society, British Council in Vietnam Hoang Van Anh is the Head of Education and Society unit at British Council Vietnam. She holds a Master's in Business Administration from LaTrobe University (Australia). Before joining the British Council, she worked for Australian Education International (AEI) as their Deputy Director (Education Development) and for the University of Queensland (Australia) as the Vietnam Representative. Her passion is promoting the internationalisation of education. She strongly believes that partnership in education will help solve social and economic issues not just in Vietnam but regionally and globally. Her area of interest includes skills, higher education, society, research and innovation.
	Kikis Athinodorou, Member of the Board of Directors, Invest Cyprus Kikis Athinodorou is a Member of the Board of Directors of Invest Cyprus and the Director of Kikis Athinodorou and Associates LLC (Property Valuers and Project Managers) which specialises in comprehensive consulting services in the field of real estate in Cyprus. He was formerly the President of the Cyprus Property Valuers Association. He is a University of Reading graduate in the field of Land Management, and a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) with extensive experience in the valuation sector.
	Alan Mackay, Deputy Vice-Principal International and Director of Edinburgh Global, University of Edinburgh Alan provides senior strategic leadership on internationalisation and directs the University of Edinburgh's international division. He has over twenty years of experience in international higher education. He has an undergraduate degree in Public Policy and Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in European Policy and Law. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Institute for Educational Management. Alan is a Board member of the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and member of the ETS TOEFL International Advisory Group.
	Martin Hamilton, Futurist, Jisc Martin leads the future and emerging technologies team for Jisc. His role is all about generating and channelling new ideas and building partnerships to bring them to fruition. He is particularly interested in the societal implications of ubiquitous robotics and artificial intelligence, and humanity's emergence as a true interplanetary species.
	Dr Elizabeth Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Sunway Education Group Since Dr Lee’s appointment in 1992, Sunway Education Group has developed from one institution to a dynamic group of 16, including Sunway University, Sunway College and Sunway International School, catering to more than 28,000 students. A veteran in the field of private HE provision, Elizabeth serves on National Higher Education Research Institute, and sits on the Board of Trustees of MERCY Malaysia. She is also an active member in the Trustee Committee of the Chair on Women Leadership at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. In January she was recognised for her contributions to the advancement of Malaysia’s education ecosystem with the ‘Educationist of the Year’ award at the inaugural Sin Chew Education Awards.
	Wendy Alexander, Vice Principal International, University of Dundee Wendy is Vice Principal International, University of Dundee, responsible for all aspects of international strategy. She is Co-Chair of UUK’s Pro-Vice Chancellor’s International network. She is a Scottish Government International Trade Envoy, with a focus on higher education and member of the Strategic Board for Enterprise & Skills. She previously served on the leadership team at London Business School, including managing their overseas programmes. Prior to that she spent a decade in policy, politics and Government.
	Leigh Robinson, PVC Partnerships and External Engagement, Cardiff Metropolitan University Professor Leigh Robinson is Pro-Vice Chancellor: Partnerships and External Engagement at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She has responsibility for Global Engagement, Marketing and External Relations and Sport, Health and Civic Responsibility. She has a global reputation for her research and knowledge exchange in the development of competitive advantage and capacity building in developing sport nations. She has worked with a range of organisations, such as the International Olympic Committee, the British Olympic Association, and the Malaysian Government. Leigh is a member of the Board of Sport Wales and an advisor to Olympic Solidarity, the education commission of the International Olympic Committee.
	Nick Mithen, Policy Officer, Asia, Universities UK International Nick is a Policy Officer at Universities UK, working on East Asia and South East Asia. In this role he supports UK universities’ engagement with developed and emerging economies in the region. Before joining UUKi, Nick worked in academic research as a historian, and has been based at research institutes in Italy, Austria and Germany. He completed his PhD at the European University Institute in Florence. Prior to this, Nick attained an MA in Philosophy with International Relations from Fudan University, Shanghai, and a BA in History from Kings College London.
	Joana Westphal, MENA Policy Officer, UUKi Joana’s role focuses on student mobility, transnational education, research collaboration and capacity building. She joined UUKi from the Young Initiative on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, a student-run think tank and platform for international projects, where she was the Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. Previously, she interned at the Regional Office Gulf States of the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation in Amman, Jordan and the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations in New York. Joana holds an undergraduate degree in International Relations and Arabic from the University of St Andrews and an MSc in Sociology from the University of Oxford.
	Tran Huong Ly, First Secretary, Embassy of Vietnam in the United Kingdom Tran Huong Ly has a Master’s in Public Policies from the National Graduate Institute of Public Policies in Japan and has 17 years’ experience at the Ministry of Education and Training Vietnam. She has been supporting international organisations, institutions and corporations to understand education policies in Vietnam, bridging them with Vietnamese counterparts and assisting Vietnamese educators, teachers and students to participate in international education activities. As part of her role, she has supported the Ministry in the development of international education policies, organised international forums and conferences and accompanied the state leaders of Vietnam in official visits, facilitating international agreements in education cooperation.
	Dan Cook, Head of Policy and Research, Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Dan leads HESA’s research activity, policy analysis and engagement, and strategic data development, including acquisition of new data. Following a career in higher education administration at several universities, Dan joined HESA in 2014. Dan holds an MBA from UCL and a first degree from the University of Exeter.
	Dr Apostolos Dimitropoulos, Secretary General for Higher Education, Ministry of Education & Religious Affairs, Greece Dr Apostolis Dimitropoulos studied at the Pedagogical Academy of Ioannina (BA) and the University of Crete (BA). He continued his postgraduate studies at the University of London and obtained his PhD at LSE on the internationalisation of HE in the EU. He has taught at the University of Athens and the Open University of Greece. He has also worked for the Greek Ministry of Education and the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation of Higher Education, and served as education expert at the European Commission and UNESCO. He was responsible for a series of research projects on the effects of the economic crisis on the Greek education systems.