Transnational education conference 2023

Emma’s professional career spans more than 30 years’ experience across all aspects of internalisation having held roles as strategic lead for international student recruitment, international partnership building and outbound student mobility.  She is an active member of international advisory boards and networks, works closely with the University’s senior leadership team to deliver institutional strategic objectives, has worked abroad as Head of International Development and Head of International Recruitment, and cites her study abroad year at Louisiana State University as the flame that kindled her life-long passion for international education.

Jamie was appointed Director of Universities UK International (UUKi) in November 2022. Prior to taking on this role, Jamie led Universities UK’s research and innovation policy programme (2014-2017) before becoming Assistant Director for Policy Engagement at UUKi (2017-2022).  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. 

Janet Ilieva is the founder and director of Education Insight, a research consultancy specialising in international higher education. Janet's research focuses on global student mobility, university partnerships, transnational education, national policies for global engagement and sustainable development. 

Education Insight launched the Global Engagement Index (GEI), which is an open-access resource which captures the state of internationalism across UK higher education institutions.  
Janet regularly undertakes research in higher education engagement for government departments, international organisations and universities. 

Professor Judith Lamie is Pro Vice-Chancellor International at Swansea University. Professor Lamie has spent over 30 years in higher education and held a number of senior executive positions at UK universities. Professor Lamie has published and presented widely in the fields of applied linguistics, change management and transnational education.

Professor Lamie’s latest book, with Chris Hill, ‘The Evolving Nature of Universities: What Shapes and Influences Identity in International Higher Education’, is due to be published by Routledge in August 2023. The book explores the very nature of a university – where does it sit at home and abroad – and uses international case studies to discuss growth, sustainability and risk as universities navigate their role, value and purpose. 

Latisha has spent the last five years as a public policy professional in the charity and non-profit sector, specialising in education, science, and global health policy. In her current role, Latisha supports UUKi’s policy influencing and global engagement activity on two key thematic areas – Transnational Education and Global Research & Innovation.

She is a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, having led the Race Equity Network for over 3 years in her previous role. Prior to this, she studied Politics & International Relations at the University of Sussex.

Matt Western is the Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington. In March 2021, he was appointed as Labour’s Shadow Minister for Higher Education.  

Matt is also Chair of the APPG on Electric Vehicles and of the Motor APPG. 

Prior to entering Parliament, Matt studied at the University of Bristol. He then embarked on a 24-year career in industry both in the UK and Paris. Before his election as MP for Warwick and Leamington in 2017, he served as a Labour Warwickshire County Councillor from 2013 to 2018.  

He is a lifelong supporter of Arsenal Football Club and is a keen cyclist

Susanne has eighteen years of professional experience in international higher education with the DAAD. Since 2011, she has worked on transnational education in different roles, (co-)authored several articles on different aspects of German TNE activity and managed study projects on international TNE, its impact and terminology for the DAAD. In her current role, she and her team, with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research, support the activities of a German university consortium which is dedicated to the development and further expansion of the Vietnamese-German University, an autonomous public Vietnamese HEI based on the German university model.

Ian Storey has over twenty years of experience in the creative arts higher education sector; starting out teaching graphic design, Ian has subsequently held a range of leadership roles across areas such as Outreach, Access and Participation, Academic Development and Quality Assurance, and since 2014, in international partnerships and student recruitment. Since January 2023, Ian has been the Director of Global Engagement at University of the Arts London where his focus in on delivering inclusive and transformative experiences for UAL’s students and staff through international partnerships.

LSBU Global is led by Stuart Bannerman, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor International of London South Bank University (LSBU). 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. He then took up the post of Director International for the launch of the new University of Suffolk. In 2016, he moved to London South Bank University, where he combined all the international functions into one Directorate and established, with QS Enrolment Solutions (QSES), the first comprehensive enquiry to enrolment assist service. As Associate PVC, he is now focussed on combining the online with traditional TNE in the newly created LSBU Global.

Professor Simon Guy’s remit is to develop, connect and lead Lancaster University’s digital, international and sustainability plans. He is leading on the growth of Lancaster University Leipzig, while continuing to develop Lancaster’s partner campuses in Malaysia, China and Ghana, and intensifying their inter-connectivity. He is currently working to establish a fifth campus in Indonesia in collaboration with Deakin University. He also he executive lead on Lancaster’s programme of digital transformation and is responsible for delivering on plans for de-carbonisation to meet Lancaster’s climate emergency declaration.

David engages with many universities, organisations and companies each year. He has spoken at many universities. David is Senior Advisor to EasyTransfer. He is the Managing Director of Fortis Consulting London which is active in UK and international projects, including HE. David is Chair of the Board of Global Creative Education. He is the Institute of Directors’ (IoD), Special Advisor International. David frequently engages with members of the Central Government, Local Government, embassies and international trade organisations, business leaders and their senior teams, to discuss how to ‘drive up performance’.

Professor David Andrew Phoenix is the Vice-Chancellor of London South Bank University and CEO of the LSBU Group. In addition to being the Accountable Officer for the university, he is the Accountable Officer for South Bank Colleges and Principal Accounting Officer for South Bank Academies. He was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) for his contribution to medical research and education and recognised as an Academician by the Academy of Social Sciences for his work in areas linked to educational policy and the skills agenda. 

With over 250 publications, Prof. Phoenix has held a range of visiting posts including visiting professor at King’s College London and Sichuan University, China. His research focuses on molecular engineering and soft matter modelling. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Royal Society of Biology, the Institute of Mathematics and Its Applications, and the Royal Society of Medicine. In 2010 he was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to Science and Higher Education, and appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London in 2015.

He has a strong interest in public engagement with science and engineering. In 2015 the Prime Minister appointed him as a Trustee of the Science Museum Group where he is Deputy Chair. He has also been Chair of the Science and Industry Museum.

He is also a Director of the National Centre for Universities and Business as well as London Higher. He has previously served as a Director of Universities UK, Chair of Million+, UK representative on the European Committee of Biological Associations and Chair of the professional recognition panel as well as a Council member of the Society of Biology.

Prof. Phoenix has worked extensively overseas, developing and leading on an overseas campus in Cyprus and a research institute in China. He was awarded an individual Excellence award by China’s Vice Premier in 2014 and in 2016 was given the national Friendship Award (China) by the Premier for his outstanding contribution to the country’s economic and social development.

Chris has over 20 years’ leadership experience in businesses providing data-driven insight across central / local Government, Law Enforcement, National Security and Financial Services. 

Most recently Chris spent 3 years as Executive Director at St Peter’s, Brighton; his role included pioneering a new fundraising function and delivering a £2.5M bid for strategic development funding from the Church of England.

Chris is the Co-Founder and CEO of Xapien, an automated background research platform used by leading UK universities to ensure safe and compliant funding.

Dr Vicky Lewis is an experienced independent consultant who specialises in advising universities on international strategy development. She has completed over 50 consultancy projects for institutions at various stages of internationalisation, mainly in the UK but also in other countries.

She draws on 20 years’ experience within UK universities, including Director of International and Director of Marketing roles. Vicky holds a DBA (Higher Education Management) from University of Bath. Research interests include drivers for internationalisation, strategies for global engagement, and approaches to TNE. In 2021, she published a well-received sector report: UK Universities’ Global Engagement Strategies: Time for a rethink?

Professor Paul van Gardingen FRSA is Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) for Global Engagement at Bangor University.  He is the academic lead for the University’s global education and research. His main focus is on delivering sustainable growth of high quality TNE and international recruitment.

Born and educated in New Zealand, Paul has spent most of his professional life in the UK. He has spent more than 30 years working in global research and higher education. His own research has focused on improving the lives of people in developing and emerging economies through the application of scientific knowledge and world-class education.

Prior to her interim Pro Vice-Chancellor and International Director roles Dawn Anderson was Associate Dean International within the Glasgow School for Business and Society and a Senior Lecturer in Risk Management. Her academic positions were preceded by a career in the insurance industry as a corporate underwriter and broker. For the past decade she has focussed predominantly on the international education landscape but maintains close connections with the risk industry.

Bobby has worked in higher education since August 1999 when  he began working in the Access and Admission Department at the  University of Luton (now University of Bedfordshire). He moved to  the International Office at Luton in December 2000 and remained there until August  2002 when he moved to Wales as an International Recruitment Officer at the  University of Glamorgan, now the University of South Wales.  In his time at the University of South Wales, he has held a number of positions  including Deputy Head of International Recruitment, Acting Director of the  International Office, and Head of Enquiries &  Admissions and International & EU Recruitment. 

In April 2017, Bobby was appointed to the post of International Director at the  University of Portsmouth and in December 2021 Bobby’s role was re-  designated to Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) to reflect his  expanded responsibilities for global engagement.

Outside the University of Portsmouth Bobby, serves as an Executive Committee  member of the British Universities' International Liaison Association (BUILA) where  he was originally elected to represent Wales on the Committee in December  2009.

Andy is the Chief Marketing Officer for NCUK, a leading global pathway provider. He joined in November 2023 from a role as Assistant Director for External Affairs at Universities UK International (UUKi), a sector body representing 140 UK universities.

Andy has worked in higher education for more than 15 years, holding senior marketing, student recruitment and alumni relations roles at the University of Southampton and Royal Holloway, University of London.

He has won several awards for his work, including a CASE Europe ‘Circle of Excellence’ award for the University of Southampton’s Replay campaign in 2019, ‘Best Issues and Crisis Campaign’ at the PR Week Global awards in 2022 for UUKi’s #WeAreTogether campaign, and ‘Marketing Campaign of the Year’ at the PIEoneer Awards in 2023 for UUKi’s #TwinForHope campaign.

In 2023, Andy led the relaunch of the UK higher education sector’s, #WeAreInternational campaign, and he chair’s UniQuest’s international advisory board.