Transnational education conference 2025

Rita Akushie is PVC (Finance & Operations) at the University of London where she leads the Finance, Technology, Human Resources, Property & Estates teams and Cosector. After her accountancy training in public practice, Rita spent the 24 years of her career in the Housing Association sector as Finance Director, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining the University of London, Rita was CFO & Executive Director of Corporate Resources at Cancer Research UK.   Rita is also Non- Executive Director and Audit Chair of HICL Infrastructure Plc - a £3bn FTSE 250 listed Infrastructure Investment company.

Eve Alcock is Director of Public Affairs at QAA where she leads the organisation’s policy, political engagement, stakeholder relationships and communications work. She is also an Aspen Rising Leader Fellow. Prior to QAA she spent two years at the Clean Air Fund, an international charitable foundation tackling air pollution globally, where she worked across communications, advocacy and strategic partnerships. Her background in the higher education sector comes from two years as President of the University of Bath’s Students’ Union where she was also a governor of the University and Chair of the SU’s Board of Trustees. 

Phil Allmendinger is Professor of Land Economy and Pro Vice Chancellor for Education and Partnerships at the University of London. Prior to this he was Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Bath and Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Cambridge. 

Mrs Anastasia Andritsou is the Director of the British Council Greece & Cyprus, contributing to the education policy agenda in the European region, developing an innovative and forward-thinking skills agenda for youth and under privileged communities, and strengthening strategic collaborations between the UK, Greece and Cyprus. She has over 25 years of experience in education reforms, management of technical assistance programmes, EU and structural funds and business development in the non-for-profit sector.  She studied Electrical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, holds a master’s degree from the Polytechnic School of Toulouse in France and an Executive MBA from the Athens University of Economics and Business.

Maddalaine Ansell joined the British Council as Director Education in November 2018.  Prior to this she was Chief Executive of University Alliance, a mission group representing professional and technical universities.  Maddalaine previously worked for 15 years as a Civil Servant with stints in the Treasury, Number 10, the Home Office and the then Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.  She began her career as a corporate lawyer, working for both Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Sullivan & Cromwell. Maddalaine leads the Global Education Strategy and Portfolio working collaboratively with colleagues in British Council offices across the world and with HMG, the Devolved Administrations and the Higher Education Sector. 

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.

Employment tax specialist with British University Finance Directors Group (BUFDG), primarily supporting university finance, tax, payroll and HR teams with international tax issues stemming from movement of people.

Tom Buckley is Chief Executive Officer of English Path and Global U at GEDU Global Education Group, leading strategic growth across 14 colleges in 10 countries. He has over 20 years’ senior leadership experience in higher and transnational education, including as Global Head of Transnational Education at Navitas and Director of Recruitment, Admissions, and International Development at Lancaster University. Tom has spearheaded major international partnerships, campus launches, and student recruitment strategies worldwide, with a track record of driving innovation, global engagement, and high-quality outcomes across diverse higher education settings.

Ishan is Senior Director of Times Higher Education's consultancy team, with responsibility for government and TNE portfolios. He has worked with over 30 governments worldwide to support TNE development, including projects for the British Council and Department of Business and Trade. In 2024 he authored the ‘Transnational Education 3.0’ report focusing on how TNE can support national economic and sustainability ambitions in host countries, developing a monitoring and evaluation framework to evidence the long-term impact of TNE on skills, innovation and prosperity. Most recently he has led on a major project to attract foreign universities to Tamil Nadu, India.

Cristina is Head of Public Affairs at the University of Nottingham. She joined the university from central Government, where she ran external affairs teams in the departments for Health & Social Care, Transport and from within the Cabinet Office. Previously, Cristina ran strategic communications and external affairs campaigns for UKRI, where she managed one of the organisation's most high risk energy research capital investments. Cristina trained and worked as a journalist before finding her feet in public affairs managing controversial largescale development schemes.

As leader of the Communications and Marketing department, Laura is responsible for the University’s communications, marketing, public affairs, civic mission, events, student recruitment, widening participation, admissions and international activity.
She is a Director of FOR Cardiff, the city’s Business Improvement District, and chairs its place marketing workstream.

Triant Flouris holds degrees from the UofSC (Ph.D.), Baylor University (M.A.), and William Jewell College (B.A.). Dr. Flouris has extensive international experience in strategic planning and higher education administration in the U.S., Canada, and Greece. He is the author of ten books, and over two hundred refereed journal articles, book chapters, scholarly articles, and public reports primarily on aviation topics. 

Flora took up the position of CEO at the Chartered Association of Business Schools on 1st May 2023.   Prior to this, she was the Director of Financial Services at the CBI.  Prior to joining the CBI in 2014, Flora has worked for the ATM Industry Association, Public Relations Consultants Association and Association of Measurement & Evaluation of Communication.   Her earlier career included working for The Profile Group, BBC Worldwide and Two-Ten Communications, a Press Association subsidiary.  

Delia has 30+ years' experience in HE. Starting her career as an academic and moving into senior strategic roles across the globe. In the last 25 years she has focused on all aspects of Internationalisation Strategy, International Recruitment, Marketing and Operations, TNE and Partnership Development, Tax, Risk and Regulatory compliance, and Enrolment Management. 

In the University sector Delia has held positions of Dean, Director of International and Pro Vice Chancellor Global Engagement and most recently was VP Global Education Practice working in Strategic Consulting including living and working in India for 5 years. She is now an independent practitioner advising universities and private providers on a range of projects. 

Louella joined the University of Nottingham at the start of 2024 to lead the University’s central communications, political affairs and advocacy functions.  Before joining Nottingham, she spent 15 years at Newcastle University, taking up the role of Director of Communications during a period of unprecedented change and overseeing the creation of the new communications directorate. Training initially as a journalist, she worked for 10 years in regional and national print journalism, winning national recognition for her expose of the contaminated blood scandal which affected thousands of haemophiliacs and their families. She is Co-Chair of the Russell Group Directors of Communications Network.

Matt Hornshaw is Senior Vice-President Global Partnerships at GEDU Global Education with over 30 years’ leadership experience in international higher education. He has held senior roles at leading UK universities and specialises in TNE, strategic partnerships, market entry and offshore campus delivery. Matt has extensive expertise in expanding universities’ global footprints across regions including India, MENA, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe & Southeast Asia. He also lead MGH Educonsult, providing consultancy on global education strategy and partnerships. His deep knowledge and hands-on experience help universities navigate complex international markets sustainably and successfully.

Professor Léon Laulusa is Executive President and Dean of ESCP Business School, overseeing its six European campuses and Dubai branch. At ESCP since 1999, he has held senior positions including Executive Vice-President, Academic and International Dean, and Campus Dean. His expertise spans leadership, financial accounting, management control, and the impact of culture—particularly in China—on corporate management. A former Partner at Deloitte France in Audit and Consulting, he is also Vice-President for International Relations at the Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE). In 2025, he was appointed Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur.

Vicky Makellaraki is an experienced Higher Education professional specialising in Transnational Education (TNE). With a strong background in international collaboration across Greece and the UK, she leads teams of international academics through successful validation and review events, fostering mutual responsibility and promoting regulatory compliance through constructive engagement. Vicky contributes to strategic and operational initiatives that enhance academic quality and student experience. She develops training to build institutional capacity, supports policy and strategic development, and empowers partners to deliver successful outcomes. She is passionate about expanding access to high-quality TNE and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships built on trust.

BUFDG’s Tax Specialist, Andrea, joined BUFDG in 2020. Andrea has worked in tax for over 35 years including time as a VAT Officer at HM Customs & Excise, and with a couple of Big-4 firms, before several years as the Tax and Insurance Manager at the University of Worcester. In her spare time, Andrea enjoys walking, running and reading.

Mr. Spyros Miltiades was born in Limassol. He studied Turkish Studies and Political Science at the University of Cyprus and History of International Relations at London School of Economics. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2005. He served amongst others, as Consul of the Republic of Cyprus in Athens, at the Embassy and Permanent Representation of the Republic of Cyprus in Vienna, as Director of the Diplomatic Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and as Consul General in Thessaloniki. Since August 2022, he has been posted at the High Commission of the Republic of Cyprus in London as Deputy High Commissioner. 
 

Lito Miranthi promotes Cyprus as a hub for innovation, higher education, and research. With over a decade at Invest Cyprus, she plays a pivotal role in advancing the country’s global positioning, forging partnerships between international investors, tech companies, and academic institutions. Passionate about education and R&D, she supports initiatives in fintech, deep tech, edtech, and collaborative research that strengthen Cyprus’s innovation ecosystem. Her international business background brings a global outlook and strategic focus, while her proactive approach fosters connections that drive growth and position Cyprus as a dynamic, knowledge-based economy where talent and innovation thrive.

Adrian pioneered in-country representation in India in 2008, transforming how global universities expand into new markets. Today, through Acumen, he has supported 250+ universities and the enrolment of over 30,000 international students each year. He spearheaded the U.S.–India Knowledge Exchange in Washington D.C., advises NITI Aayog on the internationalisation of India’s NEP, and helped launch Japan’s Study in Japan initiative across South Asia. Adrian is now working on establishing a pioneering AI institute in Athens, Greece, further advancing his mission to reshape global education and talent flows.

Elizabeth Newall is a senior sector specialist (digital transformation) and contributes to Jisc’s research, thought leadership and consultancy into the digital transformation of learning, teaching and assessment in higher education. In doing this, she works closely with Jisc members and experts from the UK HE sector to gather requirements to inform how Jisc can support the sector in the challenges they are facing in relation to digital transformation. Areas of current focus include the digital experience of international and transnational students, and rethinking learning and curriculum design. 

Fionn O’Brien serves as Head of Sales, Europe for StoneX Payments, where he leads the Sales team in supporting higher education institutions, international development organisations, multinational corporations, and financial institutions with their international payments and foreign exchange requirements.

A passionate advocate for the local currency funding model in cross-border business, Fionn has a deep understanding of the many foreign exchange challenges facing today’s Treasurer.

With extensive experience in foreign exchange and cross-border treasury solutions, he partners with organisations across Europe to deliver tailored, reliable, and cost-efficient global payment solutions.

Tabetha has worked as a consultant research specialist for over 20 years. Over the past three years she has designed and led Jisc’s research on international and transnational student and staff digital experience.  

Tabetha is also a specialist in social research and digital capabilities at both an individual and organisational level, and co-authored Jisc’s recent report on digital transformation in higher education. Her work covers local, national and international research, for example she was part of a EU team that designed a tool to assess school digital maturity, which to date has been used by over five million people in 80+ countries.  

Cecilia Pereira-Yates has been at the forefront of Transnational Education (TNE) for over three decades, shaping models that have defined the sector. From pioneering distance-taught, flying faculty, and articulation pathways in the 1990s, to contributing in 2005 to the creation of Malaysia’s EduCity, her work has consistently anticipated the next wave of internationalisation. At Acumen, she leads global TNE, advising universities on realising their ambitions and working with governments, funders, and industry to shape sustainable partnerships from articulation and joint/dual awards to international branch campuses ensuring institutions remain globally competitive while delivering meaningful impact for students and societies.

Eduardo Ramos has a career spanning 20 years in regulation, policy and operations of international education in the UK, France, Spain and the United States. As Head of Higher Education Systems and Internationalisation, he currently leads the strategy, pursuit and implementation of relevant activities of the British Council Going Global Partnerships programme: providing direction and consultancy on internationalising higher education, strengthening systems and institutions, and enhancing learners outcomes. This includes complex and innovative programme design to support sustainable system collaborations and institutional partnerships.

Georgina has been the Tax Manager at the University of Birmingham since 2018.  She has an overview of all taxes specifically corporate and indirect taxes in the UK and internationally - her first love is sadly UK VAT but she is learning to love other taxes!  Prior to working in the University sector, she was with PwC for 22 years.  

As Head of Transnational Education (TNE) at Universities UK International (UUKi), Griff leads UUKi’s work with universities, government, and international partners to support the delivery of high-quality UK degrees around the world. His role encompasses policy development, research, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement.    

Griff has seven years of experience working for UUKi in a range of roles, covering TNE, immigration, and global mobility. 

Mumbai based, Sanjeev started his career with Kotak Mahindra Group where he spent 16 years – mostly in Investment Banking doing Equity & MnA transactions for clients. After this, he moved to the Times of India Group where he was responsible across the Group for Corporate Strategy, MnA, Investment Management, Strategic Recruitment, Compensation and Governance – he held this job for 12 years. During this stint, Sanjeev was responsible for setting up the Education businesses of that Group which were Bennett University (Greater NOIDA) and TimesPRO (Exec Ed business). 

Currently, Sanjeev is advising an Outdoor Education company in Thailand, a K-13 International School in Bali, a VC fund based in London, India largest School Sports company and is on the Board of a Kotak Mahindra Group subsidiary. His passion is to continue as a Breathwork and Meditation Coach – he is currently treating 20 individuals for issues such as a hypertension, poor sleep, asthma and athletes – he also conducts Corporate/ Group workshops. He is an avid lover of modern philosophy and wants to incubate a business in Healthcare with a strong accent on Wellness. 

Ajay Sharma was appointed British High Commissioner to Malaysia in April 2025. This is Ajay’s fourth head of mission role. He was UK Chargé d’affaires to Iran from 2013 to 2015, British Ambassador to Qatar from 2015 to 2020, and Chargé d’affaires to Turkey from 2022 to 2023. Ajay has also served in Moscow and in Paris as the Deputy Ambassador to France. Before his current role, Ajay was a Director International Affairs in the National Security Secretariat of the Cabinet Office and a Director in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. During his 30-year career as a diplomat, Ajay has been involved in several international negotiations, including as the UK Representative for a Cyprus Settlement 2021 to 2022 and as the Deputy Negotiator for the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA). Born in London, Ajay is a graduate of Oxford University. He is fluent in French and Turkish and is learning Bahasa Melayu.

Shannon is Head of International Policy & Engagement at QAA, leading QAA’s strategic collaboration with governments and agencies around the world to benefit UK higher education and its international reputation, and to collaborate on key international projects. Her role encompasses partnership building, policy development, thought leadership, research, and stakeholder engagement. Prior to this, she was worked in roles focused on policy at Universities UK International and global mobility at Goldsmiths, University of London. Shannon holds a master’s degree in International Education and Development from the University of Sussex. 

Natalie is Student Wellbeing Manager at the University of London, supporting its global community of online, distance, and flexible learners. With a background in youth work, she brings extensive frontline experience alongside specialist training through a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychosynthesis Counselling. Natalie developed Wellbeing Champion networks to embed a whole-university approach aligned with the University Mental Health Charter. Her work centres on prevention, early intervention, safeguarding, and promoting wellbeing in transnational education. In 2024, she received the Immediate Impact Award at the UOL Employee Awards for Excellence in recognition of her contributions to student wellbeing. 

Professor Shân Wareing is the Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University, having taken up the role in April 2024. She was previously Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Northampton, and other executive roles she has held include Chief Operating Officer at London South Bank University and Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching at Buckinghamshire New University. She has held national roles including Chair of the charity, Unite Foundation, Chair of Advance-HE’s Leadership and Management Strategic Advisory Group, and has published in the fields of linguistics, equality, diversity and inclusion, leadership and team development, and learning and teaching in higher education.