Shadi Awwad is a Regional Director at Elsevier’s Research Intelligence group, overseeing teams in Emerging Markets including the Middle East, Central & Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. He is an experienced expert and advisor in research strategy, intelligence, management, and evaluation. Shadi has provided support to national bodies, international organizations, and academic institutions in these areas. He also has a background in working at the Executive Offices of His Majesty the King Abdullah II of Jordan, contributing to national policy development and organizational projects.

Sheila Jagannathan is the Head of the Open Learning Campus at the World Bank, specializing in digital learning and technology use in education. With over 35 years of experience, she is an internationally recognized thought leader and advisor. Sheila has led capacity building and transformation change projects globally, focusing on performance and productivity improvements. She provides policy advice and technical assistance for capacity building programs in various regions. Her interests include skilling, online learning, immersive technologies, and data analytics. Sheila has authored articles and a book on digital learning.

César Wazen’s interests in rankings, academic accreditation and student assessment are backed by extensive experience teaching mathematics and statistics as well as in whole-school accreditation. He holds a BSc in mathematics, a teaching diploma and a master’s in educational administration and policy studies, all from the American University of Beirut and currently pursuing doctoral studies in European and International Studies.

Professor Martin Henson, former Dean for International Affairs at the University of Essex, is an esteemed consultant in higher education. He specializes in developing higher education sectors, working with government ministries, universities, and colleges on governance, policy, quality assurance, curriculum development, and strategic planning. He is a renowned keynote speaker and collaborates with organizations like the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education. Professor Henson is affiliated with CLICKS and the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, holding fellowships with the British Computer Society and the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Patrick Brothers is the Co-Founder & Co-CEO of HolonIQ, a global education market intelligence platform. He has held senior positions in education, infrastructure, and defense sectors across Asia, Europe, and North America. Patrick is an active member of the World Economic Forum and B20 Education and Employment Task Force. He has a background in corporate strategy, public-private partnerships, and technology sectors. Patrick is also an Australian Army officer and holds an MBA and a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics.

Jackson Docherty is a practical and innovative leader in the learning resource development sector. With a focus on eLearning, simulations, and blended delivery, he has championed the flipped classroom approach in vocational education and training. As the General Manager of Australian Training Products, Jackson strives to create industry-specific educational solutions that exceed expectations for students and drive productivity gains for employers. He has held notable positions, including Director at Victoria University, where he established a cohabited campus merging industry and training. Jackson also initiated the annual Industry Innovation forum in Victoria, showcasing advanced technologies in education and manufacturing engineering.

Hugh is an accomplished academic and senior manager in higher education. With degrees from the University of Oxford and the University of St Andrews, including a PhD in rhetoric and writing, he has held key positions such as University Secretary, Chief of Staff, and Executive Officer at various institutions. Currently serving as Registrar and Chief Administrative Officer at The British University in Dubai, Hugh also has experience in retail management. He is involved in numerous professional associations, holds accreditations, and is active as a poet, blogger, and speaker at international conferences and panels.

Melissa Emler is the Chief Learning Officer at Modern Learners and Modern Community Events. With a passion for learning, she is highly skilled in designing and delivering online and virtual learning experiences. Melissa has coached school leaders worldwide, helping them adopt the Modern Learners Lens and make adaptive changes in their school communities using the Immunity to Change framework. She has also worked as a statewide systems coach, focusing on UDL implementation and accessible materials development. Melissa is dedicated to promoting equitable access to broadband and serves on the Wiscnet Board of Directors. She excels at building and leveraging communities of practice to drive capacity-building and large-scale systems change.

Chris has been with UK ENIC (formerly UK NARIC) since 2007, currently serving as the head of engagement. In this role, he promotes and explains the organization’s work, identifies solutions for members and non-members in the education sector, and addresses their needs and challenges. Chris chairs the UK ENIC Quality & Standards Group, providing oversight for services and communicating methodological processes. He previously held positions such as Head of Research and Data Group, overseeing grade comparisons and international qualification studies. Additionally, he contributed as a lead researcher in significant international secondary school benchmarking studies within the International Projects Group.