Conference on Advancing Education in Partnership with the Global South

The University of Birmingham and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are proud to co-host the inaugural Conference on Advancing Education in Partnership with the Global South, part of the BRIDGE Signature Initiative on Education Access & Equity.

With a strong focus on collaboration and mutual learning, the conference will convene researchers, educators, policymakers, policy implementers, and practitioners to explore how education can serve as a driver of equity, sustainability, and social transformation through equitable partnership with the Global South. Participants will co-create knowledge and strengthen research networks rooted in inclusive, culturally responsive approaches to education.

The program includes:

Three keynote presentations
Three panel discussions
Six parallel sessions designed to facilitate critical reflection and innovation
Social and networking events

The University of Birmingham’s Dubai Campus will host the inaugural conference, strategically located to connect stakeholders across the Global North and South. In celebration of the University of Birmingham’s 125th anniversary in 2025, the conference will also feature a #125 Global Leaders Dialogue on AI and Education.

This conference is part of the BRIDGE Signature Initiative, which built upon ten years of collaboration between the two institutions, and seeks to establish strategic research partnerships within the Global South, focusing on global health, sustainability, and education access and equity. The partnership is coordinated and led by the Education Access and Equity project leads.

Schedule

Saturday, December 6, 2025

Time	Session
08:00 – 09:00	Conference Registration and Refreshments
09:00 – 09:15	Conference Opening Dr Sammer Saleh Jones, Director For Global Relations, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA Dr Meng Tian, Associate Professor in Educational Leadership, Director of Global Engagement, College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK Professor Jessica Li, Professor, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA Sanam Yaqub, Culture of Excellence Lead, University of Birmingham Dubai, UAE
09:15 – 10:15	Keynote 1 Professor Yusra Mouzughi Provost of University of Birmingham Dubai
10:15 – 10:30	Refreshment Break
10:30 – 12:00	Global Leaders Dialogue #125 Celebration: AI and Education Moderator: Provost Yusra Mouzughi, Vice-Chancellor’s Office, University of Birmingham Dubai Dr Narimane Hadj Hamou, Founder & CEO, Center for Learning Innovations & Customized Knowledge Solutions (CLICKS) Dr Mariam Khan, Advisor, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to the Global Leaders Dialogue session Professor Chad Lane, Professor of Educational Psychology & Computer Science, Associate Chair, Department of Educational Psychology, Director, NSF AI INVITE Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Professor Paolo Missier, Professor of Computer and Data Science in the School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham Maryam Riaz, Expert Advisor, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
12:00 – 12:15	Group Photo
12:15 – 13:15	Lunch
13:15 – 14:45	Breakout Sessions I. Partnership with the Global South Dr. Allison Witt, Director Of International Programs, College of Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA (moderator) Dr Monica Ituma, Senior Lecturer, Chuka University, Kenya Michelle Low-Shamir, Programme Liaison & R&D Partner, YTL Foundation & University of Birmingham, UK Dr Naima Qureshi, Assistant Professor, University of Education, Lahore, Pakistan II. Does Digitization of Education lead to Greater Democratization? A Critical Conversation Professor Jessica Li, Professor, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA (moderator) Professor Alexandre D. P. Chiavegatto Filho, Associate Professor, University Of São Paulo, Brazil Bill Cope, Professor, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA Aslam Fataar, Research Professor, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Andrew Hunte, Head Of The School Of Humanities And Education , The University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus , Antigua and Barbuda Mary Kalantzis, Professor, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA III. Inclusive Education in Challenging Contexts Dr Sarah Benson, Associate Professor in Inclusion and Disability, University of Birmingham Dubai, UAE (moderator) Professor Thandi Lewin, Associate Professor, University of Johannesburg, South Africa Dr Prithvi Perepa, Associate Professor, University of Birmingham, UK
14:45	Break
15:30 – 22:00	Social Event and Dinner

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Time	Session
08:30 – 09:00	Conference Registration and Refreshments
09:00 – 10:00	Keynote 2 Professor Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela Vice Provost for Global Engagement, University of Rochester
10:00 – 10:30	Refreshment Break
10:30 – 12:00	Panel: Challenges of Higher Education in the Global South Moderator: Professor Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela, Vice Provost for Global Engagement, University of Rochester Professor Aqif Anwar Chaudhry, Vice Chancellor, University of Education, Pakistan Professor Mwenda Ntarangwi, Vice Chancellor, United States International University-Africa
12:00 – 13:00	Lunch
13:00 – 14:30	Dean’s Panel Moderator: Dr. Sammer Saleh Jones, Director for Global Relations, Illinois International, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Professor Karen Guldberg, Head of School, School of Education, University of Birmingham Professor Chrystalla Mouza, Dean, College of Education, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Professor Nadine Petersen, Executive Dean, University Of Johannesburg Professor Christopher Span, Dean of the Graduate of School Education, Rutgers University, New Brunswick
14:30 – 14:50	Refreshment Break
14:50 – 16:20	Breakout Sessions I. Teacher and Leader Qualification and Professional Development Dr Meng Tian, Associate Professor in Educational Leadership, Director of Global Engagement, College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK (moderator) Professor Kevin Myers, Professor in History and Education, University of Birmingham, UK Professor. Dr Rukhsana Zia, Professor/Head, Center for Learning & Teaching, Forman Christian College, Pakistan II. Community Engagement: Research Practices Professor Helen Neville, Professor And Department Chair, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA (moderator) Dr. Eugenia Kafanabo, Senior Lecturer, University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania Dr Nia Mitchell, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA III. Leadership in International Schools: Cur-ricula and Education Equity Sanam Yaqub, Culture of Excellence Lead, University of Birmingham Dubai, UAE (moderator) Dr. Rabaa Al Sumaiti, Chief Executive Officer, Rashid and Latifa Schools Establishment, Dubai, UAE Kausor Amin Ali, School Principal, University of Birmingham Dubai, UAE Dr Ambika Gulati, Principal/CEO, The Millennium School, Dubai, UAE
16:20 – 16:50	Closing Remarks Dr Sammer Saleh Jones, Director For Global Relations, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA Dr Meng Tian, Associate Professor in Educational Leadership, Director of Global Engagement, College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK Professor Jessica Li, Professor, Education Policy, Organization & Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA Sanam Yaqub, Culture of Excellence Lead, University of Birmingham Dubai, UAE

Registration

This event is by invitation only. Registration and accommodation information will be shared directly with invited participants.

Local Information

We are delighted to welcome you to Dubai for the BRIDGE Signature Initiative Conference at the University of Birmingham Dubai. For many of you, this may be your first visit to the UAE, a country known for its warmth, hospitality, and remarkable blend of tradition, innovation, and cultural diversity. This short note is designed to help you feel comfortable, informed, and able to make the most of your time here.

The UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities, and one of the first things visitors notice is how seamlessly different cultures live and work together. This spirit of openness and coexistence is a defining feature of the country, and you will encounter it everywhere, from the people you meet to the food you enjoy and the experiences you explore. Emirati culture is rooted in values of respect, generosity, and community, and visitors are warmly welcomed when they show appreciation for these traditions.

You will find Dubai an easy, safe, and vibrant place to navigate. Social norms are straightforward: friendliness, courtesy, and respectful behaviour go a long way. While the UAE is a modern and outward-looking nation, it remains proud of its Islamic heritage, which influences everyday life in many ways. Visitors are not expected to follow local customs, but being mindful, for example, dressing modestly in public spaces or behaving discreetly in family areas, helps demonstrate respect for local culture. Professional attire is appropriate at the conference, and a light layer is useful as air conditioning can be strong indoors, even during Dubai’s pleasant December weather.

During your stay, we encourage you to explore the diversity and richness of the UAE. Dubai offers an extraordinary range of experiences: traditional neighbourhoods such as Al Fahidi with its wind towers and quiet courtyards; bustling souks where traders sell spices, textiles, and gold; and world-class museums that showcase both Emirati heritage and global stories. You will find cuisine from every corner of the world, alongside the chance to try local dishes, Arabic coffee, and dates which are symbols of Emirati hospitality.

The UAE’s deep investment in education, technology, and innovation also shapes the landscape you will see around you, from avant-garde architecture to centres dedicated to the future of learning and AI. This makes Dubai an inspiring and fitting setting for conversations about global partnership and the future of education.

Above all, we hope your time here feels welcoming, enriching, and expansive. Whether you are joining us for just a few days of the conference or extending your visit, we hope the UAE leaves you with a sense of its generosity of spirit and its commitment to bringing people together across cultures and disciplines. Our team at the University of Birmingham Dubai is here to support you throughout your stay, and we look forward to sharing this special gathering with you.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Dubai.

The Conference Organising Team

Social Event

The social event will take place on the evening of Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Mleiha National Park Experience, where attendees will enjoy the comforts of their Arabian Majlis, with breathtaking panoramic views of Jebel Faya and the Mleiha desert.

The evening will include stargazing, dinner and refreshments, with return transport. Tickets can be purchased during registration.

Venue

The University of Birmingham’s Dubai Campus is located in Dubai International Academic City (DIAC), Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Address

University of Birmingham Dubai
Dubai International Academic City
PO Box 341799
Dubai, UAE

Contact

Have questions? Please email the University of Birmingham’s Event Management Team at academic.conferences@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Organizing Committee

Professor Jessica Li

Professor of Human Resource Development
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Jessica is a highly accomplished professional in Human Resource Development, serving as a Professor of Human Resource Development (HRD) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has also held positions as Associate Dean for Research and Director of the Bureau of Educational Research at the College of Education.

She has authored over 100 publications and has made significant contributions through various leadership roles in multiple professional organizations within the HRD field. She has been ranked as a top scholar in her area for the past five years. Currently, she is a member of the executive committee for the Discovery Partners Institute, Generative AI Solutions Hub at the University of Illinois, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Journals of Human Resource Development International and Educational Theory. Jessica has played a vital role in shaping the HRD field.

Her previous roles include serving on the board of the Academy of Human Resource Development, being a senior research fellow at The Conference Board, and serving as the editor-in-chief of the Human Resource Development International Journal. Jessica’s expertise extends beyond academia, as she also offers valuable practical experience from her earlier positions as an employee learning and development executive at notable companies like Motorola, Raytheon, and Nokia.

Dr. Sammer Saleh Jones

Director for Global Relations
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Sammer Saleh Jones is the Director for Global Relations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she leads the development and management of strategic international partnerships that enhance the university’s global impact. In this role, she provides comprehensive oversight of institutional engagements, international contracts, and high-profile delegation visits. She plays a pivotal role in connecting international partners with campus stakeholders and fostering collaborations that advance Illinois International’s strategic priorities.

In addition to her extensive work across global networks, Dr. Jones serves as the Campus Fulbright Scholar Liaison, actively promoting Fulbright opportunities and providing protocol guidance for senior university leaders on international travel and engagements. She is also the U21 Officer, responsible for promoting the value of the Universitas 21 (U21) network within the university and facilitating engagement across U21 student, staff, and research opportunities. Additionally, she serves as the Director for the Trilateral Partnership with National Taiwan University and Kyushu University.

A former Fulbright Administrative Fellow to Germany, Dr. Jones brings a wealth of international experience, contributing significantly to international education and engagement through both leadership and mentoring. Her dedication to teaching was recognized multiple times on the “List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent” at Illinois while she was a doctoral candidate.

Dr. Jones earned her BS in Pre-Med/African American Studies from Simmons College, MPH in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Boston University, and both her MBA and PhD in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on the nineteenth-century educational history of Liberia, West Africa. With a multidisciplinary background spanning business, health, and education, Dr. Jones has worked in diverse settings across Liberia, South Africa, and the U.S., bringing a global perspective and a commitment to advancing international partnerships.

Prior to her graduate studies, Dr. Jones contributed to critical projects at the Harvard School of Public Health on violence prevention and at the MetroHealth Center in Cleveland on breast cancer research.

Dr Meng Tian

Associate Professor in Educational Leadership
University of Birmingham

Dr Meng Tian is an Associate Professor in Educational Leadership at the University of Birmingham. Her teaching and research interests include distributed leadership, social justice leadership, professional development for leaders and teachers, educational leadership policy-making, and comparative education.

Since May 2024, Dr Meng Tian has served as Director of Global Engagement for the College of Social Sciences. In this role, she leads strategies to enhance the University’s global reputation and rankings, drive international student recruitment and experience, foster international research collaborations, and support staff and student mobility. One of her flagship initiatives is the BRIDGE Signature Initiative on Education Access and Equity with the Global South, through which she works closely with colleagues at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a global network of scholars on issues of quality and equitable education.

Alongside her teaching and research responsibilities, Dr Meng Tian holds several key leadership roles in the field. She is Co-Convenor of the Educational Leadership Network at the European Educational Research Association (EERA), a Board Trustee for the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS), and Associate Editor for the SAGE journal Educational Management, Administration & Leadership.

Sanam Yaqub

School Partnerships Strategies Manager
University of Birmingham, Dubai

Sanam Yaqub has spent nearly twenty years working across the UK and Middle East, driven by a simple but powerful belief: education changes lives when people feel seen, supported and inspired. Her career has taken her from classrooms in the UK to classrooms and leadership roles in the UAE, and now to the University of Birmingham Dubai, where she leads work that places inclusion, belonging and excellence at the heart of the institution’s culture.

Sanam’s work sits at the intersection of people, partnerships and purpose. She collaborates closely with school leaders, regional education groups and community partners to strengthen teacher education and professional development across the Middle East. She has helped shape programmes and initiatives that support teachers, mentors and leaders to grow in confidence and capability.

A trained Executive Coach and member of the University’s Coaching Academy, Sanam is passionate about unlocking potential through reflective, empowering conversations. She often describes coaching as “the moment someone remembers their own strengths” and it is this belief that underpins her approach to leadership, education and community engagement.

Her research interests follow the same thread. Drawing on her research and Masters dissertation work with the University of Oxford, she continues to explore how coaching and mentoring can deepen reflective practice and improve the experiences of teachers and teacher educators.

Outside of her academic, professional services and leadership roles, Sanam is a sought-after moderator for literary festivals, conferences and panel events. Whether speaking with authors, educators or industry leaders, she brings warmth, curiosity and a genuine desire to connect people through dialogue. Audiences often leave her sessions feeling energised, uplifted and inspired to think differently.

At her core, Sanam is committed to creating spaces, whether in classrooms, universities or community forums, where people can flourish, feel a sense of belonging and discover what they are truly capable of achieving.

Speaker Biographies

Prof. Dr. Aqif Anwar Chaudhry

Vice Chancellor
University of Education

Prof. Dr. Aqif Anwar Chaudhry is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Education, Lahore and also holds the additional charge of Vice Chancellor, Punjab Tianjin University of Technology, Lahore. With a core background in Materials Science and Engineering (and biomaterials), he holds a PhD from Queen Mary University of London and has initiated several pioneering research and commercialization oriented initiatives. He has played a pivotal role in advancing translational research in Pakistan. He also forged several cross boundary national & international collaborations, working closely with clinicians, academicians and industry. Currently, he is focusing on traditional and non-traditional modes of learning and is updating the scope of, meaning of and learning routes for, education across the UE Campuses spread over 7 cities in Pakistan. He looks towards connecting to explore how digital transformation can facilitate access to education and impart skill-sets in densely populated communities without compromising on the intended impact.

Professor Karen Guldberg

Head of School, School of Education
University of Birmingham

Professor Karen Guldberg is Head of the School of Education, Professor in Autism Studies, and former Director of the Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) at the School of Education, University of Birmingham. She is Chair of the UK Department for Education’s Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group for mainstream education.

Karen’s research and teaching focuses on autism studies in education, and on inclusive practice in education and provision. Karen’s most recent publications include the book Developing Excellence in Autism Practice: Making a Difference in Education (Routledge). Karen has also published a range of peer-reviewed studies on the need for new methodologies in the field, on autism pedagogy and technology enhanced learning for autistic pupils.

Karen has been Principal-Investigator (P-I) or Co-Investigator (C-I) on 30 research or Knowledge Exchange projects, working with funders including ESRC, EPSRC, the EU, and charitable organisations, such as the Autism Education Trust and the John and Lorna Wing Foundation. Karen led the development of the Autism Education Trust (AET) partnership school-based training as well as the adaptation of this to Early Years. Over 400,000 educators have now completed this professional development programme.

Dr. Sammer Saleh Jones

Director for Global Relations
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Narimane Hadj Hamou

Dr. Narimane Hadj-Hamou

Founder and CEO, Center for Learning Innovations and Customized Knowledge Solutions (CLICKS)

Dr. Narimane Hadj-Hamou is the Founder and the CEO of the Center of Learning Innovations and Customized Knowledge Solutions (CLICKS). Previously she was the Assistant Chancellor for Learning and Academic Development (Provost) at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University in Dubai, UAE where she has established and led the academic, research and eLearning vision of the first online University to be recognized and accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE. She has assumed other leadership roles including acting as a Dean for Students Affairs, a Dean for Learning andTeaching and a Director of e-Learning.

Drawing on 20 years of experience Dr. Hadj-Hamou expertise and professional background span areas such as technology integration and e-learning in higher education; teaching and learning, quality assurance and accreditation and governance. She has been the driving force in the promotion of online education and blended learning in the Region since 2004 by leading many pioneering projects and initiatives.

She is Founder and was the first elected President of the Middle East e-learning Association (MEeA), led the establishment of the MENA Association of University Presidents and chairs the MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum Over the years she has delivered more than 160 keynote addresses and workshops and led numerous round-tables and panel discussions. Dr. Hadj-Hamou has also been active in publishing articles, book chapters, case studies, and was the founder and editor of the International Journal of Excellence in e-learning for several years.

Dr. Narimane consults for various HEIs across the region in areas related to QA, technology integration, governance and strategy development and serves as an expert for various regional UNESCO offices. In addition she acts as an external reviewer for accreditation agencies and provides advice on QA related matters.

Dr. Hadj-Hamou was listed among the 200 most influential Arab Women by Forbes Magazine in 2014; have received the Arab Women Award for Education in 2016 and the Influential Education Leaders Award at the University of Cambridge in 2017

Professor Chad Lane

Professor H. Chad Lane

Professor of Educational Psychology & Computer Science
Associate Chair, Dept of Educational Psychology
Director, NSF AI INVITE Institute
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

H. Chad Lane is a Professor of Educational Psychology and Computer Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and serves as the PI and Director of the NSF-IES INVITE AI Institute.

Chad’s research focuses on the design, use, and impacts of intelligent technologies for engagement, interest development, and learning. This work involves blending techniques from the entertainment industry (that foster engagement) with those from artificial intelligence and intelligent tutoring systems (that promote learning).

He has over 120 publications in a variety of areas, including intelligent tutoring, pedagogical agents, educational games, and computer science education. Lane was recognized in 2023 with the Illinois College of Education’s Distinguished Senior Scholar Award and Outstanding Faculty Award for Public Engagement.

His PhD is in Computer Science from the University of Pittsburgh (2004), and prior to joining the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he spent ten years as a research scientist and Director of Learning Sciences Research at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies in Los Angeles, CA.

Professor Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela

Vice Provost for Global Engagement
University of Rochester

Prof. Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela is the Vice Provost for Global Engagement at the University of Rochester. She also holds an Extra-ordinary Professorship in the Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria (South Africa). She received her BA in Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She received a Master’s in Labor & Industrial Relations and a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to her current appointment, she served as the Associate Chancellor and Vice Provost for Global Affairs & Strategies and Professor of Higher Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Among her various honors, Prof. Mabokela is a recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Education, honoris causa, from the University of Pretoria, a former Fulbright New Century Scholar, as well as a Fulbright International Education Administrators program participant in France. Prof. Mabokela’s research seeks to understand experiences of marginalized populations and aims to inform and influence institutional policies that affect these groups within institutions of higher education. Her research centers or has centered on the examination of three interrelated themes: 1) organizational change and organizational culture in higher education; 2) gender in higher education; and 3) higher education in transitional societies. She has devoted a significant part of her career over the past two decades studying these education issues in South Africa, Namibia, Tanzania, Ghana, Egypt, and Pakistan, among others. Over the course of her career, she has secured more than $27 million in external funding to support various education and research initiatives.

She is the author, co-author, editor or co-editor of seven books and has published extensively in national and international academic journals including the Comparative Education Review, American Educational Research Journal, the Africa Education Review, and The Review of Higher Education, Comparative Education, Higher Education, among others.

Professor Paolo Missier

Professor of Computer and Data Science in the School of Computer Science
University of Birmingham

Prof Paolo Missier is Professor of Computer and Data Science in the School of Computer Science, specialising in Data and Knowledge management, Data Science and Engineering, with applications mainly to the Health domain. His current research covers two main themes (see his publications for a deep dive into these):

“Improving Data Science to improve Science”. This includes exploring how to make Data Science responsible and trustworthy by instrumenting complex data engineering and data processing pipelines, for accountability and explanations, using for instance automatically collected Data Provenance.
Addressing the challenges of Health Data Engineering and Data Science at scale for participatory, preventative, personalised care. For example, I am involved in the NIHR-funded AI-MULTIPLY project (https://ai-multiply.co.uk/), focusing on the use of medical records and multi-modal learning to prevent and better manage multiple long-term conditions, and in the NortHFutures Digital Health Hub, creating a health innovation ecosystem that will “facilitate the research, development, and acceleration of responsibly designed, human-centred, and data-rich health-tech” (https://northfutures.org/ ).

Much of his past research focused on the design of Workflows for Science (aka “scientific workflows”), on optimising the repeated execution of Life Sciences data analytics pipelines (ReComp), on the investigation of digital phenotyping of metabolic diseases (Type 2 Diabetes) from wearable accelerometers, and more.

Between 2011 and 2013, he has been one of the editors and authors of the W3C PROV standard data model for Provenance interoperability (https://www.w3.org/TR/2013/REC-prov-dm-20130430/)

Since 2016, he has been Sr. Associate Editor for the ACM Journal on Data and Information Quality (http://jdiq.acm.org/).

He has been leading post-graduate teaching on Data Engineering for AI, and various UG modules including Database Technology and Introduction to Predictive Analytics.

Prior to joining Birmingham in 2024, from 2011 to 2023 he has been a Lecturer, Reader, and Professor in the School of Computing at Newcastle University, and a Fellow (2018-2023) of the Alan Turing Institute, UK’s National Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

Professor Chrystalla Mouza

Dean, College of Education
Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor, Curriculum and Instruction
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Chrystalla Mouza is the dean of the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Previously, Mouza was the director and Distinguished Professor of Teacher Education specializing in educational technology in the University of Delaware’s School of Education, and a professor of computer and information sciences in Delaware’s College of Engineering.

Mouza earned an Ed.D., M.Ed., and M.A. in instructional technology and media in education from Teachers College, Columbia University and completed postdoctoral work at the Educational Testing Service. She has expertise in learning sciences and teacher learning, applications of technology in K-12 classrooms, teaching and learning outcomes in ubiquitous and mobile computing environments and computer science education.

Mouza is a principal investigator on several projects funded by the National Science Foundation to advance computer science education through sustainable partnerships, teacher professional development and community engagement. She also has served as a principal investigator on several projects funded by the Delaware Department of Education to improve teacher quality in high-need schools. Previously, she was the learning scientist on two National Science Foundation projects aimed at improving climate change education by providing effective professional development to teachers. Mouza has received multiple awards, including the 2010 Distinguished Research in Teacher Education Award from the Association of Teacher Educators.

In addition to publishing her own work in key outlets, Mouza serves as editor of the journal of Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education. She is also on the editorial board of various journals, including the Review of Educational Research, the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education and the Journal of Research on Technology in Education. She provides editorial assistance to numerous other journals, conferences and book publications.

Professor Yusra Mouzughi

Provost
University of Birmingham Dubai

As the Provost of University of Birmingham Dubai, Professor Mouzughi leads the academic vision and strategy of the first global top 100 and UK Russell Group university to establish a campus in Dubai. With over 20 years of experience in the higher education sector she has a passion for providing quality and relevant education that meets the needs of the diverse and dynamic UAE and regional markets.

Professor Mouzughi is a highly motivated and innovative academic leader with over 22 years’ experience in the Higher Education sector and over 5 years industry experience in large blue- chip organisations. She has a proven track record of delivering to strategic objectives and a passion for providing a quality educational offering that is relevant to the workplace. She is a committed individual with a unique understanding of both Western and Arab cultures and an ability to motivate staff and students incorporating a deep understanding of the links between industry and academia, coupled with a natural personal presence and an articulate approach to negotiation. Educated in the UK, Professor Mouzughi has a Bachelors in Business Administration from Richmond College London, an MBA from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh and a PhD in Knowledge Management from Liverpool John Moores University, where she continues to be a Visiting Professor. She built her academic career in the UK where she worked for more than 14 years developing expertise in education management with a particular focus on Doctoral programmes. She has established a cross disciplinary research profile spanning knowledge sharing and the sustainability agenda. Professor Mouzughi has supervised many Doctoral & Masters theses in the broad management area, has numerous publications in the field and is an invited keynote speaker at many international conferences.

A Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Professor Mouzughi is a member of multiple international Boards dedicated to advancing learning, teaching & research in higher education. These include the UK Quality Assurance Agency, (QAA), the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic & Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) and the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA). Further, she is on multiple advisory and editorial boards. Before taking up the role of Provost at University of Birmingham Dubai, Professor Mouzughi was President of the Royal University for Women in Bahrain and Vice Chancellor of Muscat University in Oman. Notably, she was also the first female head of a University in Oman.

Professor Mwenda Ntarangwi

Vice Chancellor, United States International University-Africa

Professor Mwenda Ntarangwi is a scholar, teacher, researcher and administrator of international repute whose experience and expertise span three decades and cut across diverse geographical locations and institutions.

Trained in language education (Kenyatta University) and cultural anthropology (University of Illinois), Professor Ntarangwi has been keen to apply his research interests and focus to teaching and administration. He has taught in universities in Kenya, the United States, and Liberia; carried out research in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, the United States, and Zimbabwe.

Prof. Ntarangwi’s teaching and administrative experiences include serving as faculty at St. Lawrence University, Augustana College, and Calving College (USA), Kenyatta University and Egerton University (Kenya) and as CEO at the Commission for University Education (CUE), Kenya, which he successfully transformed from a policing body into an institution focusing on progressive partnership with universities.

Currently, Prof. Ntarangwi is the Vice Chancellor of the United States International University-Africa.

Professor Nadine Petersen

Executive Dean, University Of Johannesburg

Professor Nadine Petersen is currently Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Johannesburg, a position she has held since 2022. Prior to this, she served as Vice Dean: Teaching and Learning and as Head of Department for Childhood Education.

Nadine completed her doctoral studies in 2007 with a thesis entitled: Community service learning and teacher education: about ‘otherness’ and locating the self. She holds the position of professor and as an NRF C2-rated researcher, her research interests are focused on a scholarship of teaching and a scholarship of engagement (see Boyer, 1990). She is an expert in teacher education with an emphasis on the integration of service learning into teacher education for which she received international recognition with an inaugural award from the International Association for Research in Service-Learning and Community Engagement (IARSLCE) in 2019.

From her time as VD: T&L she oversees curriculum regeneration to incorporate decoloniality, sustainable development goals, transversal competencies, and the incorporation of technology into teaching and learning. She has contributed to several university-level policy documents the most recent of which was the development of UJ Guidelines for Continuous Assessment (published in Circular 2020–4534; www.uj.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/uj-guidelines-for-continuous-assessment-2.pdf). As a leader in her field, Nadine maintains a strong presence in national print, radio, and television media, offering insights on key educational issues. She frequently comments on topics such as Grade 12 examination results, trends and expectations in teacher education, the challenges faced by first-generation students, and the limited availability of higher education spaces for university applicants. Her analysis of Matric results highlights both their promise and the critical questions they raise for the future. (See: www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-14-matric-results-not-fully-reflective-of-education-system-experts/).

In service to community, Nadine serves on several committees and boards. She is in her second term on the National Research Foundation Board (Term 1: 2018 – 2021; Term 2: 2023 – 2026). Before this, she served on the Sasol Inzalo Foundation Board for 10 years (2009 – 2019). She was also appointed to the Gauteng Education Development Trust Board and the UJ Pensions Trust Board. She provides an educational advisory role to the NPO: Investing for Innovation (investingforinnovation.co.za), supported financially by the USA-based TERuSA.

Nadine’s leadership as an educational researcher, senior manager, and academic is deeply informed by her lived experiences as a marginalized South African and her strong commitment to fairness, educational advocacy, and social justice. Within the university context, she actively works to eliminate systemic barriers that hinder the advancement and promotion of underrepresented staff and students.

A dedicated proponent of mentorship, she supports university-led initiatives aimed at cultivating the next generation of scholars and educational leaders. Her academic and research leadership focus on generating knowledge that contributes meaningfully to the educational community (knowledgeforaction.co.za/category/the-teacher/student-teachers/) and fosters a more equitable and just society.

Ms. Maryam Riaz

Expert Advisor, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Ms. Maryam Riaz has over 25 years of experience in higher education, with a strong focus on applying data science, AI-driven analytics, and large-scale information systems to transform policy, planning, and decision-making. Her expertise includes institutional research, knowledge management, business intelligence, performance analytics, quality assurance, and systems design—areas where she has consistently leveraged AI, automation, and advanced data platforms to improve effectiveness at both institutional and national levels.

As an Expert Advisor to the UAE Ministry of Education, she plays a key role in shaping AI-enabled academic policy and planning. She has led major national initiatives such as the National Central Higher Education Data platform, the Classification of UAE Universities project, and the UAE Centre of Excellence for Higher Education—all focused on building unified, interoperable, and intelligent data systems that support evidence-based decision-making.

She has contributed to impactful international projects with the World Bank, UNDP, and UNESCO, emphasizing AI-based insights and digital transformation in education.

She holds a Master’s in Computer Science, a Master’s in Mathematics from University of Waterloo, an MBA from London Business School, and is completing her PhD at Maastricht University.

Professor Tarek Shawki

Former Minister of Education in Egypt

Tarek Galal Shawki was the Dean of the School of Sciences and Engineering at The American University in Cairo. This academic assignment started on 1 September 2012 following a four and a half years tenure as the Director of The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Regional Bureau for Science in Arab States (2008-2012) located in Cairo, Egypt.

Prior to his UNESCO Cairo Office appointment in June 2008, he was the chief of the Section for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education, science and culture within the information society division in UNESCO headquarters (Paris, France). Shawki served as the regional advisor for communications and information at the UNESCO Cairo Office between January 1999 and November 2005. The UCO is a regional office for science, technology, and information for Arab states.

Professor Christopher Span

Dean and Distinguished Professor of the Graduate School of Education
Rutgers University—New Brunswick

Dr. Christopher M. Span is Dean and Distinguished Professor of the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers—New Brunswick.

Prior to his arrival to the GSE, Dr. Span was a Professor in the Department of Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership (EPOL), and Chief of Staff and Associate Chancellor for Administration and PreK-12 Initiatives at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He brings a comprehensive background in higher education administration, having served in progressively responsible roles at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign over the past twenty years. These experiences include serving for more than a decade as an Associate Dean in the College of Education for all curricular and student matters, as a Chancellor-appointed Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), who represented the Chancellor on all matters related to intercollegiate athletics, and as the Chief of Staff for the Chancellor.

Dr. Span is a historian of education who specializes in the educational history of African Americans in the 19th century. He is the author of From Cotton Field to Schoolhouse: African American Education in Mississippi, 1862-1875, co-editor of Using Past as Prologue: Contemporary Perspectives on African American Educational History and has published numerous articles and book chapters on the educational history of African Americans. Dr. Span is the past Vice President of Division F (History of American Education) for the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and past President of the History of Education Society.