IEAA Transnational Education Forum 2024

Post jurisdiction: Vietnam and Thailand Jen is the Counsellor (Education and Research) to the Australian Embassy, Hanoi, Vietnam, with responsibility to Vietnam and Thailand. Prior to commencing this role, Jen was the Director for International Education at TAFE Directors Australia, and brings with her a detailed knowledge of Australia’s tertiary education system, particularly vocational education and training. In this role, Jen was responsible for supporting Australian TAFEs to further their international engagement and as such, facilitated a number of agreements and programs that supported TAFEs expand globally. Jen also led Australia’s engagement with the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics, providing invaluable experienced into global skilling systems. Jen has previously worked in a number of positions within the Australian Government, leading policy and program initiatives spanning schools, vocational education and youth engagement. Jen was posted with the Department of Education, Skills and Employment to the Australian Embassies in Beijing and Bangkok, managing the broad bilateral relationship between China and Australia and Thailand and Australia. Jen has also worked in the education sector privately supporting both school and university engagement in China. Jen has lived in Beijing, Shanghai and Bangkok, and is passionate about enabling global engagement and exchange in education. Jen completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) at the University of Melbourne.

Matt joined the SACE Board of South Australia in 2019 to initiate and support an international growth agenda. He is a business development professional with over 20 years of experience in the international education sector. Originally from the UK, Matt has worked with several of the UK's academic and vocational exam boards, including City & Guilds, Pearson Edexcel, Pearson BTEC, Pearson LCCI and Oxford AQA Examinations, to increase the UK education footprint overseas. He has worked with schools and VET providers in many culturally diverse markets, including the UK, Middle East, Africa, Australia, South-East Asia, South Asia, and China. Matt lived in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, for eight years, before relocating to Australia with his family in 2017. He became an Australian citizen in 2022.

Over the past 15 years in the higher education sector, Neema has held leadership and management roles across universities, in different parts of higher education, working both within Faculties and in central units. Neema's first job was at an international office reception where she learnt about the transformative nature of education and since that time Neema has worked across all areas of international including mobility, recruitment, admissions, coursework and research partnerships. In the more recent past, Neema has held broad Faculty, School and International division leadership roles, giving her a deep understanding on the wide variety of perspectives on academic partnerships and how institutions discuss, operationalise and resource transnational education. Neema currently is the Director for Transnational Education Partnerships at Swinburne University of Technology where she leads a team of combined academic and professional staff who support the delivery of approximately 1500 unit offerings to more than 5000 students across Swinburne’s global teaching partners.

Mike is Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) at Charles Sturt University and former Chair and Treasurer of the AUIDF. Prior to his role at Charles Sturt University, he held the role of Director for Global Student Recruitment at the University of Canberra. He has also worked in international education as an Australian Diplomat in New Delhi, as Director of International Education Policy for the Department of Home Affairs and as a Ministerial Advisor to Senator Michaelia Cash. Mike is an IEAA Fellow.

Tim Gilbert is a seasoned professional in the field of international education, particularly transnational education, including stand-alone commercial partnerships, capacity development, and feeder programs. As the head of Melbourne Polytechnic's International Partnerships division since 2019, he has successfully established new models of transnational delivery and expanded the institution's reach into new markets, resulting in it being recognized as Victoria's top-performing TAFE internationally winning several Victorian Government awards in 2023. Melbourne Polytechnic’s International Partnerships directorate has been at the forefront of developing VET micro credentials for offshore delivery, leading the collaboration with Victorian TAFE counterparts, with the goal of scaling Australian VET expertise throughout the region. Under Tim's leadership, Melbourne Polytechnic has also focused on customizing its educational offerings to cater to the specific needs of local markets, while also providing pathways for students to continue their education in Australia. Overseeing both international student recruitment as well as international partnerships, Tim has been able to integrate strict admissions criteria into the transnational programs to allow for streamlined articulations onshore.

As Executive Director Future Students at UTS College, Peter leads UTS College Market and Business Development strategy. He is responsible for all marketing, student recruitment, admissions transnational education (TNE) partnerships, and product and business development. He is supported by Sydney staff and teams in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka Dubai Thailand and Malaysia ensuring the College remains at the forefront of pathway providers through product innovation and continuous improvement He has overseen the expansion of the TNE program and established partnerships throughout Asia including a wholly owned campus in Sri Lanka to build capacity and increase access for students in their home country. Peter sits on the Boards of UTS College subsidiaries in Australia, China and Sri Lanka and management boards of all TNE partnerships. Prior to joining UTS College, Peter worked across a range of sectors and roles from professional advisory with Deloitte, founding a tech start-up and successful advertising and marketing agencies. His not-for-profit experience includes appointments to the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), as well as volunteer work in mental health and mentoring for purpose start-ups. Peter is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Janet Ilieva is the founder and director of Education Insight‚ a research consultancy specialising in international higher education. Janet's research focuses on international student mobility‚ university partnerships‚ transnational education‚ national policies for global engagement, and sustainable development. Janet regularly researches higher education engagement for government departments‚ universities‚ and international organisations in Europe and Asia. Education Insight’s Global Engagement Index is an open-access resource that captures the state of internationalism across UK higher education institutions. Education Insight is a co-founder of the TNE Impact repository.

Dr. Jane Lim boasts a distinguished career spanning over two and a half decades at INTI, where she embarked as a Computing/IT lecturer. Throughout her trajectory, she has traversed diverse roles, evolving into a seasoned academic leader. From her beginnings as an academic to her tenure as Head of Program, Dean, Academic Director, Deputy Chief Executive, and ultimately Chief Executive, Dr. Lim has amassed extensive experience in academic management and operations. Currently serving as Chief Executive of INTI International College Subang, Dr. Lim also holds a pivotal role as Vice President position of Academic Support and Partnership at the INTI Group level. Her expertise encompasses campus management and support, new program development, academic processes and operations, and fostering industry-academia collaborations. At the helm of INTI's Partnership Unit, Dr. Lim orchestrates Transnational Education management, leveraging her proficiency in establishing, developing, and overseeing franchise programs with esteemed partner universities spanning Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and France. Her adeptness at navigating the complexities of international collaborations allows INTI to deliver high-quality education that meets global standards. Dr. Lim's efforts have been instrumental in creating seamless academic pathways for students, providing them with opportunities for international exposure and diverse learning experiences. This not only strengthens INTI's global network but also ensures that students receive a well-rounded, globally competitive education. Additionally, Dr. Lim oversees the Academic Support Unit, championing academic alignment, instructional strategies, innovative teaching and learning initiatives, and the effective utilization of Learning Management Systems. Her commitment to academic excellence resonates throughout her endeavors and will continue to shape the educational landscape, inspiring future generations.

Caryn has worked in international education for over 25 years in a variety of roles including teaching, teacher training, academic coordination and TNE partnership management. Caryn has been involved in the leadership of the TNE Network for over 10 years and is a highly regarded TNE expert. She joined Victoria University as Director, Transnational Education Partnerships in June 2019, and oversees partnerships in Malaysia, China, Sri Lanka, and India. Prior to this, Caryn worked as Associate Director, Partnerships and Development at Monash College and spent 9 years at RMIT, managing TNE partnerships in the Asian region.

Dr Douglas Proctor is the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, at Swinburne University of Technology. He provides leadership across the university on global engagement and has responsibility for the development and deployment of Swinburne’s global strategy in teaching, research and outreach. A Senior Fellow of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA), Douglas holds a PhD in international higher education from the University of Melbourne. Currently Chair of the European Association for International Education (EAIE) Publications Committee, Douglas was also recently the guest co-editor of a special issue of the Journal of Studies in International Education on environmental sustainability and internationalisation.