Dr. Dima Jamali is currently serving as the Dean of Business at the University of Sharjah.  Until recently, she served as the Executive Director for Strategic Partnerships, American University of Beirut, and also holding the Kamal Shair Chair in Responsible Leadership and serving as Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development.  She was elected in 2018 as a member of the Lebanese Parliament.  At AUB, from 2002 till 2018, where she made her way fast track through the ranks to Full Professor in 2010 and Endowed Chair in Responsible Leadership in 2014.

Dr. Jamali’s research and teaching revolve primarily around Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Social Entrepreneurship. She is the author/editor of seven books and over 100 high-level international publications, which are highly circulated and cited on an international scale, focusing on different aspects of sustainability and sustainable development and CSR in developing countries.

She is the winner of the 2016 National Council for Scientific Research Excellence Award, and the 2015 Aspen Institute Faculty Pioneer Award, dubbed by the Financial Times as “the Oscars of the Business School World” for pioneering faculty who are at the cutting edge of teaching and scholarship in their field.  She is also a winner of the Shield of Excellence for the Arab Region, the 2010 Shoman Prize for best young Arab researcher, selected for the Eisenhower Fellows Program (2013), selected in 2007 for the British Academy of Management Fellowship for South Asia, and the Middle East. Dr. Jamali is also the winner of the AUB Teaching Excellence Award in 2006.

Peter de Villiers has a rich experience and expertise in strategic & operational Planning, academic management, staff recruitment and development, curriculum development, Teaching and Infrastructure Planning with 14  years in the transportation industry in South Africa and two decades in higher education in UAE and South Africa.

As Head of Planning and Development at the Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE, Peter coordinated budget and resource planning for the system of 17 campuses, developed processes aimed at institutional improvement and indicators that measure performance.  He formulated proposals in partnership with external agencies to support institutional development. Assisted design and management of facility expansion projects in the system. Engaged with industry for funding support in recognition excellence of  graduates. He led logistical planning for international academic conferences.

He was appointed to the prestigious industry funded  “Department of Transport” Dean of Transportation. As Dean of Engineering at Abu Dhabi Men’s College, he led the management and academic development of programs across the six engineering departments of the college

Dr. Lilla du Toit is a highly qualified accreditation and institutional research specialist with broad international experience and highly developed Education Management skills in higher education and K-12. A transformation specialist with over 17 years’ experience of designing and leading continuous improvement programs in South Africa, UAE, and New Zealand, she has been involved in multiple complex transformations, strategy design, and culture change projects throughout the education industry in these countries.

Dr. Lilla’s strengths are in implementing quality assurance in secondary and tertiary education through advanced understanding of the Qualifications Framework of the Emirates, National Qualifications Framework – South Africa, New Zealand Qualifications Authority and international Accreditation, QA and Regulatory body standards, rules, and compliance requirements for accreditation and compliance requirements for the program and institutional accreditation, e.g. CAA, SACS, Business Programs – ACBSP, Engineering Programs – ABET, etc.

Currently, Dr. Lilla is serving as the Team Lead of Academic Services -Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, New Zealand.  Prior to that, she served, as Program Manager: Private Schools and QA at Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEK). She was responsible for planning and management of private and government school inspections and the quality assurance of all school inspection reports, data capturing of results, and presentation of results for decision-making.

As the Dean of Institutional Effectiveness for the Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE, Dr. Lilla was responsible for coordinating and managing local and international accreditation processes of the 17 campuses of HCT at the institutional and program level.  She led all projects related to Quality Assurance, applying regulatory agency standards, rules, and compliance requirements for the program and institutional accreditation, e.g. Business Programs – ACBSP, Engineering Programs – ABET, IT programs – CIPS, Middle States for Institutional accreditation, etc.

She served as the Director: Quality Promotion and Standards for Eastern Cape Department of Education in South Africa for seven years: She was responsible for Comprehensive Systemic Evaluation. She reported on the performance of the organization, and in particular the schools against set standards for 6500 schools and 15 district offices

Dr. Gilbert Linne has many years of experience working within the USA along with leadership experience within the UAE and Kazakhstan -overseeing, developing, and accessing higher education programs that align with regulatory and accreditation standards. He has rich and deep accreditation experience and has been a Consultant-Evaluator for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC) from 2004-2011 and participated in numerous accreditation visits from various accreditors. In 2012, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges invited him to join their Peer Evaluator corps to evaluate other institutions in the New England region.

Dr. Linne was until recently serving as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer of KIMEP University, Almaty.  He oversaw all areas of academics including accreditation, faculty, program development and review, assessment of student learning; academic policies, planning; professional development; academic budget; and research activities for all bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. Also supervised all Deans and the offices of the Registrar and Information Technology as well as the Library and various academic and non-academic staff. Had oversight responsibilities for academic strategic and manpower planning and institutional strategic planning.

Earlier, Dr. Linne served as the Deputy VC and Chief Academic Officer of the Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE overseeing all academic functions including the development of new programs, employer needs, and the Quality Framework of the Emirates. He managed all the academic divisions to ensure appropriate assessment of student learning outcomes, program review, academic policies, institutional and programmatic accreditation, and scholarship activities for a 17 campus system with 22,000 students and 70 programs. He supervised all Executive Deans and Deans who manage 1,100 faculty.

Prior to HCT, he was employed by Lincoln College of New England (LCNE) from 2011-2014 as the VP for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer and prior to LCNE, he served the University of Phoenix as the founding Dean of the College of Health and Human Services

Dr. Rudolph Young is an HR leader and registered HR practitioner with experience in leading HR functions across multiple regions and sectors including Higher Education, FMCG, Financial Services, and Global Consulting.

Dr Young recently served as Regional Head of HR for Transmed, Dubai, UAE.  Transmed is a major distribution company for top international products, representing more than 21 brands in 9 countries. with more than 3000 employees in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

From 2007-2014, he served as HR Director for the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – the largest federal institution of higher education in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East. The institution employs approximately 2200 faculty and support staff in 17 locations, serving approximately 22 000 students. He managed a team of approximately 42 HR professionals at 17 locations on a shared services structure. Dr. Young Introduced HR metrics and service delivery surveys which resulted in significant improvement of HR service levels and achievement of key HR deliverables. Regular surveys show consistent service levels exceeding 85%.  He set up recruitment, assessment, and appointment process to attract, relocate and orientate world-class college presidents, directors, professors, and other professionals support staff (60 different nationalities).  Developed and implemented a succession plan for key leadership positions with development plans and successors and sourcing strategies in place.

Prior to HCT, he served as an International HR Management Consultant for Deloitte in Saudi Arabia & South Africa. He developed an HR strategy, structure, metrics, and detailed implementation plan for a large Saudi Arabian organization with offices in Riyadh, New York, and Dubai.

Dr. Young has a Ph.D. in Organisational Behaviour from the University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa; MSc (Distinction) International HR Management,  Leicester University, UK, and an MBA (HR Management), Stellenbosch University, South Africa.  He also has a B Com (Hons) IT Management,  University of Cape Town, South Africa, a BBA (Hons) HR Management, Stellenbosch University, South Africa and a BA Psychology & Cultural Anthropology, Stellenbosch University

Dr. Mary Bane Lackie is a proven fundraiser who currently serves as the Vice President of Advancement at the University of Central Arkansas, USA.  Dr. Lackie leads all development programs including major gifts, annual giving, and planned giving programs. She serves as a principal gifts officer for the university’s top prospects.

Prior to the current position, she served as vice chancellor for University Advancement and executive director of the University of Arkansas. Prior to this role, she spent 8 years working abroad., at educational institutions in Poland, Armenia, and Dubai before wrapping up her stint overseas working on two education projects in Pakistan. On the last project to improve teacher education in Pakistan, she worked for Teachers College, Columbia University.

Lackie earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism at Arkansas Tech University; a Master of Arts in student personnel services from Northwestern State University; and a doctorate from the University of Arkansas.