Subject matter experts who shape content
The nine Thematic Committees (TCs) are organised around key areas of expertise and key topics in the field of international education. TC volunteers are content specialists who help inform and enhance EAIE activities, by reviewing conference proposals, supporting community building and outreach and more. Working closely with the Functional Committees, they play an important role in ensuring that EAIE initiatives are timely, relevant and grounded in real expertise.
Why volunteer?
Share your expertise
Contribute your knowledge to EAIE content, helping the community stay informed while showcasing your experience to peers across the field.
Grow professionally
Gain new insights, broaden your perspective beyond your own institution, and develop valuable skills that support your career growth.
Enjoy additional perks
Benefit from reduced Annual Conference fees and form a supportive network of colleagues who often grow into lasting friendships.
Meet the Thematic Committees
European-funded programmes
This TC focuses on initiatives linked to internationalisation of HE funded on a European level, such as Erasmus+, European Universities Initiative, and Horizon Europe. Members of this TC stay up-to-date on important developments within the field of European-funded projects and keep a close eye on relevant stakeholders such as the European Commission.
Rui Branco Lopes
Since 2009, Rui Branco Lopes has worked as an International Relations and Communication Specialist at Coimbra Health School of the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra. In this role, he has been responsible for the management of online communication platforms (webpage and social media), press relations and management of exchange programmes and international cooperation, with emphasis on the Erasmus+ programme. He has participated annually in international staff weeks of development and professional dialogue, which has allowed him to continuously increase his personal and institutional network of knowledge and experience. He has a degree in Modern Languages and Literature (English and German studies) from the University of Coimbra, Portugal and a Master's degree in Business Communication from the Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, Portugal.
Since 2026, Rui has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee European-funded programmes, was previously Chair of this Committee 2024-2026 and was reappointed as Committee Chair for the 2026-2029 term.
Dorothée Brac de la Perrière
Since 2024, Dorothée has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee European-funded programmes.
Mojca Maher Pirc
Mojca Maher Pirc works as the Head of Erasmus+ Projects and Project Manager for the European University Alliance, EUTOPIA, at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia.
She brings over two decades of extensive experience in the field of international education and European-funded programs, with a particular focus on Erasmus+ KA2 initiatives and European Universities. Mojca possesses a proven track record in coordinating and leading numerous international projects and events, collaborating with partner universities across the globe. Her work directly impacts students, academic and professional staff, fostering opportunities for both professional and personal development.
Mojca is highly motivated and inspired by the dynamic environment of international collaboration. Her core strengths include flexibility, adaptability, problem-solving skills, a commitment to teamwork, a focus on sustainability, diversity and inclusion, a dedication to continuous learning and a drive for innovation and strategic development. She holds a Master's degree in Business and Organization with a specialisation in Marketing. Previously, from 2017 to 2024, Mojca was a member of the EAIE Expert Community Business Education while working at the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana.
Since 2024, Mojca has been a member of the EAIE Thematic European-funded programmes.
Veronika Kupriyanova
Veronika Kupriyanova is the Deputy Director at the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA). She has almost fifteen years of experience in the design, implementation, coordination and evaluation of EU policy initiatives and projects in higher education and research. In her current position, Veronika is responsible for monitoring, analysing and consulting ACA members on key European policies and programmes in higher education and research while serving as the co-chair of ACA’s thematic peer group "European policies and programmes". Before joining ACA, Veronika worked as a Policy Analyst at the European University Association (EUA), focusing on funding, institutional autonomy and governance, as well as on efficiency and effectiveness in the context of higher education. She has gained hands-on experience in university collaborations at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HUB) in Germany. Veronika studied International Relations and holds a joint Master’s degree in World Politics from the Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO) in Russia and the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) in France.
Since 2024, Veronika has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee European-funded programmes.
Shane Lordan
Shane McCarthy is Global Networks and Projects Manager at UCD Global, University College Dublin, Ireland. His expertise focuses on strategic international partnerships, university networks, European University Alliances, and Erasmus+ cooperation programmes.
In his current role, he coordinates the university's engagement with global networks and serves as Senior Local Lead for Una Europa, supporting alliance strategy, governance, and collaboration across partner institutions.
Since 2026, Shane has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee European-funded programmes.
Wim Gabriels
As Director of the Erasmus Student Network, Wim supports international students and advises international relations offices on support measures for students. He has worked in the field of Higher Education for the past seven years, first as an International Officer at VUB in Brussels and later on as a Project Manager and Director of ESN International. Wim focuses on creating an evidence-based approach to understanding the needs of students and universities in the field of international student mobility.
Since 2026, Wim has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee European-funded programmes.
Aurélie Quinton
Since 2026, Aurélie has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee European-funded programmes.
Leadership, strategy and policy
This TC covers broad themes in leadership, strategic development, and policy-making, such as international office management, planning, and crisis or stakeholder engagement.
Olga Krylova
Olga Krylov is Senior Expert at E-Quadrat Science&Education, a German-based research group which provides strategic consultancy for HEIs. She has more than 20 years of professional experience in the field of International education, she was involved in the coordination of international projects of different scale, the development and management of educational programs, the development of partnerships and international marketing. Olga has presented at a number of international conferences (eg NAFSA, EAIE, APAIE and others) on a variety of topics such as internationalisation, building university interationalisation strategy, and marketing and recruitment. She honed skills in leadership, strategic planning, and policy development and really commited to driving positive change.
As a lifelong learner and advocate for international education, she has always believed in the transformative power of education on a global scale and eager to collaborate with like-minded professionals. Hence Olga was a Steering group member of the Expert Community Marketing and Recruitment from 2019–2022.
Since 2026, Olga has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Leadership, strategy and policy, was previously Chair of this Committee 2024-2026 and was reappointed as Chair for the 2026-2029 term.
Vicky Lewis
Dr Vicky Lewis is an experienced independent consultant, based in the UK, who advises universities on international strategy development. She has completed over sixty projects for institutions with widely differing profiles and at various stages of internationalisation - mainly in the UK, but also in Europe, Asia, the US and Australia.
Before becoming a consultant in 2013, Vicky worked for many years at the Director level within UK universities, establishing an award-winning International Office from scratch and leading development of institutional strategies in the areas of internationalisation and marketing.
Vicky's undergraduate degree is in Modern Languages (German and French) from the University of Oxford, UK. She completed a Doctorate of Business Administration (Higher Education Management) at the University of Bath, UK, with a thesis exploring different motivations for and approaches to international engagement at UK universities. She continues to undertake research alongside her consultancy and regularly publishes thought leadership articles and blogs on global engagement strategy, transnational education and national policy.
Vicky joined EAIE in 2014 and, since then, has provided mentorship, co-delivered Academy training, contributed to conference workshops and sessions, and written several articles for Forum. Since 2024, Vicky has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Leadership, strategy and policy.
Demi Siamopoulou
Since 2026, Demi has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Leadership, strategy and policy.
Mariella Olivos
Mariella Olivos Rossini is Director of International Affairs at ESAN University (Lima, Peru) and Associate Professor at its School of Economics and Management. She serves as Associate Director of CLADEA (Latin American Council of Management Schools), where she leads the COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) Program and is a former General Secretary of REDIPERU.
With extensive experience in higher education internationalisation, Mariella has led initiatives that foster international academic collaboration, virtual exchange, intercultural learning, and strategic partnerships among universities worldwide. Her work promotes innovative and inclusive approaches to internationalisation, connecting global learning opportunities with student employability and institutional development. Her research and publications focus on the internationalisation of higher education, virtual teams, and entrepreneurship education.
Mariella holds a Ph.D. in Information Management from Tilburg University, the Netherlands; an MBA from UQAM, Canada; a M.Sc. in Economics from the National Agrarian University La Molina (UNALM), Peru; and a B.A. in Economics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP).
Since 2026, Mariella has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Leadership, strategy and policy.
Thomas Baumgartner
Since 2026, Thomas has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Leadership, strategy and policy.
Andra Mirona Stan-Dragotesc
Andra-Mirona Dragotesc is Director of International Relations at West University of Timișoara in Romania. Her expertise focuses on the internationalisation of higher education, with particular interest in internationalisation for all, institutional capacity building, and European University Alliances. Since 2020, she has served as the local institutional coordinator for UNITA and has managed activities for RO European Universities, the national network of Romanian higher education institutions participating in the European Universities Initiative.
Since 2026, Andra-Mirona has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Leadership, strategy and policy.
Frederic Renouard
Frederic Renouard is Strategic Advisor for Internationalisation at the University of Rennes, France, where he supports the development of the university’s internationalisation strategy through European benchmarking, institutional dialogue and policy analysis. His expertise includes strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, European higher education initiatives and the implementation of internationalisation policies.
He previously coordinated the university’s participation in the EDUC European University Alliance and has held leadership roles in international education projects and innovation ecosystems.
Since 2026, Frederic has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Leadership, strategy and policy.
Marketing and admissions
This TC focuses on marketing and recruitment, as well as admissions and recognition, including admissions testing and credential evaluation. An important focus of this TC is the enhancement of the student experience from the very first contact to enrolment and beyond.
Ceren Genc
Ceren Genc is the Team Leader for International Student Admissions at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. For over a decade, Ceren held positions as an admissions officer at a prominent university and as an academic partnership coordinator. Over the years, she has built up a strong international network and gained expertise in different aspects of internationalisation of higher education. She has delivered several sessions and workshops on admissions and on recognition for refugees. Her professional interest lies in informal and non-formal learning recognition, as well as formal learning recognition. She has been awarded the EAIE Rising Star Award in 2016.
Ceren was a previous member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Social responsibility and since 2026, has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Marketing and admissions. Ceren was appointed as Chair of this Committee for the 2026-2029 term.
Monique Swennenhuis
Monique Swennenhuis is the strategic advisor for International Marketing and International Affairs at Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, where she also serves as a member of the Programme Team for Internationalisation. She leads the core team for the standardisation of processes within enrolment management. She is co-responsible for implementing the university’s new internationalisation strategy, with core areas including international enrolment, international student retention, and lobbying for the national policy on international students.
Between 2018 and 2024, she served as secretary and president of DHENIM, the Dutch Higher Education Network for International Marketing. She is a member of the Thematic Committee for Marketing and Admissions, the EAIE and NAFSA trainer corps, and has presented several workshops and training sessions on international HE marketing.
Frederic Renouard is Strategic Advisor for Internationalisation at the University of Rennes, France, where he supports the development of the university’s internationalisation strategy through European benchmarking, institutional dialogue and policy analysis. His expertise includes strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, European higher education initiatives and the implementation of internationalisation policies.
He previously coordinated the university’s participation in the EDUC European University Alliance and has held leadership roles in international education projects and innovation ecosystems.
Since 2024, Monique has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Marketing and admissions.
Tom Wilmot
Tom Wilmot is the Recruitment and Admissions Solutions Director at StudyLink Connect, UK. He works with universities to ensure that their international student journey yields as many enrollments as possible by maximising conversions. Tom has been working with or in universities for nine years, having begun his career at the University of Leicester Students' Union and then working at Endsleigh in the UK before moving into international higher education in 2016 with the International Student Admissions Service (ISAS). When ISAS was acquired in 2018, Tom was asked to head up Studee's University Partnership team and he has been working to help Studee's partners bridge the gap between their marketing and admissions departments. Tom studied Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Leicester before completing his Master's degree at Aston University Business School in Human Resource Management and Business.
Since 2024, Tom has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Marketing and admissions.
Vicky Chadderton
Since 2026, Vicky has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Marketing and admissions.
Vladimír Dlask
Since 2026, Vladimír has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Marketing and admissions.
Danielle Kanclerz
Danielle Kanclerz is an independent educational consultant based in Berlin, Germany. With more than 10 years of experience in international student recruitment, admissions and enrolment management, she specialises in global recruitment strategy, territory development and student guidance.
Drawing on experience across a range of higher education institutions, she supports students worldwide in identifying best-fit study options and navigating the university application process. She is also an active volunteer with international education organisations, including NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the Fund for Education Abroad.
Since 2026, Danielle has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Marketing and admissions.
Valtteri Laitala
Valtteri Laitala is an Admissions Specialist in Finland with more than 15 years of experience in international higher education. His expertise includes higher education admissions, study financing, scholarship programmes, and partnerships with external funding providers. He is also involved in developing admissions processes and supporting student immigration-related matters.
In his current role, Valtteri works closely with admissions professionals, student recruitment teams, academic staff and external stakeholders.
Since 2026, Valtteri has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Marketing and admissions.
Partnerships
This TC focuses on a wide range of IHE partnerships—from capacity development and collaborative degree programs to community, business, and strategic alliances. The team brings expertise in building sustainable, equitable, and innovative cross‑border collaborations.
Leasa Weimer
Leasa Weimer is the Director for Global Partnerships at the University of Denver, Colorado, USA, and provides strategic thought-leadership and vision to develop an integrated partnership approach. Previously, she worked in Europe for over a decade, holding positions at the Fulbright Commission in Helsinki, the European Association for International Education (EAIE), and as a research fellow at the University of Jyväskylä. She has authored/edited numerous international publications and was a Principal Investigator for research projects with the Finnish Ministry for Education and Culture and UNESCO. Weimer holds a doctorate from the University of Georgia, USA, and received a Fulbright grant to conduct her dissertation fieldwork in Finland. She also received an Erasmus Mundus joint master's degree, where she lived and studied in Norway, Finland, and Portugal. She served as the president of the Erasmus Mundus Student & Alumni Association.
Since 2024, Leasa has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Partnerships and was appointed as Chair of this Committee for the 2026-2029 term.
Mirko Varano
Mirko Varano serves as Vice Rector for International Affairs at Tecnologico De Monterrey - ITESM. Mirko has been active in the field of internationalisation of higher education for the past 25 years. He covered different positions of responsibility at the Turin Technical University between 1992–2008 in the field of international relations. He was appointed as CLUSTER network coordinator from 2008 to 2010. He was previously internationalisation officer at KTH Royal Institute of Technology where he was appointed a member of the international strategy group from 2013 to 2016. He is currently an adviser for international projects at the same institution, with a focus on Erasmus+ and university networks. Mirko holds a Master’s degree in Political Science with a specialisation in International Relations and European Studies from the University of Turin, Italy.
Since 2026, Mirko has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Partnerships and was previously Chair of this Committee 2024-2026.
Anna Stina Sinisalo
Anna Stina Sinisalo is Head of Development, International Affairs at the University of Helsinki, Finland. In her role, she leads the university’s engagement in the Una Europa alliance and supports the development of international affairs activities.
With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education internationalisation, she has extensive expertise in international cooperation, European University Alliances, joint degree programmes, student mobility and externally funded collaborative projects.
Since 2024, Anna Stina has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Partnerships.
Karin Kim Lim
Karin Kim Lim is Head of International Cooperation and Partnerships at the Ecole normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon) in France. In her current position, Karin oversees international cooperation agreements and projects with foreign universities and institutions. She also leads a task force on International Rankings strategy. Originally from Mauritius, Karin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management and a Master’s degree in International Business. Before joining the Higher Education sector, she worked as a senior consultant in intelligent transport systems and smart cities, with proven success in managing European projects and networks.
Since 2024, Karin has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Partnerships.
Tallulah Forrest
Tallulah is the Education Partnerships Manager at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) Europe, the European innovation hub of RMIT University, an Australian university of design, technology and enterprise with a strong presence in Asia-Pacific and an international focus, with partnerships all over the world.
As part of the RMIT Europe team based in Barcelona, she leads the Education Partnerships area, enabling education collaborations with European partners.
With a long experience in international higher education, she previously worked in international recruitment and admissions, as an exchange programme coordinator, and coordinated the international office activity at La Salle Campus Barcelona-URL.
She is passionate about facilitating global connections and collaborations that will have a positive impact through education, tackling some of the many challenges of today’s world, and building students’ global mindset, awareness and motivation to make a positive contribution to the world.
With a background in Social Education, Psychology and Management, she has a special interest in social initiatives that work for the common good.
She has been a member of the EAIE since 2013 and is looking forward to taking on a more active role within the Partnerships Thematic Committee as of 2024.
Raquel Sampaio
Since 2026, Raquel has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Partnerships.
Tina Stubenrauch
Tina Stubenrauch works in international engagement at the University of Technology Nuremberg in Germany. She has more than 15 years of experience in international higher education, with expertise in international cooperation, strategic partnerships, internationalisation strategy, and international relations.
Prior to joining the University of Technology Nuremberg, she held academic and professional roles in Australia and gained teaching experience in South Korea and the United States.
Since 2026, Tina has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Partnerships.
Social responsibility
This TC explores social responsibility in IHE, covering climate action, the UN SDGs, global citizenship, and diversity, equity and inclusion. It brings together professionals dedicated to advancing IHE’s role in tackling global challenges and promoting social justice, equity and sustainability—positioning higher education as a catalyst for meaningful, positive change in communities worldwide.
Peter Kerrigan
Peter R. Kerrigan is the Deputy Director of the German Academic Exchange Service's (DAAD) Regional Office in New York and is the Director of Marketing and Outreach for DAAD in North America. He is responsible for marketing German higher education and research and DAAD's scholarship programmes in the U.S. and Canada. Peter served as Vice President of Membership Development and Services at The Forum on Education Abroad, Assistant Director of the Higher Education Resource Group at the Institute of International Education (IIE) and Senior Program Coordinator in the Work Abroad Division of the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE).
He served as Chair of the EAIE's Professional Development Committee, Chair of the Inclusion and Diversity Expert Community, a Resource Person on the Marketing and Recruitment Expert Community, and as a member of the EAIE General Council. In September 2016, Peter received the EAIE's Transatlantic Leadership Award. Peter was awarded a Master's degree in Political Science by the Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and German by Bates College, Maine, USA.
Since 2026, Peter has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Social responsibility, was previously Chair of this Committee 2024-2026 and was reappointed as Chair for the 2026-2029 term.
Hege Kristin Widnes
Hege Kristin is an International Adviser in the Central administration at the University in Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway (UiT). She is the Institutional Coordinator for Erasmus+ ICM in addition to being the Coordinator for Cooperation with India, China and South-Africa and the Global South. She has extensive knowledge and experience with externally funded collaboration programmes with the Global South funded both by Norwegian agencies and EU-funded programmes (especially KA2).
Since 2024, Hege Kristin has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Social responsibility.
Martin Bogdan
Martin Bogdan first started working for ACA in 2019. He coordinates ACA’s several projects on inclusion and societal engagement, as well as the capacity-building training series Inclusion ACAdemy for HEIs and NAs.
He is also the co-chair of ACA’s Thematic Peer Group "Widening Inclusion in Higher Education", which is discussing the management of national and European funding to increase participation of underrepresented groups in international higher education. Before ACA, Martin worked in the European Commission, in several NGOs working with open access policies, migrants, arts and media.
Since September 2024, Martin has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Social responsibility.
Stella Saliari
Stella Saliari is a feminist researcher and social justice consultant who works with institutions striving to achieve intersectional justice. She collaborates with organisations in higher education and the not-for-profit sector, presenting and researching topics such as Eurocentrism and knowledge production, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in international education, the politics of positionality and holistic and flexible resourcing. She also curates and moderates events ranging from discussions on inclusion and diversity in the Erasmus+ programme to training sessions on feminist knowledge production and non-hierarchical classrooms.
She holds an Master's degree in Middle East Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London, UK and an Master's degree in Gender Studies from Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
Since 2024, Stella has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Social responsibility.
Muhammad Sohail
Since 2026, Muhammad has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Social responsibility.
Nina Bosnićová
Since 2026, Nina has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Social responsibility.
Irina Sikorska
Since 2026, Irina has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Social responsibility.
Student and alumni services
This TC focuses on student affairs and alumni engagement, covering areas including accommodation, safety, well-being and mental health, academic and career advising, employability, and lifelong alumni connections. It brings together professionals committed to enriching the international student experience and strengthening alumni engagement.
Géraldine Dufour
Having worked in universities for over 20 years, Géraldine Dufour is a leading expert in matters related to university wellbeing and mental health and Vice-Chair of the Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education Expert Group (MWBHE) at Advance HE. She is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex, UK and works directly with individuals and organisations across the sector, facilitating training, consultancy, coaching and supervision. Géraldine has wide-ranging experience and an interest in international education, including being Head of Counselling at the University of Cambridge, Chair of the National Executive Committees for Student Mental Health and Counselling and founding member of national research groups in student mental health. As a former French Erasmus student working and collaborating internationally, with a visiting professorship at Fudan University, Géraldine is interested in cross-cultural work, differences, and diversity.
Since 2026, Géraldine has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and alumni services, was previously Chair of this Committee 2024-2026 and was reappointed as Chair for the 2026-2029 term.
Stephanie Griffiths
Stephanie is an intercultural consultant/trainer at her own intercultural consultancy for higher education institutions, which focuses on the internationalisation of students. She recently retired from the position of Associate Director for Counselling and Mental Health Support at King’s College London, UK, after having worked in the field of psychological counselling for over 30 years. Stephanie has developed an outreach and training programme to enable home and international students, academics and frontline administrative staff to be trained in the psychological pressures they may encounter. She embarked on a study trip to Fudan and Shanghai Jiao Tong Universities, China, in 2015 to understand the presentation and treatment of mental health issues among students in China. She has since been invited to speak at several conferences in China organised through Oxford Prospects and Global Development Institute. Stephanie studied English and Education at Goldsmiths University, UK; Psychology at Birkbeck College, University of London, UK; Guidance and Counselling at Reading University, UK and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. She received the King’s College Principal’s Award in 2018, recognising an individual who has ‘gone above and beyond to champion the goals of the university and has delivered outstanding service as a King’s Ambassador’.
She has been a trainer at the EAIE Academy for the past five years and was one of the keynote speakers at the AACSB on the topic of ‘avoiding virtual burnout: maintaining engagement, motivation and mental health in students, staff and faculty’.
Stephanie received the EAIE Award for Outstanding Contribution in 2022 in recognition of her important contributions to supporting international education by ensuring that the students and staff within our institutions can thrive. Since 2024, Stephanie has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and alumni services.
Amanda Hiort Af Ornäs
Since 2026, Amanda has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and alumni services.
Kumi Tempels
Since 2026, Kumi has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and alumni services.
Larissa Vanamo
Since 2026, Larissa has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and alumni services.
Karen Carter
Karen Carter is Internship Advisor and Employer Relations Manager for American University's Washington Semester Program in the United States. Her expertise spans experiential learning, internships, student employability, and employer engagement, with a focus on creating meaningful professional development opportunities for students.
She has led and managed internship and fellowship programmes across higher education and cultural institutions in the United States and Europe, including the Smithsonian Institution, Northern Virginia Community College, and The Lady Elizabeth School in Spain.
Since 2026, Karen has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and alumni services.
- LinkedIn:
- https://linkedin.com/in/karenemcarter/
Svetlana Kochergina
Svetlana Kochergina is Study Progress Coordinator and Study Coach at Hotelschool The Hague in the Netherlands. She has more than eight years of experience in international higher education, with expertise in student success and wellbeing, learner engagement, retention, and professional development. In her current role, she supports students throughout their academic journey and develops initiatives that strengthen engagement and belonging.
Prior to joining Hotelschool The Hague, she worked at Nuffic Neso Russia, supporting prospective students and coordinating scholarship and language programmes.
Since 2026, Svetlana has been a member of has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and alumni services.
Student and staff mobility
This TC encompasses all aspects of mobility, including student exchange, short-term programmes, internships, staff mobility, virtual mobility, and service providers. It serves as a collaborative forum for advancing the design, implementation and impact of IHE mobility programmes for both students and staff.
Adrijana Lazic
Adrijana has worked in international education for over 10 years and is currently responsible for short-term programmes at the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. She was involved in various internationalisation activities, e.g., outgoing mobility, staff mobility and digitalisation of processes in general. She is an expert in managing summer and winter schools, both on-site and online and has been involved in the organisation of tailor-made programmes and study abroad tours for international partners.
Adrijana holds a Master’s in Business Studies from the University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business. She has been involved with the EAIE since 2018.
Since 2024, Adrijana has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and staff mobility and was appointed as Chair of this Committee for the 2026-2029 term.
Angeliki Psychogyiou
Angeliki Psychogyiou is an Independent Consultant based in Greece, active in the field of international higher education.
Angeliki has been actively involved in the European Digital Education Hub, most recently leading the working group on sustainability in digital education and training. She is also the coordinator of the HIBLend project, aiming to raise interest in and enhance HEIs’ capacity to develop high-quality blended mobility opportunities for students.
Angeliki recently served as the Policy and Project Coordinator at the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA), where she primarily focused on digitalisation and sustainability within international higher education.
Before joining ACA, Angeliki spent five years as a project manager and engineer at the international relations office of the University of Paris 8 - Vincennes Saint Denis. She also worked for one and a half years in the secretariat of the European Vocational Training Association, where she managed the EU projects division, overseeing a portfolio of 14 projects.
Angeliki has also been working in the private sector, in a complementary capacity, in evaluating EU funding applications in education and conducting research for EU studies.
She holds an advanced master’s degree in International and European Relations from Linköping University, Sweden, and an undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Since 2024, Angeliki has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and staff mobility.
Oana-Roxana Ivan-Horobet
Since 2026, Oana-Roxana has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and staff mobility.
Simone Lepore
Since 2026, Simone has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and staff mobility.
Magdalena Setlak
In her current position, Magdalena is responsible for evaluating international credentials, analysing the data and monitoring the entire application procedure. Her main focus is credential verification, quality enhancement, programme-level equivalency, digitalisation, innovation and new technology management. She was involved in creating the International Admissions Office at the Politecnico di Milano and has been working within the Internationalization Project.
Magdalena has 16 years of experience working in international higher education, including professional training for other credential officers and consultancy in foreign degrees. On a daily basis, she collaborates with the International Marketing Office and International Students Office. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Modern Languages and Literature as well as a Master's degree in Cultural Heritage Studies. Over the years she worked as a Senior Credential Evaluator at the Bachelor, Master and Phd level.
Since 2024, Magdalena has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and staff mobility.
Gulden Bulut
Gülden Bulut is Deputy Coordinator of the Office for International Relations and Academic Cooperation at Marmara University in Türkiye. She has worked in international higher education since 2011, with expertise in Erasmus+, international mobility, global partnerships, and European Union-funded programmes.
Her academic and professional interests include Europeanisation, European Union policy and international cooperation in higher education.
Since 2026, Gülden has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and staff mobility.
Iris Waringer
Iris Waringer is Head of International Relations at IMC Krems University of Applied Sciences in Austria. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, her expertise includes student and staff mobility, international partnerships, transnational education, and internationalisation initiatives.
Iris oversees a broad portfolio of mobility programmes, international projects, and institutional collaborations, including IMC Krems' participation in the UP University European University Alliance.
Iris is a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Student and staff mobility and has served in this role since 2026.
Teaching, learning and curriculum
This TC focuses on the broad area of teaching and learning, addressing topics such as internationalisation at home and in the curriculum, language learning, and virtual exchange.
Pouneh Eftekhari
Dr. Pouneh Eftekhari is an internationalisation expert and consultant with nearly two decades of experience leading policy design, strategic planning, and hands-on project implementation across the US and Europe. She specialises in translating policy into practice through process optimisation and cross-functional collaboration. Her practical background is underpinned by her research investigating how institutional conditions influence how academics and educational developers engage with internationalisation. Leveraging her research expertise, Pouneh utilises data-driven methodologies to design, implement and evaluation global engagement initiatives.
An active sector leader, Pouneh frequently consults globally and delivers keynotes, workshops and presentations at universities worldwide and at major international conferences, including EAIE, NAFSA and ICED. She also provides quality assurance and external evaluation for global projects and is certified by the European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) as an internationalisation quality expert.
Since 2024, Pouneh has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Teaching, learning and curriculum and was appointed as Chair of this Committee for the 2026-2029 term.
- Website:
- pounehglobal.com
- LinkedIn:
- https://linkedin.com/in/pounehglobal/
Thierry Villard
Thierry is a language teacher, Mobility Officer, and Head of Studies at IUT de Bordeaux at the Université de Bordeaux, France. As a language teacher, Thierry has always been involved in European projects. Since he started his work at the Institute of Technology of Bordeaux, he has focused on internationalisation of the curricula. Since the creation of the 'Pôle Langues' in 2017, a structure gathering language and communication teachers, he has also been involved in the development of the language policy, a huge and exciting task. Thierry holds a Masters degree in English from Université Bordeaux Montaigne.
Since 2026, Thierry has been a memberof the EAIE Thematic Committee Teaching, learning and curriculum and was previously Chair of this Committee 2024-2026.
Alicia Betts
Alicia Betts has over 15 years of experience in international higher education, having served in various roles across higher education associations and universities. Currently, Alicia serves as the Strategic International Projects Manager at the University of Girona in Catalonia, Spain. In this role, she coordinates the COIL and Virtual Exchange Community of Practice, engages in Internationalization at Home (IaH) initiatives and is part of the local team at the European University for Cross-Border Knowledge Sharing (Across). Alicia graduated from the Universities of Oslo (Norway), Tampere (Finland) and Aveiro (Portugal) with an Erasmus Mundus Master's degree in Higher Education Policy and Management.
Since 2024, Alicia has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Teaching, learning and curriculum.
Barbara Leitherer
Since 2026, Barbara has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Teaching, learning and curriculum.
Elizabeth Emelue
Elizabeth (Lizzy) Emelue is a Lecturer in the Department of Education at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom. Her expertise spans international education, pedagogy, teacher learning, educational leadership, and intercultural teaching and learning.
With more than 15 years of experience across the United Kingdom, Japan, and Nigeria, she has worked across higher, secondary, and primary education settings.
Since 2026, Lizzy has been a member of the EAIE Thematic committee Teaching, learning and curriculum.
Şirin Karadeniz Oran
Prof Dr Şirin Karadeniz is a higher education leader and educational technology expert with extensive experience in academia, industry and public policy. She has served in senior leadership roles, including university president and dean, and has led national education initiatives focused on digital learning and future skills development.
Based in Türkiye, her work centres on international higher education, educational innovation and building human-centred learning ecosystems that connect education, research, industry and society. She is particularly recognised for advancing interdisciplinary learning models and large-scale digital transformation initiatives.
Since 2026, Şirin has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Teaching, learning and curriculum.
Torunn Stornes Kittelsen
Torunn Stornes Kittelsen is Senior Adviser at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences in Norway. With nearly 20 years of experience in the internationalisation of higher education, she specialises in student and staff mobility, international partnerships, and strategic development.
Her recent work focuses on advancing internationalisation at home, with a particular emphasis on Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL). She leads institutional COIL initiatives, supports academic staff development, and serves as the institutional contact for Scholars at Risk.
Since 2026, Torunn has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Teaching, learning and curriculum.
Research on internationalisation
This TC focuses on the latest developments in research on internationalisation, how research and practice in IHE can be mutually reinforcing and the experiences of scholar-practitioners in IHE.
Emmy Arts
Emmy Arts leads the International Relations Department at École Centrale de Marseille, France, handling international cooperation since 2004. Her background includes Linguistics and Environmental Sciences. Emmy is a Sociology Doctoral candidate at Université Paris Cité, co-directed with the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil, studying minorities' access to international mobility in the context of higher education policies in Brazil. Her research aims to enhance educational policies for better social outcomes, stressing education as a public good. Emmy actively engages in global education conferences, focusing on fostering partnerships and advocating education as a crucial resource.
Since 2024, Emmy has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Research on internationalisation and was appointed as Chair of this Committee for the 2026-2029 term.
Craig Riggs
Since 2026, Craig has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Research on internationalisation.
Elena Klimkina
Since 2026, Elena has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Research on internationalisation.
Franka van den Hende
Since 2026, Franka has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Research on internationalisation.
Miriam Park
Since 2026, Miriam has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Research on internationalisation.
Natacha Moniz
Natacha Moniz is an International Relations Officer at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal. She develops and manages international cooperation, capacity-building and higher education partnership projects, with extensive experience in Erasmus+ and other European-funded initiatives.
Her work focuses on building and sustaining international partnerships across regions, while her research explores academic diplomacy, knowledge security and international cooperation in higher education.
Since 2026, Natacha has been a member of the EAIE Thematic Committee Research on internationalisation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I join a Thematic Committee
There is a call for new Thematic Committee volunteers every three years. Volunteers serve a three‑year term and may apply for a second term. Committee groups are appointed by a panel to bring together diverse expertise and broad geographic representation. The 2026 call to join a Thematic Committee is now closed, and the new committees will begin their term in September 2026. The next call will be in 2029.
Do I need to be an EAIE member to apply?
No. We are looking for the most experienced, enthusiastic, and geographically diverse group for each cohort, so applications are open to both members and non‑members. If selected, you will need to become an EAIE member before your term begins and maintain your membership throughout your service on the Thematic Committees.
How much work is involved?
Expect four meetings per year and regular engagement in between. Workload varies by committee and project, and different projects or tasks can be shared across the group.
Many volunteers report that the work is manageable alongside a full-time job, with occasional peak periods mainly around conference review.
What do I get for being a volunteer?
Volunteering offers valuable professional and personal benefits. Additional perks include a reduced Annual Conference volunteer registration fee, travel and accommodation covered for in‑person committee meetings, the chance to form a supportive group of colleagues who often become genuine friends, and the rewarding experience of contributing to the international education sector in a meaningful way.