Claire O'Leary

With over 25 years of experience in international higher education, Claire is a specialist in international degree student experience management. She has recently taken up the post of Director of External Relations and Partnerships at the UK’s College of Medicine and Dentistry, where she is helping to develop the College’s international strategy. She is the new co-chair of Independent Higher Education’s International Education Forum. From 2010–2022, Claire worked at the University of Warwick as Assistant Director of the International Office and Head of Student Experience and Internationalisation. Claire organised the Warwick/UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) Integration Summits for UK institutions and Students’ Unions interested in promoting greater integration and intercultural learning amongst their student communities. She was the programme manager for Warwick's annual Welcome Week for all new students (all nationalities and study levels). Claire led on student immigration compliance strategy and policy at Warwick and was co-chair of the Immigration Compliance Network, a sector organisation for colleagues working in student visa compliance, which Claire co-founded. She has a Master’s degree in Intercultural Communication from the University of Warwick. Her Bachelor’s degree was in English and French from the University of Leeds.

Claire has served two terms of office as a trustee on the board of UKCISA and as a Steering group member of the EAIE Expert Community Mobility Advising, most recently as Chair. A passionate advocate for the internationalisation of the student learning experience and integration, Claire regularly presents at EAIE conferences and is an EAIE Academy trainer.