Governing Bodies

President of the University of Sfax, Tunisia

Delegate of the Lebanese International University, Lebanon

Dr. Anwar Kawtharani is an accomplished educator who has been the Dean of the School of Education at the Lebanese International University (LIU) since 2011. He is also a respected lecturer who teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses. In 2021, he was appointed as the Director of the Office of International Relations at LIU. Dr. Kawtharani has been a member of the Executive Board of Assessment for the Lebanese Official Baccalaureate Exams committee on English Language for secondary classes at the Ministry of Education in Lebanon since 2001.

He has played an active role in curriculum design and professional development locally with CERD Lebanon and private schools since 1998, as well as in MENA and NENA regions, and in Europe. He is the Head of ewnglish Language departnent at AMJAD High School and head of Quality Assurance Unit ( K -12) since 1999. Dr. Kawtharani is a respected international figure in the field of education.

He served as an International School Award Ambassador for the British Council in Beirut from 2005 until 2022. In 2017, he became a permanent member of the Arab Council of Universities on Quality Assurance after serving as the Head of the International Arab Conference on Quality Assurance hosted by LIU in 2018 and 2019. Dr. Kawtharani is currently a certified Lead Evaluator with accreditation agency COGNIA-USA, having received his certification in September 2022.

He has also served as a COGNIA associate Lead Evaluator, review member, and certified eleot observer in MENA and NENA regions. In April 2023, he earned certification as an Anchor Items for Measurement of Early Childhood Development (AIM-ECD) by the World Bank, and he is a certified Early Childhood Education Observer. Dr. Kawtharani’s contributions to education extend beyond his academic and administrative roles. He has co-authored academic books for schools in Lebanon and contributed to research articles in the field of Education and TESL.

Since 2015, he has supervised PhD theses at the Lebanese University. He is a regular speaker at national and international forums. Aside from his work in education, Dr. Kawtharani is also a well-known Football analyst for European Leagues and World Cups on international and national TV stations in the MENA region.

President of the Lebanese University, Lebanon

Vice President of the Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, France

Camille Salinesi is Professor at the University Paris1 Panthéon- Sorbonne where he is Vice President in charge of International Relations. The University of Paris 1 has a long tradition of international actions, especially in the context of France’s scientific diplomacy.

Consistently with this historical positioning, Professor Salinesi’s actions as Vice President address the strengthening of University Paris 1’s international activity including new strategic partnerships, strong research collaborations both within and across european borders, campuses abroad, the internationalization of degrees to better address the needs of incoming international students, UNESCO Chairs and the overall internationalization of the university. Consistently with the university’s values, Professor Salinesi has undertaken social and responsible actions by creating university degrees for refugee students, with French for foreigner courses and a grant for the university corridors organized by UNICEF and AUF.

These add up with Paris 1’s many actions in the context of Erasmus+ funded capacity building projects with Mediterranean and sub-Saharan African universities. Prof Salinesi’s scientific expertise is within the field of software design.

His research address a wide variety of issues spanning from artificial intelligence led innovation to wicked problems in software project management . He is a known expert in Requirements Engineering, who showed that a diversity of domain-specific methods, techniques and tools is needed to address various contexts such as security and trust issues, artificial intelligence, blockchain, or even self-adaptive systems.

President Assistant of the Palestine Technical University, Palestine

Prof. Eleyan has a good relevant diversity experience in academic and industry. He has a PhD in Information Systems and Msc in Business Information Technology. Dr. Eleyan is a professor and recently working as a president Assistant at PTUK.

He served five years as an assistant professor at Birzeit University in the Department of Computer Science teaching variety of courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has worked also as lecturer and course team leader in computing at South East Essex college of Arts and Technology where he taught various modules as, information system, project management, database, web database, and website management, Computer and Business Ethics, Research methods. He has a good expertise as an Information Systems Consultant at BAS Computer Systems a private company since 2003 till 2006.

On 2006, He was a visiting lecturer at the University of Manchester, teaching an MSc course of Enterprise System Modelling, collaborating with Prof. Loucopoulos.

He has served as an external reviewer to some conferences and international journals in information science, information systems and business process modelling. His research interests focuses in System dynamics, software quality, Information Systems, Business Process Modelling, Customer service and satisfaction and return on investment, information technology management, IT project management, Quality of Service, Academic quality and performance evaluation, Business and computer ethics, Software testing quality assurance, Usability and e-commerce websites, Web decision systems. He is a member of some societies as British Computer Society(BCS), Institute for Learning (IFL), Systems Dynamics Society (SDS).

Delegate of the Boğaziçi University, Turkey

Ece Toker Gunay joined Boğaziçi University in 2009 as a coordinator for global outreach and chief international officer. While in the International Office, Ece worked on exchange offerings sending more than 700 students abroad annually to over 50 countries, advanced internationalization by building strategic global partnerships, enhancing academic programs for students and faculty, and increasing global institutional visibility.

She guided measures to expand and better serve international scholars and students, cross-cultural engagement on campus, and advance the university’s academic mission. Ece provides support, guidance, and resources for faculty, students, and community members interested in reimagining the future of Global Education and community-engaged learning.

She supports soft skills enhancement and helps students develop service learning and research projects worldwide.

President of the International University of Rome – UNINT, Italy

Vice President of the University of Urbino, Italy

Germana Giombini is Associate Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics, Society and Politics (DESP) at the University of Urbino Carlo Bo and Head of the Bachelor of Economics and Management/Economics and Business in the School of Economics, where she teaches Microeconomics, Monetary Economics and Policy, and Financial Market Economics and Policy.

She is the Rector’s delegate for International Relations.

For several years she has been a research associate of the Money and Finance Research Group (Mo.Fi.R) at the Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy, a member of the GEU (Urbino Economists Group) and a member of the ECDN Debt Scientific Group (CoDeS). Since 2022, she has been a member of the Structrualist Development Macroeconomics Research Group at the University of Brasilia, Brazil, a member of the Steering Committee of AISSEC – Italian Association for the Study of Comparative Economic Systems, a member of the Learning Commission of the Italian Economic Society (SIE).

President of the University of Mohamed V of Rabat, Morocco

Professor Mohammed Rhachi was the President of Mohammed V University of Rabat, Morocco from December 2018 till November 2022. Prof. Rhachi received his Ph. D. in Thermal and Thermodynamic Sciences (2000). He was appointed as an Academic Director of the Higher School of technology (E.S.T.) in 1994 and then as a full Director of the E.S.T in 2001 till 2014.

He was appointed Vice president of governance at Mohammed V University of Rabat in 2015 till 2018. He obtained several certificates on governance and management systems in higher education (ENA – Rabat, State Department – USA, Dale Carnegie, …).

He has published over 40 scientific papers in international journals. For his research efforts, he was awarded the “Jean Demal” Prize from the International Association of University Pedagogy (Montpellier-2008) for “outstanding research”.

In 2022, he has received the “Excellence in Innovation and Leadership Award” in the Innovation Week in Africa (IWA 2022) and the “Arab Government Excellence Award” organized by the Arab Administrative Development Organization.

President of the Istanbul Aydin University, Turkey

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, born in Trabzon in 1956, completed his primary, secondary and high school education in Trabzon, and his undergraduate education at Cairo University and Ankara University, and continued his academic studies on Arabic Language and Literature. Aydın, who started to work in the TSK (Turkish Armed Forces) in 1975, served in numerous domestic and international duties.

He started his academic career in 1995, established BİL Holding and its 14 subsidiaries and BİL Education Institutions, which continues its education services with 150 institutions today, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın still serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of these organizations. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın has laid the foundations of Istanbul Aydın University, which today has more than 40,000 students, 35 Research Centers, 2 Think Tanks, 2 UNESCO Chairs and 18 Faculties.

Aydın has founded the Cyprus Science University, as well as IAU Incubation Centers in England, Baku, Tehran, Beijing, Chicago and San Francisco Silicon Valley, respectively. Eğitim diplomasisi Aydın, who introduced the concept of education diplomacy to our country, pioneered the establishment of the “Study in Turkey” brand in 2010. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın set out a new vision to Turkish Higher Education with the “Hybrid Model Education System”, which is shown as an exemplary model for new generation education by the European Universities Association (EUA). Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın has been awarded with 4 separate “Honorary Doctorates” and “State Order” by the Moldovan State. Having received dozens of national and international awards, Aydın’s “Best of the Islamic World-Educator of the Year Award” and “Future Educator Award” are among the important awards he has received in the recent years.

Aydın, who speaks two foreign languages and has 13 written works, has articles published in various newspapers, magazines and other publications.

Aydın, who has duties and presidencies of many national and international organizations, continues his studies in higher education along with his duties at Anadolu Education and Culture Foundation (AKEV), Turkish Anti-Smoking Association (TSSD), Eurasian Universities Union (EURAS), Eurasian Higher Education Summit (EURIE), Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED), UFRAD Franchising Association, Küçükçekmece City Council, European Mediterranean Countries Social Political Education and Cultural Organization, World Franchise Council (WFC), Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation (APFC), European Franchise Federation (EFF) and Romania Franchise Association (RFA). Aydın is married and has three children.

Vice President of the University of Sétif 2, Algeria

Professor Naouel ABDELLATIF MAMI is born on September 1 st , 1980 in Sétif, Algeria. She is full Professor at Mohamed Lamine Debaghine, Sétif 2 University. She holds a PhD in Psychopedagogy and Foreign Language Teaching and Learning.

She followed her Post- Doctoral research at the university of Fribourg in Switzerland. She has been awarded “Youngest Professor in Algeria”. Currently, she works as Vice Rector in Charge of the External Relations at Sétif 2 University. She is also a Higher Education Reform Expert (HERE) for Algeria at the European Commission. She has a long experience in cooperation, international research and project development and management.

She worked as expert from 2010 to 2014 for the Council of Europe coordinating two research projects, namely EDIR and ECUD. She is the coordinator of several research projects nationally and internationally such as ABDEM, Dire-MED, ESAGOV and PraNet and Ci-RES. She also has extensive experience in the Erasmus+ Programme. She is the initiator of the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange pilot programme in Algeria. She has an interdisciplinary profile with an extensive para-academic experience. She touches to the questions related to Educational Psychology, education, internationalization, citizenship and global citizenship, human rights, intercultural dialogue, digitalization and IT in education, Artificial Intelligence in human sciences.

She has been the first Algerian personality awarded the Virtue and Conosceza Special “Mare Nostrum” award in Italy in 2022.

Delegate of the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, Italy

Manager with a consolidated experience in the field of university education and management of schools, institutions and training organizations.

Currently holding the position of Director of International Affairs and Development at the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO, where he has developed advanced skills in managing study programs and defining innovative marketing strategies, achieving important objectives in terms of project accomplished and students enrolment in over 10 years.

With a focus on the Mediterranean Region, Nicola has led work missions all over the world and consolidated long-lasting partnerships with important international partners, authorities and stakeholders. He has successfully completed complex technological innovation projects in the field of Higher Education and Technologies, such as the creation of high-quality online platforms and innovative HE programs for blended, on-campus and distance education with strong social impact on a global scale. He is a dynamic and results-oriented professional, with a passion for managing large projects and leading work teams, marketing and communication.

Vice President of the University of Évora, Portugal

Paulo Quaresma is Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and Internationalization at the University of Évora and a Full Professor at the Department of Informatics at the same University. In 2021 he was Member of the Board of Directors of FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.

At the University of Évora, he was Vice-Rector for Research and Development from 2014 to 2018 and Director of the School of Science and Technology from 2009 to 2013. He holds a PhD in Informatics from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, specialized in Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing.

He was responsible or coordinator of several research projects, funded by Portuguese and European entities and published more than 100 scientific articles in international journals and conferences.

Vice President of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon

Rima Mattar is Deputy President for International Affairs and Global Initiatives at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK). She is member of the University Executive Committee and serves on the University Academic and Research Council. In charge of the University internationalization efforts, she is responsible for the enhancement of international programs and partnerships, study abroad, and the promotion of USEK on the international scene.

She also oversees the operations of the International Grants and Projects Unit at USEK and was coordinator for several European joint and structural projects.

She led the participation of USEK in the American Council on Education’s Internationalization Laboratory and participated in site visits as an internationalization reviewer. In order to promote USEK visibility on the international stage and enhance its reputation abroad, she develops strategic plans on rankings and academic reputation.

She is also Associate Professor of Translation delivering various courses and supervising Master and PhD candidates. Rima Mattar serves also on the Board of Trustees of the Notre Dame University of Liberia.

President of the Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Jordan

AAU Started providing academic services in 1990, Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) was the first private university and pioneer of private education in Jordan. AAU has been accorded institutional and programmatic accreditation.

It is a member of the International Association of Universities, Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World, Union of Arab Universities and Association of Arab Private Institutions of Higher Education. AAU always seeks distinction by upgrading learning outcomes through the adoption of methods and strategies that depend on a system of quality control and effective follow-up at all its faculties, departments, centers and administrative units.

The overall aim is to become a flagship university not only at the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan level but also at the Arab World level.

In this vein, AAU has adopted Information Technology as an essential ingredient in its activities, especially e-learning, and it has incorporated it in its educational processes in all fields of specialization to become the first such university to do so.

President of the University of Cyprus, Cyprus

Professor of Mathematics and Statistics Rector of the University of Cyprus (2018-) Undergraduate studies in Mathematics at the University of Athens (Greece), graduate studies (M.S.E. and Ph.D) in Mathematical Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University (USA).

He has served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences of the State University of New York at Binghamton. In 1991 he joined the newly founded University of Cyprus and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, becoming its first Chairperson, serving as an Associate Professor and later as Professor. His areas of expertise include indirect questioning techniques, stochastic orders, dependent random variables and probability inequalities. He is the co-author (with Arijit Chaudhuri) of a research book on Indirect Questioning Techniques in Sample Surveys (Springer, Heidelberg 2013), co-editor (with Arijit Chaudhuri and C.R. Rao) of the Handbook of Statistics Vol 34 and author of a number of papers on probability inequalities, randomized response and indirect questioning techniques in general.

He is on the editorial board of four international journals of probability and statistics. He has participated in a number of research projects and has provided consulting services for various organizations including the Statistical Service of Cyprus. He has served on various national and international scientific and expert committees, among them, the European Statistical Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee of the Greek Statistical System. He is the Rector of the University of Cyprus, the first public University of Cyprus and the President of the Cyprus Statistical Society.