Bálint Markó is vice-rector for quality, competitiveness and non-traditional education, and also professor in Biology at the Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania. He oversees the UBB Goes Green programme of the UBB dealing with sustainable development policies and coordinates the STAR Institute of UBB. As vice-rector for non-traditional education he is in charge of the distance-learning programmes and of supervising and coordinating campuses outside the headquarter of UBB. Due to his engagement in implementing European policies at UBB, Markó represents his university in the board of vice-presidents of the EUTOPIA alliance and the Guild consortium. Markó supports the need for universities to interact constantly with society and by that transform institutions in a sustainable manner.

Ian Lynes, Product Director for SaaS solutions, has vast experience working with universities globally to help them to achieve their objectives in student recruitment, internationalisation, and managing global reputation. Over the past 16 years at QS, Ian has established himself as a trusted expert in delivering value to universities through software products and services.

Before joining QS, Ian honed his skills at IBM, where he managed products focused on leveraging web technology to enhance businesses. This helped him develop a keen understanding of the power of technology and data-driven strategies.

Ian’s recent work includes collaborating with universities worldwide to enable them to enhance their reputation through insight-driven communication strategies with global academic and employer contacts.

With his extensive knowledge and practical expertise, Ian inspires and guides universities to enhance their global standing and improve their international recruitment by leveraging leading software solutions, strategic communications, and international collaborations.

Jools O’Connor is Project Lead for the MicroCreds Project, based at the Irish Universities Association (IUA).

MicroCreds is a five year project which has received €12.3 million in funding through the Higher Education Authority’s Human Capital Initiative, aimed at establishing an innovative system of quality assured and accredited micro-credentials across seven IUA universities. Prior to joining the IUA, Jools worked in the education sector in a variety of roles including strategic planning, operations, marketing, stakeholder management and business development. She has worked across undergraduate, postgraduate and professional education at institutions including Imperial College London, the Royal College of Physicians London and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Jools holds an MBA from Trinity College Dublin and Chartered Institute of Marketing qualifications.

Sue McAlinden is Deputy Director of Student Recruitment at University College Dublin. With a background in business and languages, Sue has worked in the Education sector for over 15 years. With a strong background of over 10 years’ experience in UCD Global Recruitment and a passion for engaging with prospective students, Sue now manages Student Recruitment across both Undergraduate and Graduate domestic markets.

Her work contributes to the development and implementation of strategies that help to drive continued retention rates of 94% at UCD. With a passion for communicating and fostering relationships, Sue places a huge value on meaningful and authentic strategies which help connect with students and also showcase the UCD offering & experience in an increasingly competitive environment.

Julien Malaurent is Professor of Information Systems at ESSEC, Academic Director of the Executive Master in Digital Transformation, Academic Director of ESSEC Online, and Academic Director of ESSEC Metalab. Passionate about technologies and the adoption processes that accompany them, Julien teaches multiple courses at ESSEC on the challenges of digital transformation, and more specifically on the challenges related to the adoption of systems based on artificial intelligence. He is also the author of numerous scientific articles on the sometimes perilous adoption of these technologies. Finally, he recently published a white paper, jointly with Benoit Bergeret, entitled: Getting companies on board with responsible artificial intelligence. He also led and coordinated the France part of a global study by the OECD, published in March 2023, on the impact of artificial intelligence on different organizational functions.

Selma Toohey is the Director of Europe at QS, leading a team of 9 client partnership managers who give insight, solutions and advice to Universities across Europe. Based in the UK, Selma joined QS two years ago following senior positions in international offices at Coventry University, Shorelight Education and Nottingham Trent University. Having lived in 7 countries, she has formed an expertise in HE emerging markets, driving revenue to support University expansion, transformation initiatives and growth vision. Selma studied Politics at Nottingham Trent University and an M.Phil at Trinity College Dublin.

Professor Karan Sonpar joined University College Dublin in 2009. He earned his PhD from the University of Alberta, Canada. He has held prior academic appointments at IE Business School, Spain and University of Manitoba, Canada. Karan served as Captain in the Indian Army prior to his PhD. He is a winner of an Early Career Research Award at UCD, a Professor of the Year Teaching Award at University of Manitoba, Canada and a Teaching Award at University of Alberta, Canada. He regularly delivers executive training on the topics of managing talent, strategic planning, managing change, and leadership. His research has been published in leading academic journals and has been profiled in Forbes, BBC, Irish Times, Financial Post, and Irish Independent.

Karys Davies is the Planning and Performance Manager in the Planning and Strategic Projects Unit at Swansea University. She is responsible for all aspects of university performance including monitoring and improving the University’s domestic and international league table performance as well as other institutional KPIs.

Karys has been working at Swansea University in a variety of roles since 2017, prior to this Karys worked in the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office as a Research and Policy Officer. Karys is also a Swansea alumnus having studied a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and an MA in Applied Criminal Justice and Criminology at the University.

Luc Van Liedekerke is professor of business ethics at the University Antwerp. He was director of the Center for Economics and Ethics at the KULeuven and for many years president of the European Business Ethics Network, the largest academic network in business ethics. He publishes extensively on business ethics, CSR and financial ethics. He is board member of several academic and non-academic organisations in Belgium and abroad who are active in the field of SRI and sustainable business.