Forum Speakers
Dr. Amaal Kinene Namakula Nsereko (PhD) is the Director of Quality Assurance at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) and a senior lecturer in Finance and Accounting. She holds a Doctorate of Business Administration (AIU, USA), an MBA from Makerere University, and a BA in Education from IUIU. With over 16 years of experience in higher education quality assurance, she is a trained QA expert with IUCEA/DAAD and has supervised over 100 postgraduate students to completion. Dr. Amaal is the current Secretary General of the East African Higher Education Quality Assurance Network (EAQAN) and Treasurer for the Ugandan Universities Quality Assurance Forum (UUQAF). A founding member of UUQAF and EAQAN.
Dr Anneke Venter
Dr Anneke Venter is an Education Consultant in the Directorate of Curriculum Development and Transformation (DCDT) at Unisa. In this capacity, she assumes responsibility for driving curriculum transformation and enhancing the quality of online module development. She monitors and reports on the progress of curriculum transformation initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional goals. Moreover, she provides support to academics and colleagues through targeted training interventions, assisting them to excel in their online learning endeavours. As an advocate for quality standards in online learning, Dr Venter oversees the maintenance and enhancement of educational practices, ensuring that online learning experiences meet rigorous quality benchmarks.
Dr Venter's scholarly pursuits are guided by her deep interest in understanding how social forces influence the quality and outcomes of student learning. She is passionate about contextualizing the student learning experience to address the unique needs of diverse Open Distance Learning (ODL) students. Drawing from her sociological insights, Dr Venter guides online learning developers and facilitators, promoting constructive collaborative online learning experiences,
Poomoney Govender
Deputy Director: Curriculum Development and Transformation, University of South Africa (Unisa)
Poomoney Govender is a Deputy Director in the Directorate of Curriculum Development and Transformation (DCDT) at the University of South Africa (Unisa), where she works at the intersection of curriculum design, academic development, and quality assurance in an Open Distance eLearning environment. Previously, as a Curriculum Learning Development Specialist, she partnered with academics to design and develop programmes, modules, and study materials that respond to the pedagogical demands of distance education.
Her scholarly interests centre on instructional design and gamification, assessment in higher education, and quality assurance, with a strong emphasis on Assessment for Learning. She was awarded Unisa’s Institutional Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award for Assessment, in recognition of her innovative integration of Assessment for Learning to bridge transactional distance in an ODeL context.
She currently serves on the task team of the Academic Development Open Virtual Hub (ADOVH), a DHET-funded project that advances digital innovation for academics in teaching, learning, assessment, and student support.
Ms. Christiane Butler is the Deputy Division Manager for Certification Procedures at FIBAA, with four years of experience in organizing and implementing international accreditation and certification procedures for universities and continuing education institutions in Indonesia, the USA, Germany and many more. She represented FIBAA as a speaker at multiple international conferences, including a keynote about Quality Assurance for Micro-Credentials at the Micro-Credential-Masterclass (MCMC) in Zagreb in March 2025. Ms. Christiane Butler holds an M.Sc. degree in Global Development Studies from the University of Copenhagen.
Dr. Hardson Kwandayi
Dr. Hardson Kwandayi is a distinguished leader in higher education quality assurance and public sector management. Since 2021, he has served as Director of Academic and Institutional Audits at the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), where he oversees university audits and has spearheaded the development of national quality assurance standards.
A Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Kwandayi earned his PhD in Higher Education Administration and Geography from the University of Arizona (USA). His academic career began at the University of Zimbabwe and later the Zimbabwe Open University, where he pioneered distance education programmes in Geography. He also served as Director of Quality Assurance at Lupane State University. As Programme Director at Africa University, he managed the World Bank–funded Public Sector Management Training Programme (PSMTP), which trained nearly 600 senior public managers from 15 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Recognized as an authority in quality assurance, policy analysis, and strategic planning, Dr. Kwandayi is Deputy President of the Southern African Quality Assurance Network (SAQAN) and sits on the Executive Board of the African Quality Assurance Network (AfriQAN). He has conducted institutional audits in Eswatini, Mauritius, and Namibia,
Naim Gashi
Naim Gashi has been the Director General of the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA) since 2020. He has developed an extensive academic background in management and finance, focusing on strategic approaches for public institutions in the field of higher education. Under his leadership, the KAA has made significant strides in accrediting academic programs and institutions of higher education, even during challenging times like the pandemic.
Under his leadership, the KAA was successfully registered in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), marking a major achievement for the higher education system in Kosovo. He serves as the Chair of the Kosovo State Council for Recruitment in High Leadership Positions. Gashi has worked as assistant professor of macroeconomics in several institutions of higher education in Kosovo, has been a member of the Board of Public Broadcasting (RTK) in Kosovo and Chairman of the Audit Committee, and has worked on dozens of local and international projects.
Hasnija Ilazi is President of the State Council of Quality (Board of Kosovo Accreditation Agency). She is also professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Prishtina.
She finished her MSc and PhD studies in philosophy at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. Besides her academic carrier she was committed to enhancement of quality of higher education in Kosovo through official positions as a vice –rector for internationalization and quality, deputy dean, head of department of philosophy, but also through different international projects and publications.
In 2024, Prof. Ilazi undertaken her personal advocacy campaign during climbing Kilimanjaro dedicated to enhancement of quality in higher education in Kosovo and increasing awareness of importance of academic excellence and quality assurance.
Dr. Naji Almahdi
Dr. Naji Almahdi is Policy Advisor at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai, in the areas of policy, regulatory, and quality assurance initiatives across higher education, vocational education and training (TVET), micro-credentials, and lifelong learning. His work focuses on aligning education and skills systems with Dubai’s strategic agendas, including the D33 Economic Agenda and the E33 Social Agenda, with a strong emphasis on labour-market relevance, social inclusion, and human capital development.
Dr. Almahdi has been involved in the design and implementation of Dubai’s micro-credential frameworks, upskilling and lifelong learning strategies, and qualification recognition systems, working closely with government entities, employers, and international partners. He is actively engaged in international benchmarking and collaboration with global quality assurance networks and policy bodies, contributing to discussions on outcomes-based QA, stackability of credentials, and digital credentialing. His research and professional interests include quality assurance reform, skills systems, micro-credentials, and the role of education in economic transformation and social development.
Pușa Năstase, Ph.D.
Pușa Năstase, Ph.D. is an experienced manager of capacity strengthening programs and an instructor and consultant with international experience in the field of higher education education.Currently she:- Teaches courses on higher education policy and management at CEU- Department of Public Policy- Is the Lead of the CEU Academy- Conducts research in higher education and- Takes part in training programs and consultancy projects on higher education management.
Mr. Derrick Zitha
Derrick Zitha is an accomplished higher education professional with over two decades of experience across the public and private sectors. He currently serves as Head of the Quality and Academic Planning Office at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he leads institutional initiatives focused on academic governance, policy alignment, and quality enhancement. He has contributed significantly to national higher education policy, serving on multiple committees of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) as a Peer Reviewer and Academic Contributor to key regulatory and qualification frameworks.
His work centres on the development of responsive and contextually grounded quality assurance systems that balance regulatory compliance with strategic autonomy, while advancing academic integrity, innovation, and sectoral transformation. His cross-sectoral experience enables a nuanced understanding of governance opportunities and challenges within diverse higher education environments. Derrick holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, and a Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Education (with distinction).
Carme Edo
Carme Edo is a Senior Advisor in the Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency. She has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and chemical engineering from the Universitat Ramon LLull and a master degree in quality management from the ICT (Universitat Politècnica de Barcelona). She joined the Agency in 2009 where she has participated in several projects at the Quality Assessment Department; currently she is the secretary of the Specific Commission for Engineering and Architecture. She is also responsible for the accreditation of programmes and lifelong learning. She has participated in the evaluation of microcredentials of Catalan universities. She has been a collaborating lecturer at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya in the Online University Master’s Degree in Evaluation and Quality Management in Higher Education. She has conducted external evaluations in Europe and Latin America. She has been involved in projects carried out by ECA and ENQA and lately she has participated in the European project REMOTE (Assessing and evaluating remote learning practices in STEM).
Dr James Keevy
James Keevy is an experienced policy researcher based in South Africa. His specific areas of expertise include qualifications, the recognition of learning, digitalisation, the professionalisation and migration of teachers, and more recently the application of large language models (LLMs) in education. He has worked closely with several international agencies, including UNESCO, UNESCO UNEVOC, OECD, ILO, UNICEF, World Bank, Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth of Learning, SADC Secretariat, African Union Commission and others. At present his main expertise lies in the ability to oversee large multinational research and evaluation teams to execute programmes in a robust and efficient manner. He brings a strong international network and perspective that has translated into a wide range of published research, most recently, this includes a review for the ILO and UNICEF of alternative learning opportunities that lead to microcredentials with a focus on youth.
Ms Nadia Starr
Ms Nadia Starr is the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Higher Education and Training.
Ms Starr is a career civil servant with most of her experience in senior management and non-executive director roles in the public sector, working in education and training policy development, quality assurance and youth skills development. She has previously served as Chief Executive Officer of a high-performing Sector Skills Council.
Ms Starr holds a Bachelor and a Postgraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Cape Town (UCT) and a Master of Education from the University of Witwatersrand (Wits), along with several occupational certifications.
Ms Starr currently serves as an Executive Director on the board of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and non-executive director on the national boards of the Human Resource Development Council of South Africa (HRDC), National Skills Authority (NSA), Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), Council on Higher Education (CHE), Quality Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) as well as international leadership roles as President of the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) Network and non-executive director on the boards of the Groningen Declaration Network (GDN) and United States Qualifications Framework (USQF).
Melissa Tillson, PhD.
Melissa Tillson, PhD, RN, CNE, serves as Director of Accreditation Services for the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). She specializes in nursing education, accreditation, and quality assurance. In her role, Dr. Tillson provides leadership in reviewing and interpreting standards, ensuring compliance, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives. She collaborates with educators and administrators to promote best practices and consistent application of ACEN Standards and Criteria and participates in the development of evidence-based learning materials for nursing programs. Dr. Tillson actively contributes to advancing evidence-based practices through national and international presentations, workshops, and publications. Her work focuses on strengthening quality assessment and outcomes across diverse educational settings.
Dr. Keri Nunn-Ellison
Dr. Keri Nunn-Ellison, EdD, MSN/Ed, RN, CNE, is the Senior Director of the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). She provides strategic and operational leadership for ACEN’s global accreditation processes, overseeing the volunteer services staff, developing evidence-informed resources that support consistent interpretation of the ACEN Standards and Criteria, and representing the ACEN through national and international presentations, publications, and collaborative initiatives. A Certified Nurse Educator since 2010, Dr. Nunn-Ellison is deeply committed to advancing quality teaching, learning, and outcomes assessment across all levels of nursing education.
Dr Linda Meyer
Dr Linda Meyer is the Managing Director of ADvTECH’s Independent Institute of Education – Rosebank College, ADvTECH’s Waterfall School of Business, and Capsicum Culinary Studio and the President of Rosebank International University College in Ghana. With over thirty years of leadership experience in higher education and public service, she has held several senior executive roles, including Head of Operations at Universities South Africa, Head of Justice College at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Executive Dean, Dean, CCMA Commissioner, Chief Director, full-time Trade Unionist, etc. She has served on national governance structures, including the Council on Higher Education (HEQC and Accreditation Committee), the SAQA Board, Audit and Risk and ICT Committees, and the Higher Health UK Board. Dr Meyer holds several degrees and professional certifications, including a PhD in Management of Technology and Innovation, a Doctorate in Business Administration, a Master's in Business Administration, and a PG. Dip in Management, B. Com (Law), and BBA, etc. Recognised among Southern Africa’s top 300 business leaders by the Golden Key International Honour Society, she champions the role of higher education in advancing economic growth, social justice, and global competitiveness.
Marie Gould
Head of Tertiary Education Monitoring and Review, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)
Marie Gould has over two decades of experience in external quality assurance and regulation within Ireland’s tertiary education sector and at European level. As Head of Tertiary Education Monitoring and Review at QQI, she oversees processes aligned with the ESG. Marie serves on the ENQA Agency Reviews Committee and acts as an ENQA reviewer. She regularly contributes to international conferences and has a strong interest in using emerging technologies, including Generative AI, to enhance quality assurance practices.
Matilda Marful
Matilda Marful is an internationally acclaimed quality management expert and managing director of an international NGO that serves students with Global learning perspectives. She serves as a Principal Investigator and Lead Facilitator for workshops on advanced quality management competencies, often in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE). Her work involves enhancing customer service experiences through quality management systems. MaClda Marful advocates for strengthening academic partnership Ces within Africa (South- South cooperaCon) to foster shared learning and development.
Mohamed Abdallahi
Mohamed Abdallahi holds a Postgraduate degree in English Language and Literature from UCAD University, Senegal, 1998 and an MA degree in Mass Communications from London Metropolitan University, UK, 2010. He has over 20 years experience teaching English Language and Mass Media between the UAE and Mauritania. Mr. Mohamed has experience working in the IREQA office for IQA at the Emirates College of Technology, ECT (currently known as Liwa College), and was Coordinator of the TOEFL training and Exam center there from 2006 to 2012. One of his milestones at ECT, Abu Dhabi was the curricular design of a Diploma Program in Mass Communications and Public Relations, which received Initial Accreditation from CAA in 2008. Back to Mauritania in 2012, Mohamed took various roles from, English Department Academic Coordinator, to Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences Quality Assurance Coordinator, to Consultant and Advisor to the Director of the National HE QA Authority, and currently occupies the office of Head of Private HEIs Assessment at the Mauritanian Authority for HE Quality Assurance since 2022. His research interests include Literature, Media Studies and the use of ELT. However, for the last 10 years, he focused on QA in HE.
Ms. Perliter Walters-Gilliam
Organization: NBBE Consulting
Position: President & Principal Consultant
As an international higher education accreditation and quality assurance expert, Perliter Walters-Gilliam has almost 20 years of experience developing accreditation standards, evaluating institutional compliance, and monitoring accreditation regulation. She previously served as the Vice President of Accreditation at an institutional accrediting body and has conducted over 300 institutional reviews of various types of colleges, private universities, and independent institutions within the US as well as evaluations and consultations in over 10 countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. She served as the Quality Assurance Expert representing the Commonwealth of Dominica at UNESCO’s 3rd World Higher Education Conference; and facilitated sessions at INQAAHE in Mexico and Kazakhstan, and at CANQATE in Trinidad and Tobago.
Her boutique consulting firm, NBBE Consulting, boasts a portfolio that includes specialized and institutional accrediting agencies seeking US Department of Education recognition, certification bodies seeking accreditation, quality assurance agencies within governments, and institutions with a variety of quality assurance and organizational needs. She also provides executive coaching to Higher Education leaders and facilitates training on capacity building, leadership, and team development.
She holds an MBA from the Robert Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park and double undergraduate degrees in International Business and Spanish from Plattsburgh State University. She also holds a Certificate in Global Education Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.
Socials:
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/pwaltersgilliam
Website: www.nbbeconsulting.com
Dr. Rima Isaifan
Dr. Rima Isaifan is a Senior Academic Accreditation Expert at the National Committee for Qualifications and Academic Accreditation at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar. She mainly focuses on the development of the Program Accreditation Policies and Procedures, preparing several internal quality assurance procedures, contributing towards capacity building, and conducting research related to AI ethical use in higher education, with the aim of bridging technological innovation with quality assurance.
A key dimension of Dr. Isaifan’s current work lies at the intersection of quality assurance and digital transformation, with particular emphasis on the ethical, responsible, and quality-driven use of artificial intelligence in higher education. Her research and policy contributions aim to ensure that emerging technologies are aligned with academic integrity, learning outcomes, and accountability frameworks, while supporting innovation at the institutional and system levels.
Dr. Isaifan holds a PhD degree in Chemical Engineering with the highest honor from the University of Ottawa. In addition to her role in academic accreditation, she has supervised several students at the Master and Ph.D. levels. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor with Cambridge University/Switzerland, and Georgetown University/Qatar. Her research background includes developing nanomaterials for air pollution control, renewable energy applications, and health impact assessments, all framed within urban sustainability. She has published more than 100 papers, book chapters, and conference proceedings, and has been ranking among the top globally cited researchers since 2021.
She has chaired multiple program accreditation panels internationally and served as an expert reviewer for organizations including the European Commission, the United Nations, the United Nations, the International Development Research Centre of Canada, and the European Association of Research, contributing to high-level evaluations of academic quality, research governance, and institutional performance.
Karen Belfer & Sylvie Mainville
Meet the OCQAS Team: Karen Belfer & Sylvie Mainville
For the past three years, Karen Belfer, Ph.D., and Sylvie Mainville, M.Ed., have formed a dynamic duo at the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service (OCQAS). As Executive Director and Quality Assurance Manager respectively, they lead with purpose, passion, and plenty of laughs along the way.
Karen brings years of leadership expertise in instructional development and applied research, ensuring OCQAS consistently aligns with international best practices, empowering Ontario’s public colleges to thrive. Sylvie, with her rich background in linguistics, psychology, and education, supports colleges hands-on by managing QA processes and delivering training in both French and English, fostering growth every step of the way.
Together, they are a small but mighty team dedicated to being responsive, collaborative, and innovative. They inspire each other to grow professionally, tackle challenges head-on, and keep the humor alive, making quality assurance a surprisingly enjoyable journey.
Contact us
For further information and questions regarding the submission of proposals, please contact the INQAAHE office at:
The International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE)
Enric Granados 33
08007 Barcelona, SPAIN
Tel: +34 93 268 89 50 / +27 12 349 3840
Email: secretariat@inqaahe.org / inqaaheforum2026@che.ac.za