Noah W. Sobe, PhD, is Chief of Section for Higher Education at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Prior to this appointment he had a two-decade career as a professor at Loyola University Chicago. He was previously at UNESCO (2019-2022) helping to lead a flagship futures of education initiative. Additionally, he is a past president of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) and former co-editor of the journal European Education.
Mr Simone Ravaioli
Simone Ravaioli is an internationally recognized expert in digital credentials, learning mobility, and educational technology policy. As Director of Global Academic Innovation at Instructure, he leads strategic initiatives that advance learner-centric recognition systems, data interoperability, and global credential portability.
Simone has been pivotal in shaping digital platforms and policy frameworks across Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region, and actively supports UNESCO’s Global Recognition efforts. Operating at the intersection of academic strategy, technology, and international collaboration, he is known for reframing complex systems into innovative frameworks and fostering alignment between policy, product, and practice.
Describing himself as a Recognition Technologist and Credentials Cartographer, Simone spearheads critical open standards initiatives underpinning global credentialing infrastructure, notably serving as Co-chair of the W3C Verifiable Credentials for Education Task Force and Chairperson of the Credential Engine Advisory Group. He passionately advocates for treating “Policy as Data,” streamlining recognition processes for global learner and worker mobility - through that lens, he contributes to the Advisory Council of the Groningen Declaration Network.
Simone is committed to turning micro-credentials into macro-opportunities, shifting the narrative from lifelong learning to Life-Long Recognition—transforming data into dialogue, strategy into storytelling, and credentials into stories of belonging.
Workshop 1
Title: Futures of Learning and Teaching: A Quality Assurance Perspective
Facilitated by: Dr Doris Viljoen and Dr Britta Zawada
Activities that will be undertaken during the 3-hour workshop:
Explore the scenarios about learning and teaching in 2036
Develop insights about Quality Assurance in each one of the scenarios
Develop insights into the implications for Quality Assurance in each one of the scenarios
Identify no-regret moves, initiatives to start, and things to stop or change within the Quality Assurance environment.
Dr Doris Viljoen is the Director of Institute for Futures Research (IFR) at Stellenbosch Business School, where she endeavours to interpret global as well as local trends and assess their relevance for South Africa and Africa. She also lectures in the Stellenbosch Business School’s MBA and Futures Studies programmes.
She has specialised skills in strategic foresight, environmental scanning, the application of foresight methodology, scenario planning as well as strategy development.
She has a wide range of research interests and is passionate about asking the right questions, searching for and finding relevant data as well as designing tools and techniques to facilitate thinking about plausible futures.
Dr. Doris Viljoen is the Director of the Institute for Futures Research (IFR) at Stellenbosch Business School, where she analyzes global and local trends to assess their impact on South Africa and Africa. She specializes in strategic foresight, scenario planning, and strategy development, with a strong focus on exploring plausible futures through research and data-driven methodologies.
Dr Britta Zawada completed her first degrees at Stellenbosch University with a focus on general linguistics and languages. Her masters and doctoral studies in Cognitive Linguistics were completed at the University of South Africa (UNISA). She also holds a postgraduate qualification in teaching (from the University of Pretoria) and in Distance Education and e-Learning (from the University of Maryland in the USA). Britta first started at Stellenbosch and later at UNISA progressing from a junior lecturer to eventually being the Chair of the Department of Linguistics at UNISA. She also has experience of scientific editing, translation and interpreting, from fields such as geology, theology and linguistics. She ended her 33 years at UNISA with a decade of various leadership roles in the College of Human Sciences, mostly with a focus on teaching and learning and quality assurance. She was awarded the UNISA Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Britta has presented nationally and internationally at conferences, has published peer-reviewed articles and a book, as well as supervised both masters and doctoral students in Cognitive Linguistics. She was the Director for Institutional Audits at the Council on Higher Education in South Africa between February 2020 and December 2024, also leading the implementation of the new Qualify Assurance Framework (QAF) at the CHE. Now retired, she is active as a professional associate and peer consultant for various institutions. She is the managing editor of The SAQAN Journal for Quality Assurance in Higher Education.
Dr. Britta Zawada is a linguist and former Chair of the Department of Linguistics at UNISA with over three decades of academic and leadership experience focused on teaching, learning, and quality assurance. She recently served as Director for Institutional Audits at South Africa’s Council on Higher Education, leading the implementation of the new Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) at the CHE.
Workshop 2
Title: Comprehensive QA Workshop: Mastering Principles and Techniques of QA in HE - A Practical Workshop
Facilitated by: Dr Olgun Çiçek and Dr Mary Catharine Lennon
Date: February 3, 2025 [1] (9:00-16:00 UTC+2). Full-day workshop.
Summary:
This workshop will be structured into two distinct sessions:
Morning session: Comprehensive QA Workshop: Mastering Principles and Techniques of QA in HE - A Practical Workshop: The context of QA
Afternoon session: Comprehensive QA Workshop: Mastering Principles and Techniques of QA in HE - A Practical Workshop: Practical Applications in QA
Dr. Mary Catharine Lennon
Mary Catharine Lennon, PhD, is the Interim CEO of the International Network of Quality Assurance in Higher Education (INQAAHE), a temporary secondment from her role as Head of Research, International and Special Projects at the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB) in Toronto, Canada She is also a two-term Board Director of INQAAHE, where she chairs the Committee for Capacity Building and Research in Quality Assurance. Dr. Lennon holds a research appointment with the Canadian and International Higher Education Centre at OISE/University of Toronto, where she researches issues of system design, accountability, and quality, and lectures on Governance in Higher Education.
Dr. Lennon’s academic and professional background is in international and comparative higher education policy research, development, and advice. With over 40 publications spanning both quantitative and qualitative realms, covering topics such as regulation, student success, graduate education, student mobility, teaching and learning, quality assurance, credential recognition and assessment, she contributes to both theory and policy in the field. Her commitment to advancing higher education quality ranges from overseeing institutional and program reviews to involvement in national and international initiatives where she advocates for quality enhancement and innovation.
Dr. Lennon holds degrees from Queen’s University, Simon Fraser University and OISE/University of Toronto.
Dr. Olgun Çiçek
I am a life-long learner, International Keynote speaker and a Business Professor in Higher
Education, specializing as an International Expert in Quality Assurance & Accreditation as well as Rankings. Over the past three decades, I've contributed significantly to various Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Quality Assurance Agencies (QAAs), Ministries, Councils, and Associations across more than ten countries within and beyond the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). My career journey began after completing my postgraduate studies at the University of Surrey in the UK. Subsequently, I commenced my journey at Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Business Administration in 1992. Upon completing my PhD at the same university in 1998. In 2001, I embarked on an international journey, dedicating 23 years to working in public and private universities across diverse locations such as North Cyprus, Dubai, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK, Kyrgyzstan, USA, Slovenia and the Netherlands. Throughout this period, I assumed multifaceted roles, ranging from Head of Department to Vice Rector and Board member.
My contributions extend to several prestigious roles within the global higher education landscape for the last three decades. I serve as an elected Board Director of INQAAHE (International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education) and I have been recognized for my expertise by being elected as a member of the CHEA-CIQG (Council for Higher Education Accreditation’ America) International Advisory Council in the USA since 2022. I hold leadership positions as Past-Vice President of CEENQA (Central and Eastern European Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education) and President of IQA since Jan.2025 (Association of Quality Assurance Agencies of the Islamic World). I also hold the position of Accreditation Committee member at the British Accreditation Council (BAC) in the UK since 2020. I am also elected as a Member of the QAC (Quality Assurance Committee) at Malta Quality Assurance Agency. Currently, I serve as an International Advisor for THEQC and serve as a Senior Advisor to E-Quadrat Science & Education. I have been invited to serve as a Member of the International Strategic Partners Council for the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, Kazakhstan since Jan.2025. I play pivotal roles as an Advisory Board member, panel chair, reviewer/evaluator, and advisor for numerous institutional and program accreditation organizations across continents including America, Europe, Central Asia, Middle East, and the Far East. Additionally, As an affiliate of the European Consortium for Accreditation (ECA) in Germany, I play pivotal roles as an Advisory Board member, panel chair, reviewer/evaluator, and advisor for numerous institutional and program accreditation organizations (i.e. QAA, THEQC, TKTA,NVAO, AQAS, OCQAS’ FIBAA, BQA, etc) across continents including America, Europe, Central Asia, Middle East, and the Far East.
Moreover, my involvement spans participation in various EU projects as an external evaluator, Senior National expert, Senior Researcher and Trainer. Renowned as a keynote speaker and panelist, I've been invited to numerous international conferences and panels. Additionally, I provide my expertise as an international consultant on Quality Assurance and Accreditation for esteemed HEIs, international and national organizations, including OECD, UNESCO, EU, Ministries, QAAs, and Regional & Global Higher Education Networks.
Workshop 3
Title: Quality Assurance in the Design, Implementation, and Issuance of Microcredentials
Facilitated by: Dr. Anna Prades, Dr. Ariana de Vincenzi, Dr. Susanna Karakhanyan
Co-facilitated by: Dr. Prof. Martin Hall, Dr. Prof. Kirti Menon
Date: February 3, 2026 (9:00 - 16:00 UTC+2). Full-day workshop.
Dr. Anna Prades - INQAAHE Board Director and Head of the Internationalisation and Knowledge Generation Department at the Catalan University Quality Assurance Agency (AQU Catalunya)
Dr. Anna Prades is Head of the Internationalisation and Knowledge Generation Department at AQU Catalunya, where she has worked since 1999. She holds a degree in Psychology (1996) and a PhD in Pedagogy (2005) from the University of Barcelona.
As a Board Director of the International Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (INQAAHE, 2021–present), she has served on the Executive Committee and several standing committees. With over 25 years of experience in quality assurance, Dr. Prades specializes in the design of evaluation methodologies for joint and cross-border education.
She has participated in numerous international projects and co-directs INQAAHE’s International Training Programme on Micro-Credentials in Latin America. She has also contributed to UNESCO’s regional studies on their implementation and recognition and to the Global Trends in Higher Education Quality Assurance study as co-author of the Western Europe chapter.
At AQU Catalunya, she leads the development of an evidence-based quality framework integrating graduate employment outcomes, stakeholder feedback, and institutional performance data to strengthen transparency and trust in the Catalan higher education system. Her recent work explores the role of artificial intelligence in external quality assurance, particularly in advancing risk-based assessment approaches.
Dr. Ariana de Vincenzi - INQAAHE Board Director and ACADEMIC VICE-RECTOR AT THE UNIVERSIDAD ABIERTA INTERAMERICANA OF ARGENTINA
Dr. Ariana De Vincenzi is a specialist in quality management and quality assurance in higher education, with a solid national and international career. She holds a PhD and a Master's degree in Education from Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina, and a Bachelor's degree in Education Sciences from Universidad Católica Argentina, and currently serves as Academic Vice-Rector of Universidad Abierta Interamericana. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of INQAAHE (International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education) since 2023 and has been acting as a quality assurance advisor to the Council of Rectors of Private Universities of Argentina (CRUP) since 2010. In addition to being the author of numerous academic publications, she serves as an evaluator and director of master's and doctoral theses. She takes part in external quality assurance processes at national and international universities, and has evaluated external quality assurance agencies in Latin America and Asia. Her profile combines academic leadership, commitment to pedagogical innovation, active engagement in international networks, and extensive experience in educational quality assessment and improvement.
Dr. Susanna Karakhanyan - DIRECTOR AT THE ABU DHABI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE (ADEK), UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Dr. Susanna Karakhanyan is Director of Higher Education Regulation & Licensing at the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), UAE, former President of INQAAHE (2015-2021). With advisory experience in nearly 40 countries, she has led tertiary education initiatives for UNESCO, the World Bank, the Council of Europe, and the Asian Development Bank.
Her expertise includes tertiary/higher education governance, policy, quality assurance, curriculum modernization, including micro-credential design and delivery, and academic integrity. Dr. Karakhanyan holds an M.S.Ed from the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD in Social Sciences from Radboud University Nijmegen. One of her major contributions to the body of knowledge in TE QA evolves around founding and leading Global Trends in Higher Education Quality Assurance – a research project carried out once per five years exploring trends in tertiary education systems globally.
Dr. Prof. Martin Hall - Emeritus Professor, University of Cape Town
Dr. Martin Hall is a British–South African academic whose career spans archaeology, higher education leadership, and transformation strategy.
Educated at Cambridge University, Hall earned his BA in Archaeology and Anthropology in 1974, followed by a PhD in 1980. His early career took him to Lesotho and Pietermaritzburg, contributing to ethnoarchaeology at the Natal Museum, before joining the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 1983 as a rising figure in Historical Archaeology.
At UCT, he took on numerous leadership roles: head of department, Director of the Centre for African Studies, Director of the Multimedia Education Group, inaugural Dean of the Higher Education Development Unit, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (2002–2008) overseeing strategic and academic planning. His national profile also includes serving as President of the World Archaeological Congress and General Secretary of the South African Archaeological Society.
In 2009, Hall became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Salford (UK), a position he held until 2014. He later returned to Cape Town as acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Transformation and is currently an Emeritus Professor at UCT’s Graduate School of Business, also serving as Digital Advisor at Henley Business School Africa and consultant in digital learning arenas.
Hall is also a Life Fellow at UCT, a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa, a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts.
Dr. Prof. Kirti Menon - Senior Director of Academic Planning, Quality Promotion and Academic Staff Development at the University of Johannesburg (UJ)
Dr. Kirti Menon, born in Durban on August 2, 1959, is an esteemed South African educator, activist, and writer, widely recognized for her impactful contributions to higher education policy and curriculum transformation.
After earning her honours degree in Literature and Applied Linguistics and a journalism diploma, Menon completed her MBA at De Montfort University and later achieved her PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2014.
Her career spans teaching English at colleges in the 1980s, a seven-year stint as a journalist in India, and pivotal roles upon returning to South Africa in 1992—particularly with the Soweto Education Crisis Committee, working against apartheid.
In governmental and academic leadership, Menon served as Chief Director of Higher Education Planning (2008–2010) and Acting Deputy Director-General of Universities (2010–2011), before becoming Registrar at the University of the Witwatersrand (2011–2013) . In 2015, she joined the University of Johannesburg as Senior Director of Academic Planning, Quality Promotion and Academic Staff Development, leading efforts in decolonization and curriculum reform.
Her scholarly work focuses on access, exclusion, social justice, and educational equity, contributing significantly to debates on South Africa’s higher education transformation.
Notably, Menon is the great-granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, and her legacy continues through her activism and leadership in academia.
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)