Performance Improvement Seminar

Prof. Evgeny Chuprunov

Rector
Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod

Evgeny Chuprunov, Doctor of Sciences in Physics and Mathematics, Professor, Head of Crystallography and Experimental Physics Department; Rector, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod (UNN). From 1994 to 2006 he served as Dean of the Faculty of Physics, from 2006 to 2008, as Vice-Rector for Research. He was awarded with the Order «Badge of Honor» (1976) and with Nizhni Novgorod City Prize (2002). His research interests lie in the field of mathematical crystallography, crystal symmetry and X-ray structural analysis, as reflected in over 310 publications, including 1 monograph, 6 textbooks, inventions, and patents. He is a member of the International Union of Crystallography.

Prof. Chuprunov played a leading role in the implementation of the activities within the framework of the priority national project “Education” at UNN and in forming the Program of UNN’s development as a National research university for 2009–2018.

Prof. Chuprunov coordinates the implementation of four major projects currently run at UNN under Russian Government’s “Mega Grants” (Decree №220) to attract the world’s leading scientists. Under his leadership, UNN became one of 14 leading Russian universities to receive a federal grant for enhancement of international competitiveness among leading research and educational centers of the world.

Ms. Mandy Mok

CEO
QS Asia Quacquarelli Symonds, Singapore

Singaporean Mandy Mok has a UK university education in graphic design and a Masters degree in strategic marketing from a major Australian university. She ran her own successful advertising and marketing company in Singapore before joining Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd in 2002 to lead its growth in Asia.

The impact of the QS University Rankings – global, regional and subject specific - on Asian, Middle East and African (AMEA) universities has been considerable. Mandy’s visits to over 200 universities in the AMEA regions have given her a powerful insight into the prevailing realities and future requirements of their higher education provision. Having established trusted relationships at top university management level, Mandy plays a major role in supporting their strategies for improvement, globalization and internationalization. She combines an understanding of their current needs with a deep knowledge of how participation in QS activities can contribute to their global success through change.

QS Asia has its own portfolio of regionally focused products and services. A born innovator, often working against the odds, Mandy inspired the launch of, among other highly successful projects, QS Asia Pacific Professional Leaders in Education Conference (QS-APPLE), QS Middle East and Africa Professional Leaders in Education Conference (QS-MAPLE), the QS WorldClass Seminar, and the prestige book, QS Showcase - Asia, Middle East & Africa.

Further testimony to her capacity for well-considered innovation, in 2011 Mandy introduced a free PR service for clients in the form of a newsletter - QS News-2-WOW-U. In 2012, she launched the inaugural QS in conversation series of seminars, while in 2014, a new QS scholarships and student information portal – www.qswow.com - appears for the first time.

Not content with these new projects, QS Summer School Summit will be an annual networking platform for universities to grow the diversity of their students and faculties. Malaysia is its first host in December 2014.

Mandy is sensitive to shifts in market emphasis. In response to demand for more regionally focused conferences in AMEA, from 2015 QS-MAPLE will serve only Middle East & North Africa and a new conference named QS-SAPLE  - QS Sub-Saharan Africa Professional Leaders in Education - will serve that region. The first SAPLE is scheduled to launch in Rwanda in 2015.

Mandy also has regional responsibility for the business development of the London headquartered world leading products World MBA Tour, World Grad School Tour, TopUniversities.com, Star Ratings, Benchmarking, Consulting and associated QS products throughout Asia, Middle East and Africa.

Under Mandy’s leadership and inspiration, the QS Asia office, located in Singapore, has become a vibrant hub for QS regional operations. Its dedicated and professional staff is responsible for the functions of regional business development, operations, administration, research and public relations.

Presentation Abstract: External Strategies for Marketing & Branding for Russian Universities

This presentation aims to help higher education institutions discover how to adopt and/or adapt the marketing strategies developed by the corporate world. It introduces the 5 P’s of marketing and defines them in the higher education context. The presentation then specifies the four elements of marketing, branding, positioning, and strategy, which are crucial to the long-term success of universities, and reports case studies for each element.
At the final stage, it is explained how QS has created blue oceans through unique and differentiating products, and the presentation concludes with QS’s external strategies (events and seminars), how they are relevant to specific higher education communities, and which strategies meet the marketing strategy needs of universities—for immediate or long-term success.

Mr. Yusoff Musa

Chief Operating Officer/ Registrar
University of Malaya, Malaysia

Mr. Yusoff Musa is currently the Chief Operating Officer/ Registrar of the University of Malaya. Having served the University in various departments over the last 31 years, he is well acquainted with the National Higher Education Plan.  He established the International Student Center (ISC) and was the first Director of ISC from 2007-2011. He has served the University since 1984.

At the International Student Centre he led a team of staff in efforts to internationalize the University including the recruitment for international students and planning the university mobility programme.

He was also the Manager of the International House, which provides 96 family apartments for international students and also manages the Student Exchange Residential College accommodating 800 places for exchange students in the campus. 
During his leadership of the International Student Center, the University experienced a surge in full-time students totaling about 3,900 students for 104 countries. A drastic increase of student mobility began with about 1800 outbound and 2100 inbound students from year 2008-2010.  

Presentation Abstract: Transformation of Higher Education in Malaysian Universities

A National Higher Education Strategic Plan (NHESP) was launched in 2007 to initiate efforts and innovation towards the enhancement and strengthening of the quality of higher education in Malaysia.  The transformation blueprint of higher education in Malaysia will undergo several phases and is expected to propel higher education towards excellence. The implementation of Phase I:  Laying of Foundation (2007 – 2010) has succeeded in placing the larger vision of national higher education in a form that can be sustained effectively till the end of 2010.

This phase is followed by MOHE embarking on further strengthening its base while formulating new innovative and effective strategies through Phase 2 (2011 – 2015). Without sacrificing its goals in providing education to meet the needs at the national level, Malaysian Higher Education will be required to transform through a massive paradigm shift towards internationalization in Higher Education.

The Ministry is at present working actively to direct the development of a more globally relevant system of higher education, in line with the aspirations of its Education Blueprint. Under this Plan, Malaysian higher education institutions are required to undertake activities, which anchor on, and promote, internationalization. Recognizing the importance internationalization, MOHE will be required to provide incentives and support towards this endeavor. Through the various phases of Higher Education blueprint, it is envisaged that Malaysia will inevitably position itself to being a Regional Education Hub.  Currently Malaysia records an international students’ population of more than 1100,000 coming from 168 countries.

The speaker will discuss some of the key National Higher Education Strategic Plan of Malaysia and how universities have contributed towards the success of the Education Blueprint. To enable a better understanding on the activities towards internationalization advocated by the MOHE Malaysia, specific reference with statistics will be provided using University of Malaya as a public Higher Education Provider.

Mrs. Winnie Eley

Pro Vice Chancellor (International & Advancement)
University of Newcastle, Australia

Winnie Eley joined the University of Newcastle in Australia as Pro Vice Chancellor (International and Advancement) in May 2013. Prior to the above appointment, Winnie was the founding director of international affairs at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) between 2008 and 2013.

She held a concurrent appointment as acting and inaugural director of advanced executive education at PolyU between 2011 and 2012. She has over ten years of senior management experience with appointed positions, including deputy country director, Director Abuja and Director Business Services of the British Council in Nigeria, and director of education services for the British Council in Hong Kong.

She has spent the last 15 years in devising international development strategy; developing whole-institution approach and associated systems and partnerships in international education; and leading and managing a range of diverse portfolios from scholarships, science, creative industries, alumni relations, transnational education, marketing and communications, to high level policy collaborations.

Presentation Abstract: Strategic international partnerships: can you afford not to have them?

Partnerships are no longer nice to have. Developing, maintaining and consolidating strategic institutional and international partnerships are no longer a choice but an essential imperative for the higher education sector. The company one keeps, collaborates and partners with influenced perception, recognition and at times, brand value of a university.

Case studies will be used to discuss and illustrate the importance of leadership and management of strategic international partnerships; tangible and intangible benefits from research income to journal publications and fundraising; resource implications from investment to knowledge and associated skill sets; strategic intent, choice and planning; organizational structures; and finally alignment of strategy to structure. The session will be interactive and active participation from delegates in the discussion is key to a fruitful time.

Mr. Neo Beng Tong

Head of Professional Development
UniSIM College | SIM University, Singapore

Neo Beng Tong (BT) is the founding head of professional development at UniSIM College, SIM University. In this role, he is responsible for establishing corporate and industry partnerships; international learning and collaborations; and the professional development of undergraduates on a global basis. He is part of the founding team of UniSIM College in SIM University, a government-funded initiative tasked to develop a new model of professionally-oriented university education in Singapore.

BT was the founding chair of SIM Education Abroad, a unit he established in 2008, which pioneered international engagement in the Singapore Institute of Management – Global Education (SIM). In 2011, he established SIM’s Office of Industry Engagement, the central coordinating office between SIM and the corporate world. He subsequently took on the role of founding head of global learning and industry engagement, a position he held until June 2014. Within these roles, BT was responsible for internationalizing the global and professional development of SIM’s 23,000-strong undergraduate student population. His office is also responsible for building a strong and comprehensive global network of institutional, corporate, and intellectual partners for SIM. This network included prominent global universities in Asia, Europe and North America; senior academics; and more than 400 prominent MNCs, SMEs, state-owned enterprises, and business leaders located across Singapore, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Vietnam.

An educator with more than a decade of professional experience in global higher education, BT has worked extensively in the United States and Asia. He has founded and directed various programs and initiatives in key global cities around the world and was the founder and director of the SIM Summer Institute in Economic Competitiveness, Innovation, and Creative Cultures; the SIM Nepal Initiative; and the SIM Global Institutes in Cambridge (UK), London, Taipei, Jyvaskyla, Helsinki and Barcelona. With colleagues from Cambridge University, he established the Program on Creative Clusters and the Cambridge Phenomenon in 2011. He has also organized academic symposiums in the United States featuring some of the world’s leading social scientists.

Presentation Abstract: Pioneering the Third Wave: The Evolution of the Singapore Higher Education System

The Singapore higher education system, widely considered one of the most progressive in the world, has undergone significant transformations over the last three decades. From the development of comprehensive research universities; to the establishment of pedagogically-distinctive universities; to the latest focus of developing universities that integrate professional and academic learning, there is a systematic and planned progression that is sensitive to the needs of an evolving global economy while guarding against the danger of an oversupply of university graduates. This presentation traces the evolution of the Singapore higher education system, with a special focus on its latest development of a professionally-oriented university model.