Each IARU partner is represented by a Senior member of the institution. Senior Officers meet annually to discuss the strategic directions of the Alliance, to hear updates from the partner universities and to offer guidance on ongoing IARU initiatives
Prof. Shirley Leitch, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Global Engagement)
Professor Shirley Leitch was appointed as Deputy Vice Chancellor (Global Engagement) in May 2017. Prior to this she was Pro Vice-Chancellor (International and Outreach) and Dean of the College of Business and Economics at The Australian National University since 2014. Previously, she was Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, where she co-founded Online Education Services Ltd (OES) in partnership with SEEK Ltd. In 2015, OES was recognised as Australia's fastest growing company in the BRW Fast 100.
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Dr. Jürg Brunnschweiler, Director ETH Global
Dr. Jürg Brunnschweiler obtained his doctorate in Biology from the University of Zurich. He joined ETH Zurich in 2002, working first in the Presidents’ Staff and the Lecturers’ Office, then in the office dealing with the European Union Framework Programmes. In 2009, he returned to the Office for Faculty Affairs where he was responsible for faculty recruiting procedures at various departments. In addition, he was contact person for academic career advancement and Secretary of the Tenure Committee. Since 1 October 2012, Dr. Brunnschweiler is the Head of ETH Global and Director of Global Institutional Affairs at ETH Zurich.
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Mr. Anders Hagström, Director of Global Educational Affairs
Mr. Anders Hagström is the Director of Global Educational Affairs at ETH Zurich. His previous appointments included project manager of ETH Zurich’s ICT development program, "ETH World", and various positions in the field of lifelong learning for engineers at Helsinki University of Technology, Cambridge University and European Federation of National Engineering Associations.
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Prof. Andrew Wee, Vice President, University & Global Relations
Professor Andrew Wee is Vice President (University and Global Relations) at the National University of Singapore. In his role as Vice President, he works with the President on the University’s efforts to become a leading global university located in the heart of Asia through the strengthening of strategic relations with stakeholders both in Singapore and overseas.
Prof Wee, who was Dean of the NUS Faculty of Science from April 2007 to March 2014, is President of the Singapore National Academy of Science. He is also the Director of the Surface Science Laboratory in the Department of Physics at the NUS Faculty of Science, and an adjunct scientist at the Agency of Science, Technology and Research’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering.
A Professor of Physics, Prof Wee was awarded the President’s medal in 2008 by the Institute of Physics, Singapore, as well as a UK-Singapore Partners in Science Collaboration Award in 2006 as a visiting scientist to Imperial College. Prof Wee was previously a visiting scientist with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories in the US, a Commonwealth Fellow as well as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Physics as well as a Masters degree from the University of Cambridge. He received his DPhil from the University of Oxford.
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Dr. LI Yansong, Vice President
Dr. Li Yansong is the Vice President for international relations at Beida. He is concurrently the Co-Director of Peking University Center for International Higher Education, Secretary-General of Hongkong and Macao Research Association of Peking University, Standing Vice President and Secretary-General of Association for Introducing Foreign Intelligence, sub-association of Chinese Association of Higher Ecudation (CAHE), and President of Association for Ecucation Management Research of Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese students in Beijing.
His previous appointments in Beida included various key positions in the Office of International Relations. Dr. Li is an experienced administrator and researcher with a specialization in international relations, communication and development related issues.
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Dr. XIA Hongwei, Director Office of International Relations
Dr. Xia Hongwei is Director of the Office of International Relations of Peking University and the Deputy Director of the Peking University Center for International Higher Education. He received his Bachelor degree in Political Science from the University of International Relations in 1989 and went on to further his postgraduate studies at Peking University and was awarded the Master and PhD in International & Intercultural Studies in 1994 and 2009 respectively.
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Prof. CHEN Dongming, Dean School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Dr. Chen is a tenured full professor in the Faculty of Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, since September of 2011. He is the Dean of School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Director of Office of Science and Technology Development of Peking University.
Dr. Chen is an Associate Editor and board member of Applied Physics letter and Journal and Applied Physics; a Sr. Associate Editor of Chinese Science Bulletin and an Associate Editor of Chinese Physics Letter.
Dr. Chen is a serial entrepreneur. He is the Chief Scientist of 4DS Inc. and a key inventor of 4DS’ Metal Oxide Heteorjunction RRAM device. He also co-founded Miradia Inc. in Silicon Valley in 2003 where he raised 80M USD from tier-1 venture capitals and led the development of a platform technology for MEMS-CMOS 3D integration for applications in digital micro-mirror array and motion sensors, and successfully licensed company’s patent portfolio to a major foundry in Asia.
Dr. Chen is the Board of Director, Sr. Advisor and former Chairman & President of Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association (CASPA).
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Prof. Pradeep Chhibber, Director of the Institute of International Studies
Professor Pradeep Chhibber is the Director of the Institute of International Studies at UC Berkeley. He is concurrently the Indo-American Endowed Chair and Class of 1959 Chair as well as a professor at the Department of Political Science at UC Berkeley. Professor Chhibber has published extensively on issues related to party systems, electoral politics and the politics of India.
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Dr. Stephen Davison, Head of Public International Partnerships Office
Steve is Head of the Public International Partnerships section within the Strategic Partnership Office at the University of Cambridge. He is responsible for developing institutional relationships with higher education and research institutions, governments, funders and NGOs internationally.Steve has been a member of the University since 2008 when he joined as a Political Research Analyst. He went on to become Political Affairs Adviser before building and leading a new Public Affairs Team. He took up the role of Head of Public International Partnership following the formation of the Strategic Partnership Office in 2017. Prior to joining the University of Cambridge, Steve worked in Westminster as Head of Environment for Policy Connect: a UK think-tank.
He is a Senior Officer of the League of European Research Universities, a Senior Officer of the International Alliance of Research Universities, and a founding member and former chair of the Russel Group Political Affairs Network. He has degrees from the University of Hull and the University of Exeter, and is a Professional By-Fellow of Churchill College.
Dr. Marilet Sienaert, Executive Director, Research
Dr Marilet Sienaert completed a PhD in Literary Studies at the former University of Natal (Durban) and worked at the universities of Pretoria, Natal (Durban) and Durban-Westville from 1977 to 2000.
Moving through the ranks from lecturer to full professor during this time, her own academic work and on-going involvement in institutional research development projects led to a growing interest in higher education research management and a career change in 2000, when she was appointed to UCT as head of the then Grants Office.
As Executive Director, Sienaert's mandate covers the activities of the Research Office; the Office of Research Integrity; the Directorate of Postgraduate Studies. She works closely with the cluster of research committees as well as the Deputy Vice Chancellor for research, to develop and implement the institutional research strategy and to position UCT optimally in relation to on-going challenges and opportunities in the national and international research and policy environment.
An active member of the South African Research & Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) and the International Organisation for Research Management Societies (INORMS), Sienaert has delivered many papers at a range of national and international conferences on research management. She has also served as panel member on the Council for Higher Education's national quality assurance audits of universities and on reference groups of the National Research Foundation.
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Prof. Thomas Bjørnholm, Prorector for Research and Innovation
Professor Thomas Bjørnholm has been Prorector and Director of Nano-Science since September 1, 2010.
Professor Bjørnholm obtained his PhD in materials chemistry in 1990. In 1992 he became affiliated with the Chemistry Department at the University of Copenhagen as Associate Professor, in 2000 as Research Professor and in 2005 as full Professor. In 1997, he was a visiting professor at the University of Texas at Austin and since 2003, he has been the chairman of the Copenhagen Graduate School for Nanoscience and Nanotecnology.
Professor Bjørnholm is elected member of the Danish Natural Science Academy, the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences, the Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters, the Danish Natural Science Research Council and the Danish Technology Board. He has received several research awards including the Ole Rømer Fond Prize, the Ellen & Niels Bjerrum Prize and gold medal and the Direktør Ib Henriksen Prize.
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Dr. Lykke Friis, Prorector for Education
Dr. Lykke Friis is Prorector for Education since August 2013. Dr. Friis has once before been Prorector at the University of Copenhagen and held the position from 2006 until she was appointed Minister of Climate and Energy in November 2009–2011 and from 2010 also Minister for Gender Equality. She was member of the Danish Parliament from 2011–2013.
Earlier in her career she has held positions at the Confederation of Danish Industries, the Danish Institute of International Affairs (Head of Research), the European Parliament and the Danish Ministry of Business Affairs. In 2008 Lykke was appointed member of the EU Reflection Group established by the European Council.
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Ms. Nina Tomlin, Director of International Strategy
Nina Tomlin joined the International Strategy office in September 2011. As Acting Director, her areas of responsibility within the team include strategy development, the development and facilitation of collaborations in the regions of Europe and Africa, and international student mobility.
Prior to joining Oxford, Nina was Deputy Director of the Ditchley Foundation, which promotes international understanding through the convening of high-level roundtable conferences on issues of international public policy, for over four years. She has also worked in the office of Amnesty International's Secretary General, the UK Home Office and the Electoral Commission, and for the Chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. Nina holds a degree in Social and Political Sciences from the University of Cambridge (Trinity Hall) and a Masters in International Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
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Professor Kiichi Fujiwara is one of the Special Assistants to the President and a professor of International Politics at the University of Tokyo, teaching courses on international relations and international conflict at the Faculty of Law, Graduate Schools of Law and Politics, and the Graduate School of Public Policy.
A graduate of the University of Tokyo (B.A. and M.A.), Professor Fujiwara studied as a Fulbright student at Yale University before he returned to Japan to the Institute of Social Science (ISS) of the University of Tokyo. He first joined the faculty at Chiba University and then returned to ISS for seven years before moving into his present position. He has held positions at the University of the Philippines, Johns Hopkins University, and was selected as a fellow of the Woodrow Wilson International Center at Washington D.C.
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Mr. Donald Filer, Executive Director of the Office of International Affairs
Mr. Don Filer is Executive Director of the Office of International Affairs. He was appointed to his present position in December 2004. Previously, he was responsible for the managing support for the Yale Corporation, the Visitor Center and the Office of Licensing Programs.
Prior to moving to Yale, Mr. Filer served in a number of capacities at Connecticut College from 1991 to 2000, including Vice President for Community and Public Affairs, Secretary of the College and Acting Vice President for Development. He worked for former U.S. Representative Bruce A. Morrison of New Haven from 1985 to 1991.
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