About our Academic Advisory Board
The Studiosity Academic Advisory Board is a group of senior higher education leaders from Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and the Middle East. Our 14 members help advise leadership and our broader teams, to help us maintain the highest standards of academic integrity and assure positive experiences for education partners and their students.
What the board advises on
- Tests our thinking on the academic and pedagogical approach to student support and validation, so the decisions we make move us toward our mission of improving life chances for students everywhere.
- Global judging panel for the annual Professor Tracey Bretag Prize for Educational Integrity.
Board members at a glance
All 14 members of the Studiosity Academic Advisory Board, by region.
| Name | Senior role and institution | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Sally Kift | Adjunct Professor, James Cook University, La Trobe University, and Queensland University of Technology | Australia |
| Professor John Rosenberg | Former Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Global Relations), La Trobe University | Australia |
| Professor Judyth Sachs | Chief Academic Officer, Studiosity; Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, Macquarie University | Australia |
| Professor Chris Tisdell | Professor and Director, Scientia Education Academy, University of New South Wales | Australia |
| Professor Cliff Allan | Former Vice-Chancellor, Birmingham City University | United Kingdom |
| Professor Rebecca Bunting | Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Bedfordshire | United Kingdom |
| Professor Andrew Wathey CBE | Former Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Northumbria University | United Kingdom |
| Professor Petra Wend | Former Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Queen Margaret University | United Kingdom |
| Ann Buller, C.M. | President Emeritus, Centennial College | Canada |
| Dr Noreen Golfman | Former Provost and Vice-President (Academic), Memorial University of Newfoundland | Canada |
| Dr Kemi Jona | Vice Provost of Online Education and Digital Innovation, University of Virginia | United States |
| Dr David Andrews | Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Global | United States |
| Dr Yolanda Watson Spiva | President, Complete College America | United States |
| Dr Ashraf Mahate | Chief Economist, Trade and Economic Development, Dubai Government | Middle East |
AAB members, by region
Australia
Professor Sally Kift
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — Australia
Adjunct Professor at James Cook University, La Trobe University, and Queensland University of Technology
Sally Kift is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) and President of the Australian Learning and Teaching Fellows (ALTF). From 2012 to 2017 she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at James Cook University. Before that, Sally was a Professor of Law at Queensland University of Technology, where she also served as Law Faculty Assistant Dean, Teaching and Learning (2001 to 2006) and QUT's foundational Director, First Year Experience (2006 to 2007). Sally is a national Teaching Award winner (2003) and national Program Award winner (2007). She was awarded a Senior Fellowship by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council in 2006 to investigate the first year experience, and is a Discipline Scholar in Law.
Professor John Rosenberg
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — Australia
Former Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Global Relations) at La Trobe University
Professor Rosenberg is former Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Global Relations) at La Trobe University. Before that he was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at Deakin University, and Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash University. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and the Australian Computer Society.
Professor Judyth Sachs
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — Australia
Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at Macquarie University, and former Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at the University of Sydney
Professor Judyth Sachs was Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at the University of Sydney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at Macquarie University, and was appointed Special Advisor in Higher Education at KPMG. She is a Director of Judyth Sachs Consulting, and describes herself as an educator and activist.
Professor Chris Tisdell
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — Australia
Professor and Director, Scientia Education Academy at the University of New South Wales
Professor Chris Tisdell was Associate Dean, Faculty of Science at UNSW. Chris has created more than 500 free university-level mathematics videos on YouTube, attracting eight million views. Driven by a mission for free and flexible education and universal access to mathematics education, in 2014 Chris also received an Australian Award for University Teaching from the Office for Learning and Teaching for his educational innovation and leadership.
United Kingdom
Professor Cliff Allan
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — United Kingdom
Former Vice-Chancellor, Birmingham City University
Professor Allan was a Board member of Universities UK and a non-executive director of several regional and national bodies. Before Birmingham City University he held Deputy Vice-Chancellor positions at Sheffield Hallam and Teesside universities. Before these senior university leadership roles, Cliff was Deputy Chief Executive at the Higher Education Academy and, for many years, Head of Teaching and Learning at the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Cliff now pursues a range of advisory and consultancy interests in higher education in the United Kingdom and overseas.
Professor Rebecca Bunting
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — United Kingdom
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Bedfordshire
Professor Rebecca Bunting has more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in English universities. She has held two Vice-Chancellor roles, currently at the University of Bedfordshire and before that at Buckinghamshire New University, and was Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Portsmouth. Professor Bunting was a founder member of both the Higher Education Academy and its successor, Advance HE. She has championed excellence and innovation in learning and teaching throughout her career, through many national committees and commissions and directly in her senior strategic roles. She has a particular interest in widening participation, skills, and employability.
Professor Andrew Wathey CBE
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — United Kingdom
Former Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Northumbria University
Professor Andrew Wathey CBE, an alumnus of the University of Oxford with a BA and DPhil in Music, has had a distinguished academic career. After research posts at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Professor Wathey lectured at Lancaster University before an almost 20 year tenure at Royal Holloway, with his last five years there as Vice Principal and then Senior Vice Principal. He was Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at Northumbria University for 14 years before retiring in 2022. He has since taken on roles including external member of Council at the University of Cambridge and Chair of the Board at the UK National Archives.
Professor Petra Wend
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — United Kingdom
Former Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Queen Margaret University
Professor Petra Wend has worked consistently throughout her career as an academic to cross borders, geographically and socially, in order to realise the full potential of the institutions with which she was associated. With a research background originally in Italian literature and then in the institutional strategies underpinning successful leadership, improvements in student experience, and university performance indicators, Professor Wend has a significant profile of accolades and invited lectures in the international higher education world. She has been a member or Chair of many national and international boards.
Canada
Ann Buller, C.M.
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — Canada
President Emeritus, Centennial College
Ann Buller, C.M., is President Emeritus of Centennial College, renowned for leadership in transformative education. She led ground-breaking change in leadership development and global citizenship at Centennial, receiving accolades for internationalisation efforts and support programs for under-represented students. She has chaired organizations including the Canadian Bureau for International Education and Colleges and Institutes Canada. Ann Buller is an esteemed mentor, recognised with the Order of Canada in 2022 and numerous awards, including the Minister's Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2021 Global Women in Education Influential Women in International Education Award.
Dr Noreen Golfman
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — Canada
Former Provost and Vice-President (Academic), Memorial University of Newfoundland
Dr Golfman is a literature and film studies scholar, media writer, commentator, and actor, and was named the 2020 Woman of the Year by the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists. Dr Golfman was also Dean of Graduate Studies at Memorial University, overseeing significant growth in international graduate students and initiatives to encourage equity, diversity, and inclusion across Memorial's campuses. She was a two-term president of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences and President of the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies. She is the founding director of the St. John's International Women's Film Festival.
United States
Dr Yolanda Watson Spiva
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — United States
President, Complete College America
Dr Yolanda Watson Spiva is president of Complete College America, bringing three decades of postsecondary education leadership to the college completion movement. She previously served as chief executive of the College Success Foundation and Project GRAD Atlanta, and held United States Department of Education roles. A published author, she holds degrees from Spelman College, the University of Chicago, and Georgia State University.
Dr Kemi Jona
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — United States
Vice Provost of Online Education and Digital Innovation at the University of Virginia
Dr Kemi Jona is Vice Provost of Online Education and Digital Innovation at the University of Virginia, where he shapes the university's digital education strategy and its vision for online and lifelong learning. A thought leader in learning sciences and technology for more than 25 years, he applies insights from cognitive science to design technology-mediated learning environments and create partnerships that increase access to opportunity. His prior roles include administration and research positions at Northeastern University and a research professorship at Carnegie Mellon University.
Dr David Andrews
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — United States
Chancellor, University of Massachusetts Global
Dr David W. Andrews is Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Global, an online university, and previously served as its president. He also leads the National Laboratory for Education Transformation, and was president of National University before his role at UMass Global. His academic background includes roles as a dean at Johns Hopkins University and teaching at other universities including Ohio State University.
Middle East
Dr Ashraf Mahate
Member, Studiosity Academic Advisory Board — Middle East
Chief Economist, Trade and Economic Development, Dubai Government
Dr Mahate began his career as an academic with Bayes Business School, part of City, University of London, in 1990. He later moved to Dubai and continued in senior positions at international universities based in the emirate. With extensive regional experience, Dr Mahate has been a consultant with the International Trade Centre, part of the World Trade Organisation, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the Inter-American Development Bank. Dr Mahate has published in several high-ranking international academic journals and written chapters in books on finance, banking, and economics.
Learn more about Studiosity's governance, meet our Board of Directors:
Meet the Board of Directors