Reviews and Expert Advice to Governments and Government Agencies
Develop a Higher Education Policy and 5-Year Action Plan for Lebanon (Ministry of Education and Higher Education/UNESCO, 2021).
Project Coordinator, Developing Higher Technical Education in 6 African Countries (UNESCO, 2021).
Review and Assessment of the Current Accreditation System and Recommendations to Improve Overall Accreditation Related Policies and Procedures (St Kitts-Nevis/UNESCO, 2020-2021 on-going);
Designing a Research Evaluation and Performance Framework for the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS) (Ireland, 2018-2019);
Strategic Review of Options for a Future National Approach to Journal Subscriptions and Open Access (Higher Education Authority, Ireland, 2018-2019);
Review and Expert Advice/Policy Options to Support Welsh Universities Deliver Civic Mission (Wales, 2018);
Evidence to House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs, London, United Kingdom. "The Economics of higher, further and technical education inquiry", 16 January 2018.
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Mid-Term Review of the Further Education and Training Strategy (Department of Education & Skills, Ireland, 2017-2018);
Expert Advice, Higher Education Reform Experts (HERE) Project, Ministry of Education and Erasmus+ Office, Belgrade, Serbia, 2017 (7-8 November).
Policy Advisor to the Higher Education Authority, Ireland, 2013-2017
Expert Opinion, Government Accountability Office (GAO), Higher Education Accreditation, Washington DC., 2016 - 2017.
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VIEW REPORT PDF ››Policy Review, “Review of the Oversight of Post-Compulsory Education in Wales”, Skills, Higher Education and Lifelong Learning/Cyfarwyddwr Grwp Sgiliau, Addysg Uwch a Dysgu Gydol Oes, Department for Education and Skills, Wales, 2015-2016:
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Member, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, US, Committee on “Quality Higher Education: What Does It Mean, How Is It Measured, And Who Decides?”, 2015-2016
Policy Review, Development of Higher Education Ranking System for the UAE (UAE Ministry of Education), 2015.
Chairperson, International Panel, Finnish Review of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland, 2015
Expert Advisor, Mutual Learning Workshop on Quality, Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI), Ministry of National Education Bucharest, 2012-2013
International Evaluation Team, Ranking System for Universities, Ministry of Education, Romania, 2011
Review Committee, Futureproof Dutch Higher Education System, Directorate Higher Education and Study Finance, Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, 2009-2010
Member, Foresight for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Higher Education Authority, Ireland, 2008-2009.
Member, Strategic Management Initiative Working Party on Open and Transparent Government (Irish Government Committee), 1996-2000
Advice to European Union
Skills and Smart Specialisation. The role of Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning in Smart Specialisation Strategies (JRC, EU, 2019);
Comparative Assessment of University Rankings and Education Indicators (JRC, EU 2019);
Chairperson and Lead Author, “Science Education Expert Group (SEEG)”, European Commission (DG Research and Innovation) 2014
Expert Advisor, “University quality indicators: a critical assessment”, European Parliament, led by DAAD and ACA, 2014-2015
European Economic and Social Committee, Universities and Europe, 2014
Smart Specialisation Platform, Universities and Europe, 2014
External evaluation of the LLP project: Identifying Barriers in Promoting European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance at the Institutional Level (IBAR), 2012-2013
Rapporteur and Lead Author, European Commission (DG Research) Expert Group “Assessment of university-based research beyond strict academic output in European Universities”, 2008-2009
Expert Member, Consultation Meeting, “University-Industry Links,” European Commission, DG Research, 2003
Reviews, Quality Assurance and Evaluation Activities
Chairperson, Quality Audit, University of Graz (Austria 2020-2021);
Review Team, Teaching and Learning, Aalto University (Finland December 2020),
European Science Foundation International Steering Committee, University of Luxembourg Review of Social Science and Humanities Research (2020);
Review Team, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education), 2018
Chairperson, Audit of University of Oulu, Finland, Finnish Education Evaluation Council (FINEEC), 2017
Chairperson, Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences (JAMK) Audit, Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council (FINHEEC), 2012-2013
OECD Review Team, “Higher Education and the Regions”, Wroclaw, Poland, 2012.
Chairperson, Teaching and Learning Evaluation Panel, School of Art and Design, Aalto University, Helsinki, April 2011
OECD Review Team, “Higher Education and the Regions”, Catalonia, Spain, 2010.
OECD Review Team, “Higher Education and the Regions”, State of Victoria, Australia, 2009.
Assessment Panel, Marie Curie European Fellowships Unit, Human Resources and Mobility actions (HRM), DG Research, European Commission, 2004, 2005, 2006
Assessment Panel, SOCRATES-General Activities of Observation, Analysis and Innovation, European Commission, 2003, 2002, 2001,
Assessment Panel, SOCRATES-ERASMUS Institutional Contract, European Commission, Directorate-General XXII, Education, Training and Youth Directorate, European Commission, 2000, 1999
Advice to Other Inter-Governmental Agencies
UNESCO, 2021, Developing a Higher Education Policy for Lebanon (Ministry for Education and Higher Education, Lebanon)
UNESCO, 2021, Co-ordinator of the CFIT III Project, Developing Higher Technical Education in Six African Countries
World Bank, 2021, Development of a New Funding Model for Georgia Higher Education
Relationships between Higher Education and the Labour Market – A Review of Trends, Policies and Good Practices. UNESCO Commissioned Study (2021);
Consultant/Specialist, Programme for Institutional Management in Higher Education, OECD, 2001-2010. Initiated and led two projects: 1) Processes and Strategies for Growing Research at New and Emerging HEIs, 2) League Tables and Ranking Systems: Assessing Their Influence on Institutional Decision-Making and Government Policy-Making
World Bank, 2016, 2015, 2009 on Impact of Global Rankings on Higher Education
UNESCO, 2009 on Impact of Global Rankings on Higher Education
Advice to Universities, Professional Associations and Firms
Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, 2017
University of Iowa, Iowa, U.S., 2016
Delft University, Netherlands, 2016
University of Eastern Finland, 2015
Council of Higher Education Accreditation, USA, 2015
European University Association, 2014
Linnaeus University, 2014
Aarthus University and Danish Parliament, 2014
Swedish University Federation (SUHF), 2013
ISAT Alliance (Karelia University of Applied Sciences and Savonia University of Applied Sciences), Finland, 2013-2014
Expert Consultant, Assessment and Admissions Criteria and Procedures for Research Scholarships; Schlumberger Foundation, 2010-2011
Senior Team, Hogeschool Utrecht/Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, 2010
Knowledge Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden, 2008
Rector’s Workshop, Aarhus University, Denmark, 2008
Senior Executive Workshop, Monash University, 2008
Ontwikkeling van onderzoek in het HBO/Universities of Applied Sciences, Netherlands, 2006.
Ghent University Association, Belgium, 2005
Septennial Review Committee, University of Technology, Jamaica, 2005
Vice-Chancellor’s Office, University of Western Sydney, Australia, 2002
Vice-Chancellor’s Office, Okanagan University College, Canada, 2002
Research Strategy Forum, University of Abertay, Dundee, 2002
Research Forum, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, 2002
International advisory boards and other appointments
Tertiary Education Future Initiative (Royal Society of Edinburgh & Young Academy of Scotland) (2020-)
Commission of the College of the Future (UK, 2019-2020);
Strada/Lumina Foundation Global Postsecondary-Workforce Initiative (USA) (2020);
21st Century Lab Higher Education Reference Group (University of Lincoln, UK, 2019);
International Advisory Council, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia. 2016-
International Advisory Council, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Russia. 2016-2018
Research and Innovation Advisory Panel, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, UK 2016-
International Advisory/Reference Group, Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Sciences (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, RJ). Sweden, 2016-2022
Advisory Committee, Regional Development, Rovira i Virgili University (URV), Tarragona, Spain, 2015-2018
Management Board, Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE), Institute for Education, UCL
President, EAIR – European Higher Education Society, 2013-2016
Board, Higher Education Authority, Ireland, 2011-2014
Chairperson, Dublin Regional Higher Education Alliance, 2011-2012
International Advisory Council, Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2009-2012
Board, National Digital Research Centre (NDRC), Dublin, 2009- 2015
Company Secretary and Board Member, Contemporary Music Centre, Dublin, 2001-2007; 1999-2007
City Management and Development Committee, Dublin Chamber of Commerce, 2000-2002
Board, European League of Institutes of the Arts, 2000-2002
Management Board, Higher Education Equality Unit (HEEU), Higher Education Authority, 1996-2002
Deputy Chairperson, CITE (Centre for International Technology and Education), a European consortium of academic and industrial institutions developing postgraduate programmes and research linking creativity and new technologies, 1996-2000