Multilingual Global Exclusive
FEATURING
Special Topics
Dawn Henwood, PhD
Clarity Connect Inc., Canada
Karolina Kastsiuchenka
Mississippi State University,
U.S.
Leadership Spotlight
Professor Francisco
Marmolejo, Higher Education
President, Qatar Foundation
Professor Bassam
Alameddine,
President, AURAK, UAE
Trends
Professor Christopher Hill,
Canadian University in Dubai,
UAE
Industry Perspectives
Natalia Czajkowska,
Swiss Academy for
Leadership and
Sustainability (SALS)
Regional Focus
Professor Huseyin
Atakan Varol
and Aigerim Sarsenova,
Nazarbayev University,
Kazakhstan
Volume 10
March 2026
Witnessing Global Higher
Education in Action:
Leadership Spotlight
Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization
and Social Impact
Professor Francisco Marmolejo, Higher Education
President, Qatar Foundation
THE UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY is a Carnegie-classified Research 1 institution driven
by academic excellence, pioneering research and scientific discovery, and service to community.
UAlbany’s world-class faculty and students are creating new knowledge in fields such as artificial
intelligence, semiconductor engineering, atmospheric and environmental sciences, education,
cybersecurity, public health, public administration and social welfare while deepening our
understanding of our world through scholarship and creative activity in the social sciences
and humanities. As one of the most diverse public research institutions in the United States,
the University is a national leader in educational equity and social mobility with more than 50
undergraduate programs and 150 graduate programs of study. For over 180 years, UAlbany has
molded bright, curious and engaged students and launched them toward success.
At the University at Albany,
we turn ideas into action.
We’re committed to advancing
the greater good, locally and
globally, through meaningful
engagement and research
that makes a difference.
We don’t hope for a better
world tomorrow – we strive
to create one today.
A L B A N Y. E D U
| Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact
04
Table of Contents
Editorial
Welcome to UniNewsletter
By Laura Vasquez Bass
Editor in Chief
06
Special Topics
Making Research Impact More than a
Slogan: A Humanist Approach to
Knowledge Mobilization
By Dawn Henwood, PhD, Founder,
Clarity Connect Inc., Canada
12
Regional Focus
From Lab to Society: How Universities
Can Build Generative AI with Real Public
Impact
By Professor Huseyin Atakan Varol
(Founding Director) and Aigerim
Sarsenova (Senior External Affairs
Manager), Institute of Smart Systems
and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI)
Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan
52
Special Topics
International Students on Campus:
Visible but Not Represented
By Karolina Kastsiuchenka, Doctoral
Student in Higher Education Leadership,
Coordinator for Programs, Mississippi
State University, United States (U.S.)
20
Leadership
Spotlight
Witnessing Global Higher Education in
Action: Reflections on Leadership,
Internationalization and Social Impact
An Interview with Professor Francisco
Marmolejo, Higher Education President,
Qatar Foundation, Qatar
24
Leadership
Spotlight
Training for Academic, Industry and
Civic Life in a Multipolar World at AURAK
An Interview with Professor Bassam
Alameddine, President, American
University of Ras Al Khaimah, United
Arab Emirates (UAE)
32
Trends
"Traditional strongholds are fading":
The Predominance of International
Higher Education in the Gulf Region
By Professor Christopher Hill, Vice
President Global Engagement, Canadi-
an University in Dubai, United Arab
42
Industry
Perspectives
The Future of Power is Female: Claim
Your Seat at the Table
By Natalia Czajkowska, Founding
President, Swiss Academy for Leader-
ship and Sustainability (SALS)
46
COVER STORY
Page 23
Page 38
Page 57
We all see and
celebrate the impact
of international
students on campus
life. But is being seen
enough? Read more to
learn about how
universities can help
international
students be truly
represented.
06
| Balancing Tradition and Transformation: Place and the Future of Universities
Dr. Laura Vasquez Bass
| Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact
06
Welcome to
UniNewsletter
A N O T E F R O M T H E
E D I T O R I N C H I E F
07
Dr. Laura Vasquez Bass
EDITORIAL
Editor in Chief
Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact |
08
Welcome to
UniNewsletter
| Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact
Thematically, this first 2026 issue of UniN-
ewsletter in some ways continues a con-
versation we began in our last issue in
December 2025. Our cover story in that
issue was an interview with Dr. Fanta Aw,
Executive Director and CEO of NAFSA:
Association of International Educators,
who discussed internationalization in
terms of its changing parameters and
scope today. The contributors whose
articles are gathered here all, in different
ways, take up questions of global (im)-
mobilities and pathways of knowledge
production, and the ways we must
actively adapt and change as these rap-
idly shift. As Professor Francisco Marmole-
jo, Higher Education President at Qatar
Foundation, Qatar, writes in his title for this
issue’s cover story, this is a shift in
action—one that is still unfolding. As each
of the authors also notes, this is a conver-
sation about ethics and social impact:
how is knowledge generated in higher
education deployed? Who has the power
to deploy it, and where? And who has
access to it? Though variously discussing
AI, women in industry, knowledge mobiliza-
tion, international student representation
on
campus,
or
international
student
recruitment, each author in some way
engages these vital questions circulating
in higher education today.
Dawn Henwood, PhD, Founder of Clarity
Connect Inc., opens the issue in our Special
Topics section. Former literary scholar Dr.
Henwood examines the field of knowledge
mobilization against the backdrop of AI,
questioning institutional narratives that
position technical expertise as paramount
for this work. As universities need to bolster
their value propositions and extend the
reach of their research beyond campuses,
she contends that humanities-trained
scholars bring indispensable human-cen-
tered skills to lead these impact pro-
jects—skills that universities have yet to
fully value or strategically deploy.
Karolina Kastsiuchenka, a doctoral student
in Higher Education Leadership and Coor-
dinator for Programs at Mississippi State
University, United States (U.S.) also wrote a
fantastic article featured in our Special
Topics section. Ms. Kastsiuchenka exam-
ines the gap between the visibility of inter-
national students on campus and their
absence from formal structures of student
governance. She argues that cultural
differences and uneven institutional sup-
port leave many international students
feeling
unprepared
for
representative
roles, and calls for targeted mentoring and
leadership pathways to address this
imbalance.
09
Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact |
Moving into our Leadership Spotlight section is
our cover story by Dr. Marmolejo. In this interview,
he reflects on leadership, internationalization and
the evolving responsibilities of higher education
in a globally interconnected landscape. Drawing
on his extensive experience across regions and
institutions, he particularly stresses how universi-
ties can and must translate global engagement
into meaningful social impact as internationali-
zation continues to shift in practice and purpose.
We were lucky enough to feature two distin-
guished leaders in this issue, the second being
Professor Bassam Alameddine, President of
American University of Ras al Khaimah (AURAK),
United Arab Emirates (UAE). In this interview,
Professor Bassam Alameddine reflects on how
universities can balance global outlooks with
responsibility to their local and regional contexts
in a multipolar world. Drawing on AURAK’s mission
and positioning, he discusses how higher educa-
tion institutions can prepare graduates not only
for shifting labor markets, but for civic engage-
ment and social contribution within the commu-
nities they serve.
Also writing from the UAE, Professor Christopher
Hill, Vice President Global Engagement at Cana-
dian University in Dubai, contributed a brilliant
and timely article to our Trends section. As
discussed, other contributors to UniNewsletter
have pointed out that, in Prof. Hill’s words, the “tra-
ditional strongholds [of international student
recruitment] are fading,” with regions such as the
Gulf emerging as newer hubs of international
student interest. Professor Hill tracks what this
geographical shift has looked like, drawing con-
clusions regarding how international higher edu-
cation in the Gulf region will continue to evolve.
Writing in our Industry Perspectives section is
Natalia Czajkowska, Founding President of Swiss
Academy for Leadership and Sustainability
(SALS). As a woman in industry, Ms. Czajkowska
passionately writes about how women must
become architects of change in our current
high-stakes
era.
Her
article
panoramically
addresses peace, financial markets, tech, sus-
tainability, and more, advocating for profession-
al women to seize their place and bring forth
desperately needed change for the future. Sitting
at the heart of this strategy, is the model adopt-
ed by SALS, where women in leadership positions
train others to be their successors, therefore
ensuring the continuance of women in positions
of power.
Focusing on generative AI in our Regional Focus
section are Professor Huseyin Atakan Varol and
Aigerim Sarsenova, who are the Founding Direc-
tor and Senior External Affairs Manager, respec-
tively, of the Institute of Smart Systems and Artifi-
cial Intelligence (ISSAI) at Nazarbayev University,
Kazakhstan. They examine the hugely conse-
quential question of how universities can move
AI innovation from the laboratory into broader
society. Using the work of the ISSAI as a case
study, they show how training AI in local
languages, for example, can anchor technologi-
cal development in regional needs, creating
tangible public value and social impact.
We are so proud to present this collection of
important, impactful and timely articles for your
appreciation. We hope, as always, they generate
new points of connection and rich conversation.
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12
SPECIAL TOPICS
Dawn Henwood, PhD
Founder, Clarity Connect Inc., Canada
| Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact
A Humanist Approach to Knowledge
Mobilization
In Canada, where nearly all universities are
publicly funded, researchers are facing grow-
ing pressure to show government funders and
taxpayers the value of their work in practical
terms. Most federal and provincial grant pro-
grams now require research proposals to
include a plan for “knowledge mobilization.”
Increasingly, it’s no longer enough for a pro-
ject to have scholarly merit; it must also
demonstrate potential to produce tangible
outcomes with economic, social or environ-
mental benefits.
Despite the incentives built into funding pro-
grams, knowledge mobilization remains more
a slogan than a widespread practice. It’s time
to reconsider what it takes to move research
knowledge from peer review into “real life” and
the kind of talent needed to do this. To trans-
form science into impact, we must look
beyond merely scientific expertise and scien-
tifically trained professionals.
The knowledge mobilization talent gap
To facilitate knowledge mobilization, many
universities have hired a new class of admin-
istrators—professional knowledge mobilizers.
Their job is to communicate research to the
world beyond the Ivory Tower and to promote
uptake.
In theory, having a designated knowledge
mobilizer should enable research teams to
make rapid progress on their impact goals. In
reality,
however,
knowledge
mobilization
requires a diverse skill set which lies beyond
the reach of many mobilizers.
In a landmark article British and Canadian
researchers identified 11 different categories of
“It’s time to reconsider
what it takes to move
research knowledge from
peer review into ‘real life’
and the kind of talent
needed to do this. To
transform science into
impact, we must look
beyond merely scientific
expertise and
scientifically trained
professionals.”
Making Research Impact
More than a Slogan:
13
Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact |
Contrary to what job ads
would suggest,
knowledge mobilization
involves much more
than simply translating
research into Plain
Language summaries or
sharing data through
social media posts. While
basic science
communication
activities may help raise
awareness about a
research topic, they
won’t result in
decision-makers using
research to shape policy
or create innovative
products.
“
“
14
“impact competencies” required for knowledge
mobilization. These mainly comprise non-scientif-
ic skill sets, such as change management, com-
munication, facilitation, negotiation, leadership,
project management, stakeholder engagement
and management and capacity building.
This list is so long that it’s hard to imagine one
person embodying all the competencies. Yet
budget constraints mean that many research
organizations can afford just a single knowledge
mobilization hire. Because scientists tend to hire
other scientists, often recent graduates from mas-
ter’s or doctoral programs—many so-called
professional knowledge mobilizers—lack the full
suite of skills needed to fulfill their professional
duties.
Why we need more T’s than I’s
Search for “knowledge mobilization” roles on Linke-
dIn, and you’ll notice a trend in the job descriptions.
| Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact
T-shaped rather than I-shaped. These are indi-
viduals who have adequate vertical knowledge
combined with a set of adaptable, horizontal
skills. The top bar of their T profile enables them
to navigate various domains and situations.
Contrary to what job ads would suggest, knowl-
edge mobilization involves much more than
simply translating research into Plain Language
summaries or sharing data through social
media posts. While basic science communica-
tion activities may help raise awareness about a
research topic, they won’t result in deci-
sion-makers using research to shape policy or
create innovative products.
Genuine
knowledge
mobilization
happens
through intentional, often intensive, relation-
ship-building
activities.
These
include,
for
example, community events, partnerships with
community groups and meetings (lots of meet-
ings) with policymakers and other deci-
sion-makers.
Whereas someone who’s trained as a scientist
might function capably in a narrow, science
communication role—so long as they stick
within their scientific specialty—they tend to lack
the human skills that make the difference
between an I and a T. Their academic back-
ground gives them a precise vocabulary and an
in-depth understanding of methodologies. Yet it
leaves them with an imprecise understanding of
“If we want to
accelerate the flow of
research from
academia into
practice, however,
then why not hire
staff who come
already prepared
with mission-critical
competencies? ”
15
Most research organizations are looking to hire
I-shaped employees, professionals with a skill
set based on deep, or vertical, knowledge of a
field. For example, a research institute devoted
to marine biology will likely advertise for a
marine biologist and turn away applicants with
a background in biochemistry.
This emphasis on disciplinary knowledge over-
looks the need for employees with more
wide-ranging skillsets—people who are
Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact |
“Although scholars
have produced dozens
of theories, models and
frameworks to explain
how knowledge
mobilization could or
should work, no neat
diagram can capture
the messiness of the
process as it actually
unfolds. The moment
people enter the
picture, straight lines
start to wobble and
clear-cut pathways get
murky.”
16
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
what makes people tick, how to navigate deli-
cate social situations and how to access and
influence individuals enmeshed in complex
systems.
True, many professional knowledge mobilizers
with
a
scientific
background
gain
social
acumen through experience. If we want to
accelerate the flow of research from academia
into practice, however, then why not hire staff
who come already prepared with mission-criti-
cal competencies?
Help from the humanities
In knowledge mobilization, as in every other
field, AI is being heralded as the answer to many
inefficiencies. Certainly, emerging technologies
can help with many aspects of knowledge
mobilization. They can speed up some aspects
of background research, low-level and routine
writing, graphic design, video editing and
administrative processes.
What AI won’t do is solve the talent gap created
by hiring I-shaped professionals to lead knowl-
edge mobilization efforts. To truly mobilize
knowledge, we need more than the latest tools.
We need people with the ability to mobilize
people.
Although scholars have produced dozens of
theories, models and frameworks to explain
how knowledge mobilization could or should
work, no neat diagram can capture the messi-
ness of the process as it actually unfolds. The
moment people enter the picture, straight lines
start to wobble and clear-cut pathways get
murky.
These are the very conditions in which humani-
ties graduates excel, represented aptly in the
famous words of Lewis Carroll’s poem, “Jabber-
wocky”:
Viewed through a scientific lens, such words (if
we can call them such) are nonsense. To a mind
trained in appreciating and navigating artistic
ambiguity, on the other hand, they make perfect
sense. They convey, through unconventional
modes of linguistic representation, the experi-
ence of entering a mysterious, threatening
| Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact
“As a former scholar
of nineteenth-century
literature, I’ve
parlayed my
humanities skills into
providing
communication
consulting to
researchers across a
wide array of
disciplines, from AI to
veterinary sciences. If
we want to get serious
about accelerating
knowledge
mobilization, then we
must create more
opportunities for
other humanists to
contribute to the
cause.”
17
world. Just because the language can’t be
decoded, syllable by syllable, doesn’t mean we
can’t access it or interpret it.
Much of the knowledge mobilization process,
which varies from one murky situation to the
next, is like forging a path through the “brillig,
and the slithy toves.” To lead the charge, we
need knowledge mobilizers who can operate
without a GPS, professionals who can draw on
other ways and means of sense-making.
I’m not talking about old-fashioned tools, like
sextants, but rather about the finely tuned skills
developed through studying humanities disci-
plines, such as English, philosophy, music, art
history, modern languages, classics and politi-
cal science. Academic training in these fields
hones research literacy as well as abilities relat-
ed to social perceptiveness, interpersonal com-
munication,
storytelling,
persuasion,
prob-
lem-solving, critical thinking, creative thinking,
strategic thinking, reflection and meta-cogni-
tion (the ability to think critically about one’s
own thought processes).
To find this T-shaped talent, research organiza-
tions don’t have to look for a unicorn, the rare
scientist who brings both deep technical knowl-
edge and sophisticated human skills. They just
have to turn toward humanities disciplines,
which have a long history of cultivating T-bar
skills, including the ability to decipher complex
ideas across different subject areas.
As a former scholar of nineteenth-century liter-
ature, I’ve parlayed my humanities skills into
providing
communication
consulting
to
researchers across a wide array of disciplines,
from AI to veterinary sciences. If we want to get
serious about accelerating knowledge mobili-
zation, then we must create more opportunities
for other humanists to contribute to the cause.
Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact |
In Canada and elsewhere, knowledge mobiliza-
tion is no longer a nice-to-have but a must-do.
As the world’s problems become more complex
and more dire, researchers are being called
upon to step up with innovative advice and
solutions. To make this happen, we can’t rely just
on scientists or AI-enabled tools to mobilize
research. We need T-shaped talent that can
lead multidimensional, relational work—and
humanities grads are uniquely equipped to step
into that role.
20
SPECIAL TOPICS
“
Having been an
international student in
the past, I understand
that despite being a big
and vibrant group on
campus, international
students remain largely
absent from mainstream
non-cultural student
leadership spaces. And it
should not be this way.
“
International Students on
Campus are Visible, But
They are Not Represented
A few months ago, I sat down with the only
international student I know who served on our
university’s student senate. “Sometimes it's
hard to be the only representative in many
spaces” she told me. “International students
often stick to cultural organizations, but we’re
just like the rest of the student body. We should
be visible on campus. I am graduating this
semester and having the hardest time finding
an international student to take on my role.”
Her words stuck with me—not just because of
her honesty and the personal feelings under-
pinning them, but because they point to a
deeper truth. Having been an international
student in the past, I understand that despite
being a big and vibrant group on campus,
international students remain largely absent
from mainstream non-cultural student leader-
ship spaces. And it should not be this way.
Working closely with international students I
have seen their immense pride while perform-
ing their traditional dances, carrying their flags
and organizing big cultural events and serving
as executive members of different cultural or
country-related organizations. Despite this
presence, they are almost invisible in main-
stream campus leadership roles—student
government, student associations, orientation,
peer mentorship programs, even Greek Life
and other bodies that influence campus
culture and policy.
So, one day I took a long walk around campus.
As I was meeting international students, I
asked them questions related to their engage-
ment and relationship with those non-cultural
organizations. The most frequent responses I
received were: “we will not fit”; “we won’t have
the same support as domestic students”; “no
representation”; “cultural differences”; and
“support systems,” etc.
Some of these responses stem from cultural
norms and differences between international
and
U.S.
institutions.
Many
international
students come from educational systems
where leadership is assigned and not elected.
Speaking in public, challenging institutional
norms or campaigning for votes may not feel
comfortable—it may in fact feel entirely out of
place. Socially, too, international students often
find comfort and belonging within cultural
organizations,
especially
when
broader
campus spaces feel unwelcoming, or just
unfamiliar. Let us also not forget the visa
restrictions. International students are only
eligible for 20 hours of work per week on
campus. Some leadership positions come with
stipends or expectations that can conflict with
visa requirements. While paid leadership oppor-
tunities are an excellent way for domestic
students to sustain themselves, they can be a
burden for the international community. Lastly,
regarding mentorship and advising, many
domestic students are drawn into leadership
| Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact
Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact | 21
Karolina Kastsiuchenka
Doctoral Student, Higher Education Leadership
Coordinator for Programs
Mississippi State University
United States (U.S.)
roles through either faculty recommenda-
tions, early encouragement from advisors or
the influence of friends who are already in
leadership positions. International students
rarely benefit from these pipelines if they have
access to them at all. They are less likely to be
invited in and more likely to be overlooked.
As someone who works closely with student
leaders and student organizations, I have
engaged with the most brilliant, eager and
capable international students who are doing
“I have engaged with the most
brilliant, eager and capable
international students who are
doing great things. I have seen
them plan, organize and execute
large-scale events and
programs for their cultural
organizations, taking leadership
positions while supporting their
members and solving logistical
issues with creativity and
resilience. These are the exact
qualities we seek in student
leaders for non-cultural
organizations, yet many
international students do not see
themselves as qualified to lead
non-cultural organizations. Even
more concerning, they may not
feel that they belong. ”
22
| Witnessing Global Higher Education in Action: Reflections on Leadership, Internationalization and Social Impact
qualified
great things. I have seen them plan, organize
and execute large-scale events and programs
for their cultural organizations, taking leader-
ship positions while supporting their members
and solving logistical issues with creativity and
resilience. These are the exact qualities we
seek in student leaders for non-cultural organ-
izations, yet many international students do
not see themselves as qualified to lead
non-cultural organizations. Even more con-
cerning, they may not feel that they belong.
In conversations with international students, I
have learned that they believe non-cultural
organizations are only for domestic students.
This may be because nobody encouraged
them or invited them to join and put their
name in the proverbial hat for a leadership
position. But I have seen international students
flourish in environments where they are given
an invitation, especially when someone has
intentionally invested their time into explaining
simple things that might seem obvious to
domestic students. When we fail to invest in
the
leadership
potential
of
international
students, we not only miss out on representa-
tion, but also lose unique perspectives that are
very valuable, contain cultural insight and,
more importantly, the opportunity to show that
our campuses are truly committed to being
global.
Universities often make international students
visible by showcasing flags and hosting inter-
national food festivals, cultural events and
programs. These are all great and meaningful
events, but they often provide only a tokenized
representation across campus. These events
allow international students to show their
cultural pride but limit the reach of their lead-
ership abilities.