International Executive
The International Executive (IE) brings together the PVC-International (who leads the University’s international engagement); the International Deputy Pro Vice Chancellors (senior academic leads with responsibility for international engagement in particular global regions); the Director and Associate Directors of the International Strategy and Relations (ISR) team (who manage our partnerships with institutions around the globe) and the Faculty Deputy Chairs for External Engagement (who are responsible for co-ordinating international engagement within their Faculties).
The IE meets monthly to discuss relevant topics, exchange information and take collective action, to ensure both that the key international needs and interests of Faculties are being supported at a pan-institutional level by ISR, DPVCs and the PVC; and that the key opportunities being developed at institutional level can be communicated and in turn taken up by Faculties and Departments. In turn IE also flags up important areas for wider discussion at the quarterly International Committee (chaired by the PVC-International), which brings together representatives of all international-facing activities of the University, and which holds collective responsibility for delivering on the University’s international strategy and associated KPIs.
The International Executive is supported by Fiona Slater (Senior PA to the PVC-International).
Michael Scott
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International)
Professor Michael Scott is Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University of Warwick, UK, and a Professor of Classics and Ancient History. He has held Visiting Fellowships in China and the US, as well as taught and conducted research across the globe focused both on the ancient Mediterranean and on ancient global history. He holds a National Teaching Fellowship and is Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK, as well as being a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He has published widely with both academic and trade presses, with his books translated into multiple languages, and is also a regular contributor to national and international media.
He believes passionately in making academic research as accessible as possible to a broad range of audiences and has written and presented a wide range of television, radio and podcast series for channels in the UK, US and Australia. He was made an Honorary Citizen of Delphi, Greece in recognition of the global impact of his research and engagement.
Mohan Balasubramanian
Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Americas)
Mohan leads Warwick’s engagement across the Americas, aligning with the University’s international objectives. Forging international collaborations in education and research with partners across the Americas, Mohan supports the growth of our global network, international student recruitment, international educational opportunities for all our students, and the development of our inter-cultural campus.
Dan Branch
Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Africa)
Working closely with Franklyn, Dan is responsible for implementing our African partnership strategy. He has been particularly focused on developing our growing relationship with Stellenbosch University and with Warwick's participation in the Cluster of Research Excellence Initiative led by the Guild of European Research Intensive Universities and the African Research Universities Alliance. In his other role as Academic Director of the Doctoral College, he also has oversight of our collaborative PhD programmes with Monash, EUTOPIA and other partners.
Bryan Brazeau
Academic Director
(Warwick Venice Centre)
Dr Bryan Brazeau is Reader and outgoing Head of Liberal Arts at the University of Warwick, where he also serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies and SCFS Venice Academic Lead. A specialist in early modern Italian literature, poetics, and interdisciplinary education, he holds a PhD in Italian Studies from New York University.
Since joining Warwick in 2015, Dr Brazeau has played a key role in developing international partnerships and study abroad programmes, including launching the SCFS Warwick Venice Programme as part of the WIISP framework. His research explores Renaissance literature, ecocriticism, classical reception, and early modern philosophy, with a current focus on the narrative works of Lucrezia Marinella. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a recipient of multiple Warwick Awards for teaching and personal tutoring excellence.
Jennifer Burns
Deputy Chair for External Engagement (FA)
Jennifer Burns is Professor of Italian Studies in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures at Warwick and Deputy Chair of the Faculty of Arts for External Engagement. She has collaborated widely in Europe and beyond on research and editorial projects, review panels, and engagement activities. She is committed to building and sustaining academic partnerships for Arts and Humanities crossing national, cultural, disciplinary and sectoral borders.
George Christou
Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Europe)
George works closely with Professor Michael Scott, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), and leads on our engagement in and with Europe. This includes responsibility for activities with the EUTOPIA alliance, bilaterally extending and deepening our relationships with European university partners, and pursuing opportunities for funding, student mobility, and European research and teaching collaboration.
David Davies
Deputy Chair for External Engagement (FSEM)
David is a Professor at Warwick Medical School. As Deputy Chair of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine, David represents the faculty's international agenda across education, research, and engagement. In his role as Director of Warwick in Africa, David gives strategic direction and leadership to a partnership of schools and universities in South Africa, Ghana, and Tanzania to enhance teacher professional development to raise achievement and attainment in English and mathematics for learners in the classroom.
Sai Gu
Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor
(East & South East Asia)
Sai leads on Warwick’s engagement in East and South East Asia. He has extensive experience in developing TNE and research partnerships in this region, including leading large UKRI and EU collaborative programmes. As a prominent engineer, he is a Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering and serves as a member of the Academy’s International Committee to promote the UK engineering excellence at the global stage.
Mike Haymes
Associate Director, International Strategy & Relations
As Associate Director in ISR with responsibility for Africa, Australia and Europe, Mike works closely with the relevant academic leads and wider ISR team to develop and deliver international partnerships in these regions, including EUTOPIA and the Monash Warwick Alliance.
Emily Lim
Associate Director, International Strategy & Relations
Emily leads the Asia, Americas and Middle East portfolio in International Strategy and Relations and also provides oversight of the team’s work on Sponsor Engagement.
Franklyn Lisk
Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Africa)
Co-lead on the implementation of the Warwick Africa Partnership Strategy which aims to develop and strengthen relationship with African universities in research and education activities. This involves working closely with Warwick academics across all departments and the professional services to promote collaboration and capacity-building in various ways, and representing Warwick on the North-South working group of the Guild of European Research-intensive Universities - African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) partnership. Lead on the organisation of the annual Warwick Distinguished Africa Lecture.
Olympia Palikara
Deputy Chair for External Engagement (FSS)
Olympia Palikara is Professor of Educational Psychology in the Department of Education Studies and Deputy Chair of the Faculty of Social Sciences for External Engagement. Olympia is responsible for representing the Faculty’s international partnership agenda in liaison with the International DPVCs and International Strategy and Relations (ISR) team and identifying and promoting international/external engagement activities.
Olympia is the Convener of the Psychology in Education Standing Committee of the European Federation of Psychologists' Association (EFPA) and past-chair of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology (DECP) of the British Psychological Society.
Sally Smith
Director, International Strategy & Relations
Sally leads the International Strategy and Relations Team (ISR). ISR are responsible for enabling the connectivity between Warwick and a range of partners, agencies, and stakeholders globally, through the formation of mutually beneficial collaborations, which contribute to society, enhancing our research and education excellence and relevance, in support of our institutional strategy.
Sally is committed to the development of internationalisation practices within Higher Education and has worked in international development roles for the past 20 years, holding positions at a range of institutions, including UCAS, where she led a sector wide review. Prior to joining the ISR team in 2021 Sally held the position of Head of Student Recruitment at Warwick, and has been closely connected to Warwick’s global engagement activities for the past 6 years.
Kate Walewska
Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment
Kate leads the Student Recruitment (UK and International), Strategic Marketing and Faculty Marketing Teams. She has over 20 years of experience in the education sector, inclusive of global student recruitment and widening access, marketing, admissions, partnerships and business development as well as TEFL and education management abroad. She has worked for a diverse range of universities and private providers in the United Kingdom and abroad.
With a holistic, customer and metrics driven approach to recruitment and experience of developing and delivering domestic and international marketing and recruitment plans for a number of radically different institutions, Kate is a strong believer in collaboration and committed to her core ‘One Team One Target’ strapline.