About
As artificial intelligence reshapes industries, workplaces, and societies, educators are facing a fundamental question: How can teaching evolve to prepare learners for a future where adaptability, creativity, and AI literacy are essential?

The session will highlight practical strategies and innovative approaches that empower teachers to guide learners from the classroom to a rapidly changing future, ensuring every student is equipped to thrive in an AI-driven economy.
When
Wednesday, 16/09/2026 · 12:30 London (GMT +1:00)
Presenters
G
GESS Education
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Bassam Alameddine
President of the American University of Ras Al Khaimah
I am a university president and higher-education executive with international experience leading institutional transformation, academic strategy, governance modernization, student success, research growth, accreditation, rankings improvement, and financial sustainability. I currently serve as President of the American University of Ras Al Khaimah and previously served as President and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Gulf University for Science and Technology.

My leadership focuses on building universities that are academically distinguished, financially resilient, student-centered, globally connected, and responsive to the future of work. At GUST, I led institution-wide transformation initiatives that contributed to 42% financial growth, 20% enrollment growth, a 75% improvement in administrative and academic efficiency, and a 500% increase in research output. I also oversaw the implementation of the SPEAR student-success system and advanced experiential learning, micro-credentials, digital learning, and data-informed academic planning.

As President of AURAK, I am advancing an institutional transformation agenda aligned with Industry 5.0, human-centered innovation, applied research, international partnerships, employability, and regional development. My work connects academic excellence with operational discipline, ensuring that universities serve students, society, industry, and national priorities with clarity and impact.

My executive experience includes board and governance engagement, academic portfolio renewal, accreditation and quality assurance, faculty development, research and innovation ecosystems, internationalization, digital transformation, enrollment growth, and financial stewardship. I also founded and led the Functional Materials Group, secured more than USD 2.5 million in external research funding, and published extensively in functional materials, sustainability, environmental remediation, gas capture, and optoelectronic applications.

I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, an alumnus of the Senior Leadership Executive Programme at Oxford Saïd Business School, and a trilingual leader in English, French, and Arabic. My academic preparation includes a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, an M.Sc. in Materials Science Engineering from ENSIACET in France, and postdoctoral research at Columbia University, New York.
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Naira Hamdy
School Principal, Emirates National Schools
Dr. Naira Hamdy is an experienced educational leader and IB practitioner, currently serving as a Principal in Ras Al Khaimah. With extensive experience across international education, she has a strong track record of leading school improvement, fostering inclusive learning environments, and driving excellence across all IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP, and CP).

Dr. Hamdy is passionate about developing future-ready schools that balance innovation, academic rigor, and wellbeing. She has led initiatives in curriculum development, teacher professional growth, and digital transformation, supporting educators to adapt to evolving educational demands while maintaining high standards of teaching and learning.

Her work focuses on building collaborative school cultures, strengthening stakeholder engagement, and ensuring sustainable implementation of educational change. As a speaker, she shares practical insights and leadership strategies that empower schools to navigate complexity and enhance student outcomes in a rapidly changing global landscape.
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Kathryn Hardy
Senior Counsellor, Al Yamamah University
Kathryn Hardy is a Senior Student Counsellor and educator at Al Yamamah University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with experience across student counselling, academic support, English language teaching, foundation education, and student development. She holds degrees in psychology, applied linguistics, TESOL, and English language teaching, alongside professional training in counselling, well-being, IELTS preparation, and teacher development.

Her work focuses on supporting students with anxiety, ADHD, neurodivergent learning needs, academic difficulties, and complex personal circumstances. She is particularly interested in how hidden barriers, such as time blindness, masking, emotional regulation difficulties, and fluctuating mental health, affect student performance and engagement. Her current research interests include ADHD in higher education, female ADHD presentation, cultural expectations of time and punctuality, student mental health, and Arabic-English linguistic and cultural transfer.

Kathryn is passionate about building practical, compassionate, and academically responsible support systems that help students move from crisis to progress while maintaining dignity, fairness, and clear educational expectations.
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Dr. Ghassan Frache
Senior Apprenticeship & Academic Manager, Abu Dhabi Vocational Education & Training Institute
Dr. Ghassan Frache is a senior academic leader and vocational education expert with over 25 years of experience across Australia and the UAE. He specializes in designing industry-aligned qualifications, employer-led apprenticeship models, and future-ready workforce systems. Currently serving in a leadership role at ADVETI, he has led large-scale initiatives in curriculum development, quality assurance, and national qualification alignment under NQC frameworks. Dr. Frache holds a Doctor of Education focused on a Learning-by-Doing model for 21st-century education, which underpins his approach to integrating education with real work environments. He is also the founder of FutureSkills Advisory, where he supports organizations in embedding AI, innovation, and capability development into their systems. His work positions him as a thought leader in transforming TVET to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy.
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Miriam Khalil
Director of Academic Advising & Student Success, Northwestern University, Qatar
Miriam Khalil is a higher education professional with extensive experience in academic advising, student success, retention, and institutional effectiveness across the GCC region. She has advised diverse student populations across disciplines and partnered with senior academic leaders to advance student retention, accreditation, quality enhancement, and student engagement initiatives. Her expertise includes academic advising, the first-year experience, assessment, and data-informed decision-making to support student achievement.

An active contributor to the student affairs profession, Miriam has authored and contributed to NASPA publications, including articles featured in the NASPA Global Publication (2026), and has presented at regional and international conferences. She is actively involved with NASPA, NACADA, and IASAS, contributing to efforts that advance academic advising and student affairs practices across the MENASA region and globally.
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Anuurag Gugglani
Chairperson, Wazir Holdings
Dr. Anuraag Guglaani is an active Board Member and Co-Investor across multiple large family businesses, investing and operating in 26 industries and 35 countries.

Known as the "Family Business Doctor," he transforms businesses into profitable, scalable, investable enterprises, and also invests in startups and SMEs as a FALCON on "Falcons of Majlis," UAE's biggest startup funding show.

An AI, automation and cyber risk expert, author of the A2G (AI→Automation→Governance) Framework and Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics, Economics, International Business and Marketing at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah, he also chairs the Academy of Entrepreneurship, Family Business Transformation Centre, Knowledge Innovation Hub, and serves on the board of Business Advisory Council.

A National Defence Academy(NDA) graduate trained as Armed Forces Officer and fighter jet pilot, Dr. Anuraag has been honored with the US President's Lifetime Achievement Award, the President's Volunteer Service Medal from the White House and AmeriCorps, Top 100 Change Maker Africa, UAE Super 100 and more.
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