Speakers

Ismat Abu Shihab

Ismat Abu Shihab is the Director of University of Bradford Hub in Dubai. He first joined the University in 2005. Between 2005 and 2008 Ismat increased tremendously international student’s recruitment from MENA region. Hence, the University decided to establish its first ever regional Hub in the MENA region and mainly in Dubai.
In 2009, Ismat established the University of Bradford Regional Hub and was managing the team from the UK. In 2015, Ismat moved to become the Director of Regional Hub, Dubai leading strategic students’ recruitment from the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, South Asia and South East Asia regions and support the university wider internationalisation strategy and to further develop the TNE provision in Dubai.

With over 15 years of international experience in business and higher education, Ismat established international links with professional industries and education Ministries and the University of Bradford has now a close working relationship with a wide range of key stakeholders, sponsors and cultural offices in London, directly increasing the university profile as well as the number of joint international collaborations
A part from his position, he’s also the Chair of the BUILA MENA Regional Group, the Chair of Ministry of Manpower, Oman consortium of 14 UK Universities and sets on the University of Bradford Business School MBA advisory board.
Ismat holds two master’s degrees and is currently pursuing a PhD in the area of Internationalisation of Higher Education in the Developing and Emerging Countries.