BSUL Fairer World International Conference 2025

Dr Elena Carruba is a distinguished professional with over 25 years of experience in higher education. With a PhD and two Master’s degrees in Education and Literature, Elena has authored three books, three book chapters, and several articles on topics ranging from identity, postcolonialism, feminism, space theories and mythical realism to education and cultural studies.

Elena has held pivotal roles that demonstrate a steadfast commitment to advancing academic excellence, supporting professional growth, and enhancing institutional outcomes.

Fluent in multiple languages, they're an accomplished speaker, having presented at 24 international conferences across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

Known for their decisive leadership and collaborative approach, Elena excels in fostering professional development, coaching, and research-led initiatives that bridge academic theory and employability. A trusted voice in higher education, they combine scholarly expertise with practical insights to empower institutions, inspire teams, and advance global learning and professional growth.

Dr Shahbas Banu Jamsheed is an experienced lecturer in Business Management, currently serving as a Lecturer and  Module Leader at the Elizabeth School of London. With extensive experience in higher education and leadership, she is committed to fostering student engagement and improving educational outcomes through innovative teaching methodologies and curriculum design.

Shahbas holds an MSc in International Business with Data Analytics from the University of Bedfordshire, an MSc in Project Management from the University of Northampton, and an MBA in Human Resource Management from Mahatma Gandhi University, India. Her academic contributions include research in emerging technologies, exemplified by her recently published book chapter titled "Blockchain and AI in Shaping the Modern Education System."

She will be sharing her insights on "Building a Fairer World Through Quality Education in Business Schools" at the conference which reflects her commitment to advancing equity and innovation in higher education. Beyond teaching, she mentors new lecturers, supporting their professional development and promoting best practices in teaching and learning.

Venkata holds dual Master’s degrees: Master of Commerce (M.Com) and Master of Business Administration (MBA), with a specialisation in Marketing, along with a teaching qualification (PTLLS and FHEA) from the United Kingdom. With over 23 years of experience in teaching, training, and consultancy across Asia and Africa, he has gained extensive expertise in the field. 

Since 2007, he has been based in the UK, where he has developed a strong understanding of the requirements set by various higher education qualification awarding bodies. He has presented approximately 15 research papers at internal conferences, seminars, and in academic journals, and has been a guest speaker at multiple international conferences and workshops. As a project supervisor for graduate students, he has successfully guided them in achieving outstanding academic results.

Professor Christos Tsatsis is at the same time a practitioner, teacher and academic.   

As an academic, his publications are related to public sector accounting and performance. He is using those tools not only to improve performance but also to the role of government deliverables using concepts from the field of corporate social responsibility and social sciences. 

He is a full-time teacher at Haute Ecole Fransico Ferrer where all kinds of accounting are learned; from nonprofit to public sector, to restructuring, budget, cost accounting and financial analysis. He also goes further by teaching future managers topics such as Corporate Social Responsibility, Management Control, Internal Control and Strategic Management. He's an invited teacher to other institutions such as Université Libre de Bruxelles. 

As a civil servant, he serves as management controller for the cleaning agency of Brussels. He is also a member of Eurostat expert group of European Public Sector Accounting Standards. 

In his spare time, he tries to understand why and how rules are made, and rather than teach them he tells their story to his students.

Dr Inga Olari is an accomplished academic leader and educator with extensive expertise in law, business, and education. As the Academic Manager (Head of Programmes) for the Bath Spa University Partnership at Elizabeth School of London, she oversees the academic and operational delivery of diverse programmes across 11 campuses in the UK, ensuring excellence in teaching and programme management.

Dr Olari holds a PhD in International Law from Chung-Ang University, South Korea, and is a Registered Foreign Lawyer with the Solicitors Regulation Authority in the UK. Her professional journey spans over a decade, including roles as Programme Leader, Lecturer, and Legal Associate. She has contributed significantly to curriculum development, quality assurance, and student success, exemplified by her leadership in managing teams of lecturers and academic coordinators.

In addition to her managerial roles, Dr Olari is an active researcher and author, with publications on negotiation, conflict management, and international law. Her dedication to innovative teaching practices and fostering academic growth has earned her affiliations with prestigious organizations such as the Chartered Association of Business Schools and the Society for Education and Training.

Passionate about shaping future leaders, Dr Olari continues to inspire and mentor students while driving excellence in higher education.

Guy Nicholson is currently Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Delivery, Inclusive Economy and Regeneration in the London Borough of Hackney. He was first elected as a Councillor in 1998 and alongside his role in Local Government he has a number of non executive roles in the public, not for profit and commercial sectors.

These roles include the Chair of the Board of Newable Ltd, a London Local Government-owned business that created and holds a £78m investment in Newable Partnerships Ltd., an employee-owned company that provides finance, advice and workspace for SMEs in the UK. He is the Independent Chair of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town, bringing together five councils to deliver 23,000 new homes across four Garden neighbourhoods integrated into the existing Harlow new town.

He is a Deputy Chair for the UK Innovation Corridor that brings together Local Government, business and the education sectors in a UK region that runs from London to Cambridge. He is a Local Government Association peer mentor, advising Councillors and Councils around England on performance, policy and delivery. He is a trustee for Autograph ABP which commissions and curates the work of artists who use photography and film to highlight issues of identity, representation, human rights and social justice, and he is a trustee for the East End Community Foundation, investing into the lives of local communities in east London.

Over the last 25 years he has led on the delivery of a number of local and regional urban regeneration and socio-economic initiatives. These include Local Government-led regeneration in Shoreditch, Hackney Central, Dalston, Hoxton, Hackney Wick and Woodberry Down; he was the Chair of the Board for the London City Fringe Partnership investing into small businesses based in London's City Fringe and the precursor to the Tech City initiative; he was a Board member for the Thames Gateway London Partnership, a Board member for the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation delivering urban regeneration in east London. From 2000, he was responsible for ensuring that Local Government contributed to and enabled the planning and delivery of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and its legacy, ensuring the global event was integrated with local communities and local economies.

Some of his previous roles have included:

• Board member for the Barbican arts centre in the City of London;
• As a London Region council member for Arts Council England, he was founder and Vice-Chair of Create London, commissioning artists in the visual arts to work with communities experiencing regeneration-led change in their neighbourhoods;
• Chair of Undercurrent, an experimental theatre company that explored science through performance;
• A non-executive director for the London-based inward investment agency Gateway to London;
• Director for the Creative Industries Development Agency (CIDA).

Zoya is an independent interdisciplinary researcher with a diverse background in media production, sociology of technology, international relations, and philosophy and ethics. Her expertise lies in exploring the complex interactions between technological development and modern society.

Zoya has presented her research on these topics at prestigious institutions such as Stanford, AMW in the United States, and various universities across Europe.

Currently, Zoya is engaged in AI ethics research with the New York-based startup Stratyfy. She is also affiliated with the University of Białystok (Poland), where she conducts research, prepares academic publications, and participates in research initiatives and industry conferences.

Her academic achievements include a cum laude degree in Crossmedia for Film and Television from Tallinn University (Estonia), studies in Philosophy and Ethics at the University of Białystok (Poland), a Sociology of Technology program at Johannes Kepler University (Linz, Austria), as well as ongoing Master’s degrees in International Relations with a focus on tech policy and security, along with Culture Studies with an emphasis on digital communities and technologies.