New academic council for Honoris

Honoris Medical Simulation Centre, Tunisia

Honoris Academic Council

The Honoris Academic Council will lead the deployment of Honoris’ unique collaborative intelligence model through the co-ownership and sharing of skills and resources across member institutions within the network. The council will also direct a diverse range of programmes including international exchanges, collaborative projects as well as learning environments, physical and digital, enabling Honoris faculty and students to benefit from the sharing of ideas, real-world expertise, and multi-cultural immersion.

Commenting, CEO of Honoris United Universities, Luis Lopez, said: “The Honoris Academic Council will drive our focus on enabling students to be agile, mobile and highly competitive professionals, with superior 21st century workplace skills. The Council’s work is an important investment in the development of world-class human capital that has the potential to transform Africa by equipping students with soft skills and digital capabilities - as well as real-world competencies - that will allow them to thrive in the ever-changing global economy.”

Members of the Honoris Academic Council include five representatives with exemplary backgrounds and extensive academic experience:

• Dr Wafa Troudi Cherif, Dean of the Health Science School at Université Centrale in Tunisia
  
• Professor Zaheer Hamid, Academic Director at Mancosa, private distance learning institution in South Africa
  
• Dr Amine Bensaid, President of Université Mundiapolis in Casablanca, Morocco
  
• Dr Kais Mabrouk, Executive Director of International Development at Université Centrale
  
• Dr Karim Alami, Deputy General Manager of Ecole Marocaine des Sciences de l’Ingénieur (EMSI)

iLeadLab - Regent Business School, SA

The Academic Council’s mandates include the development of cutting-edge learning infrastructures and building on existing ‘Honoris Spaces’ such as the Honoris Medical Simulation Center in Tunisia, the SmartiLab at EMSI in Morocco, the iLeadLab at Regent Business School and the future iTeachLAB at Mancosa in South Africa. The Council will also look for opportunities to further develop and expand faculties across the Honoris network, as well as ensure existing faculties are employing the latest pedagogical approaches and learning technologies.

New independent board member

Honoris' new independent board member, Karan Khemka

Honoris is reinforcing its Board of Directors through the appointment of a new independent board member, Karan Khemka, a global expert on education with over 20 years’ experience as an investor and consultant in emerging markets. Khemka is a distinguished speaker at international education summits and is particularly recognised for his expert insight on the importance of international education in a globalised economy.

Khemka also founded the International Education Practice at The Parthenon Group (now EY-Parthenon), in addition to Parthenon in Asia. He has advised on $6 billion of deals and over 250 CXO level strategy engagements in the education sector across 40 countries and five continents, within every segment of education from pre-K to K-12 to higher education. He has also advised governments and NGOs on improving education outcomes around the world.

Commenting on his appointment, Khemka said: “I am delighted to be able to join Honoris United Universities as a board member because of its focus on employability. This is a critical component in preparing today’s graduates for the world of work – a world that whilst exciting, is more complex and challenging than ever before.”