Annual Conference Chair, HUMANE President and Director General
Leon van de Zande
Annual Conference Chair; Secretary General, University of Amsterdam, NL
Leon van de Zande is Secretary General and head of administration of the University of Amsterdam since November 2023.
He is secretary to the Executive Board and responsible for the professional services in the university.
He obtained a degree in Dutch Language and Literature at Utrecht University and has been working at that university since 1995 in different positions: since 2009 as director of the Academic Affairs Office and Student Services and between 2016 and 2022 as Secretary General.
Alex Pellacani
President of HUMANE; Director General, University of Trento, IT
Alex Pellacani graduated in Economics in 1995, is certified chartered accountant since 2000 and has been appointed as member of the Board of HUMANE in June 2022.
He is currently the Managing Director of the University of Trento, a role he was appointed to in 2016. The University of Trento counts around 16,000 students, close to 1.600 employees, about equally divided in academic and non academic staff.
As Managing Director, he is responsible for the implementation of the strategies and objectives defined by the governing bodies of the University. He has the overall responsibility for the management and organisation of the support services.
Among his professional roles, Alex Pellacani held the position of Chief Financial Officer of the University of Trento from 2008 to 2015. He has broad experience in accounting and finance management processes. Based on his technical background, he has been involved as a national board member for the definition of the accounting and reporting principles in the Higher Education Sector established by the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
Prior to joining University of Trento, he worked for major multinational consulting firms, including Arthur Andersen, Deloitte and Accenture. In particular, in Accenture he was manager in the Global Business Solutions Division, responsible for consulting projects in the areas of administration, finance and management control.
Alex has served on the HUMANE Board of Directors since 2022 and has become its President in January 2025.
Nadine Burquel
Director General, HUMANE, BE
Nadine is the Director General of HUMANE. She works closely with the Chair and the governing bodies on HUMANE’s strategic developments. She manages the HUMANE Office to offer the membership an attractive portfolio of professional development and networking activities. She has been involved with HUMANE since its foundation in the mid-nineties, until December 2022 as Executive Director of the three residential schools (the Barcelona Winter School, the Berlin Summer School and the Asia School).
Nadine has extensive director level experience, having worked with multiple international non-profit organisations, university networks and international boards. She has wide knowledge of leadership, governance and management in higher education institutions, and the global trends in the higher education sector. As EFMD Director of Business School Services she was responsible for a wide portfolio of large global events and communities of practices, interacting with business schools and universities in the wider Europe, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, the Gulf, as well as North and South America. More recently in Maastricht University she was strategic adviser to the leadership of the School of Business and Economics, advising on international accreditation, the internationalisation strategy, and delivering societal impact.
She has significant experience with EU (higher) education policy and programmes since the early days of the Erasmus programme. She has a strong track record of EU projects, leading large EU-funded European university networks and providing technical assistance to the European Commission. She is high level EU policy expert, working at system level in Brussels and beyond, carrying out capacity building and evaluations of EU interventions, having worked with EU Delegations in many countries.
Speakers and moderators
Nadine Burquel
Director General, HUMANE, BE
Nadine is the Director General of HUMANE. She works closely with the Chair and the governing bodies on HUMANE’s strategic developments. She manages the HUMANE Office to offer the membership an attractive portfolio of professional development and networking activities. She has been involved with HUMANE since its foundation in the mid-nineties, until December 2022 as Executive Director of the three residential schools (the Barcelona Winter School, the Berlin Summer School and the Asia School).
Nadine has extensive director level experience, having worked with multiple international non-profit organisations, university networks and international boards. She has wide knowledge of leadership, governance and management in higher education institutions, and the global trends in the higher education sector. As EFMD Director of Business School Services she was responsible for a wide portfolio of large global events and communities of practices, interacting with business schools and universities in the wider Europe, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, the Gulf, as well as North and South America. More recently in Maastricht University she was strategic adviser to the leadership of the School of Business and Economics, advising on international accreditation, the internationalisation strategy, and delivering societal impact.
She has significant experience with EU (higher) education policy and programmes since the early days of the Erasmus programme. She has a strong track record of EU projects, leading large EU-funded European university networks and providing technical assistance to the European Commission. She is high level EU policy expert, working at system level in Brussels and beyond, carrying out capacity building and evaluations of EU interventions, having worked with EU Delegations in many countries.
Leigh Chalmers
Vice-Principal and University Secretary, The University of Edinburgh, UK
Leigh Chalmers has been Vice Principal and University Secretary at the University of Edinburgh since September 2022.
Leigh, a University of Edinburgh graduate, joined the University in 2014 as the University’s first Director of Legal Services, having enjoyed a successful career as a private practice lawyer. She specialised in intellectual property law and was recognised as an education sector expert by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners legal directories. She took on leadership of the University Internal Audit function in 2019 and became Deputy Secretary, Governance and Legal in 2020.
As University Secretary, her remit includes the University’s governance and planning processes, student administration, international activity, student recruitment and admissions, communications, development and alumni activity and information compliance services.
Will Chicken
Director of Professional Services, University of Edinburgh Business School, UK
Will joined the University of Edinburgh Business School in 2016, initially as Head of Operations before moving into the role of Director of Professional Services. In his current position, Will is part of the School Executive and takes a leading role in the strategy, organisation and management of the School.
Prior to joining the School, Will worked as Head of Operations for Sky where he gained significant experience in leading large scale customer operations.
Before moving into operations, Will worked in a number of different HR roles both at Sky and previously EDF Energy where he developed his interest in organisational development and talent management.
Mahée Ferlini
Director General, Università del Piemonte Orientale, IT
Mahée Ferlini is Director General of the Università del Piemonte Orientale (UPO), overseeing institutional governance, strategy, performance, and operations.
With an academic background in economics and a master’s in management, she combines HR leadership with strong business intelligence and planning expertise.
She has built a long executive career across internationally oriented universities, including Politecnico di Torino and IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca.
Her professional path includes substantial direct international experience, working in multicultural contexts and on cross-border partnerships and programmes.
Her work focuses on performance management, organizational development, regulatory alignment, and cross-functional transformation initiatives.
She also supports the governance and development of research infrastructures and shared university services.
Her style is analytical, delivery-focused, and highly collaborative across academic and administrative leadership.
She is particularly interested in how institutions navigate complexity through better processes, clearer accountability, and stronger use of data.
Marco Gilli
Chair, Compagnia di San Paolo (international philanphropic foundation working on innovation and sustainable development); former Rector of Politecnico di Torino, IT
Marco Gilli is Chair of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo (since 2024) and former Rector of Politecnico di Torino (2012–2018).
Full Professor of Electrical Engineering, with a research focus on electrical networks, non-linear systems, neural networks and machine learning.
Former Scientific Attaché (Science & Technology Counselor) at the Italian Embassy in the USA (2019–2024).
As Rector, he led extensive internationalisation, strategic partnerships with industry, and the creation of interdepartmental centres in areas such as Big Data, AI, energy, mobility and health technologies.
Author of over 200 scientific publications.
IEEE Fellow and member of the Turin Academy of Sciences. Listed since 2019 among Stanford–Elsevier’s World’s Top 2% Scientists. Experienced leader at the intersection of higher education, innovation policy and international collaboration.
Tiina Kosunen
Head – Conference and Events Services, University of Helsinki, FI
I am Tiina Kosunen from the University of Helsinki Finland and all-around in academic administration since 1992. Currently I lead the brilliant conference and event services team, which is tasked with providing meeting and event services at Think Corner, supporting more than 100 conferences organised at the University every year, and coordinating main University events, such as the opening of the academic year and the University’s anniversary celebrations.
We also contribute to the organisation of faculty-specific graduation ceremonies and conferment ceremonies – in other words, you can always find us where the party is! My passion is to act as an excellent development partner. I am an experienced and enthusiastic development and management professional. My background is deeply rooted in co-operating with people, and I have a demonstrated track record in team-building and event-organising. I have held several positions within the University of Helsinki, where my tasks have included a wide variety ranging from successfully creating and implementing new services into acting as a product owner in building digital applications. I enjoy working in a changing environment and with new agendas – and I truly loved my Winter School experience in 2009 in Valencia!
My expertise include
• Higher Education Policy
• International Human Resources Management
• Internationalisation Strategy, Processes and Implementation
• Change Facilitation and Change Management
• Service Design
• Coaching and Training
• Conference and Event Management
Flora Laszlo
Director of Civic Engagement, Arts and Culture, Central European University, AT
Flora Laszlo is a sociologist. She joined Central European University (CEU) in 2015 with the goal of setting up its Civic Engagement Centre in order to strengthen the social responsibility mission and activities of the University, intended to benefit the larger Hungarian, later Austrian public. In her current role at CEU, she leads the Civic Engagement, Arts and Culture Unit in Budapest, overseeing activities falling under the Third mission of the university.
She is a member of the Open Society University Network’s (OSUN) Civic Engagement Steering Committee and led the work package for outreach and society of CIVICA – the European University for Social Sciences, one of the European University Alliances established in 2019. Prior to CEU, she served as CEO of the Hungarian NGO Uccu – Roma Informal Educational Foundation.
She played a key role in establishing this organisation in 2009 and currently serves on its Board of Directors. She is co-chair of Verzio Human Rights Film Festival Foundation.
Neil McGillivray
Chief Operating Officer, Bayes Centre, The University of Edinburgh, UK
As Chief Operating Officer of the Bayes Centre, Neil is responsible for the development, resourcing and delivery of strategy. Providing leadership in the design and implementation of a unique portfolio of programmes, Neil is convenor of the Bayes Management Board and a member of Bayes Strategy Oversight and Stakeholder Boards. A member of the University’s Data-Driven Innovation Programme Strategy Board, Neil also co-convenes the Data-Driven Innovation Programme Operational Leads Sub-Group.
Originally joining the University in 1994 as a Youth Apprentice, Neil has a breadth of cross-disciplinary expertise in resource management, strategic planning, transformational change, academic liaison and curriculum development. He has previously served in senior University of Edinburgh Director of Professional Services positions, as a seconded Service Excellence Programme Lead in Student Administration & Support and was Edinburgh’s Alan Turing Institute University Liaison Manager from 2020 to 2023.
Neil attended the 2021 HUMANE Residential School in Berlin and now also a member of the HUMANE Residential Schools Alumni and Annual Conference Steering Groups.
Kstina Noormets
Director of Administration, University of Tartu, EE
Kstina Noormets has served as the Director of Administration at the University of Tartu since 2019, leading key strategic and operational functions that support the university’s academic mission. She oversees marketing and communication, including brand management, the administration of immovable and movable property, insurance and risk management, security, environmental and radiation protection, fire safety, information technology and information systems, and information management. Her remit also includes supporting the university community through the coordination of sports and cultural activities.
With more than twenty years of professional experience at the University of Tartu, Noormets combines deep institutional knowledge with strong legal and managerial expertise. She holds an MBA in financial management (cum laude) and a law degree, both from the University of Tartu. Earlier in her career, she held senior legal counsel roles across economic, estates, procurement, and administrative management, and provided legal services to several organisations within the university’s consolidated group.
In addition to her executive responsibilities, Noormets contributes to university governance and wider societal bodies. She chairs the university’s working environment council and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Viljandi Culture Academy and the Council of the Strategic Management Programme. She represents the University of Tartu in HUMANE, on the Investment Advisory Board of the Kääriku Sports Centre, and at the general meetings of the Academic Sports Club and the Tartu Student Club.
Erkki Raulo
Head of Services, Researcher Training, University of Helsinki, FI
Dr. Erkki Raulo is an experienced leader in research services with over 20 years of expertise in coordinating doctoral training programs and supporting early career researchers. He holds a PhD in Molecular Neuroscience and the title of Docent in Biochemistry at the University of Helsinki. Since 2019, he has served as the Head of Services for Doctoral Education within the university’s Research Services, where he oversees a large team dedicated to advancing doctoral education policies, fostering international collaboration, and providing robust support for doctoral researchers.
As a leader, Dr. Raulo is responsible for steering strategic initiatives and ensuring that the university’s doctoral training aligns with the needs of a rapidly changing research landscape in the working life. His focus is on guiding his team to promote strong research networks and inter-sectoral collaboration, supporting the professional growth of doctoral researchers, and contributing to the university’s vision of being a globally connected and impactful research community.
Klaus Rümmele
Head of International Affairs Business Unit (INTL), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), DE
Born 1965 in Waldshut-Tiengen, Germany. Having studied German literature, English language and literature and Political science at the University of Freiburg and at the University of Ulster at Coleraine/Northern Ireland, he did his Master’s degree in 1991. From 1991 to 1999 he worked as editor of the Badische Zeitung in Lörrach and from 1999 to 2000 as editor of the weekly Zeitung zum Sonntag in Karlsruhe.
From 2000 to 2009, he was employed as press officer at the University of Karlsruhe. In 2009, he became Head of the New Media Department in the Press, Communication and Marketing Service Unit (PKM) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).
In 2011, he received his doctorate in literature at KIT. From 2014 2016 he was Head of the Crossmedia and Marketing Department in PKM.
In 2017, he became Head of the International Communication Department in the International Affairs (INTL) Service Unit at KIT. Since 2019 he serves as Head of INTL.
Norbert Sabic
Chief Operating Officer, Central European University (CEU), AT
Norbert Sabic has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer in February 2024. Before, Norbert worked at the Office of the President and Rector for five years as Chief of Staff. He assisted the Senior Leadership Team of CEU in their daily operations. Norbert started working at CEU in March 2016 at the Strategic Planning Office, where he supported activities related to the university’s strategic plan.
Norbert received a joint European Master degree in Higher Education Policy and Management studies from the University of Olso (Norway). After his studies, he worked for two years as a technical manager at the College of Applied Sciences in Subotica, Serbia. In 2011, he enrolled at the Doctoral School of Political Science, Public Policy, and International Relations at CEU and defended his doctoral dissertation on the topic of diversification policies in European higher education.
Norbert is also affiliated to the Yehuda Elkana Center for Higher Education, where he occasionally conducts research on higher education policies. Norbert also co-teaches the course Higher Education Policy Design and Implementation at CEU since 2013.
Andrea Silvestri
Director General, University of Turin, IT
Since 2021 Andrea Silvestri is the General Director of the University of Turin, the third in Italy by size, with 82,000 students and 4,500 staff.
As the University General Director, he is responsible for the overall organization and management of the services, leading the University staff, and managing the University infrastructures and financial resources.
Prior to joining the University of Turin, Andrea developed his professional career in the consultancy sector, in the mega events organisation (Olympic Winter Games) and in the philanthropic institutions, with different roles in Italian and European organisations.
He has been part of the governance of the European association of foundations (Philea, formerly EFC) and is currently a member of the Supervisory Board at the European Cultural Foundation.