Speaker Series Past Presenters

Topic: Future-proofing our children’s life purpose

14th June 2023 - Primary Campus

Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi is currently the Provost and CEO at Heriot-Watt University, Malaysia. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE), Chairman of the Vice Chancellors’ Council for Private Universities Malaysia (VCCPU) and a Board of Director at the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (BMCC). His research interests include thermofluids, renewable energy, biomechanical engineering, engineering education, positive education and academic leadership. 

Professor Al-Atabi is an innovative educator who believes that the main goal of education is to mobilise an individual’s purpose into a positive impact on the world. He pioneered Purpose-Led Education, CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) methodology and delivered the first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) in Malaysia. He has also published three books, “Shoot the Boss,” “Think Like an Engineer” and “Driving Performance” and he has numerous research publications, awards and honours. He delivered two TEDx Talks, “Engineering the Language of Success” and “Storytelling and Engineering a Lasting Change.” 

Topic: Inspire Courageous Exploration for Young Learners to Find Their Own Life Purpose

24th May 2023 - Secondary Campus

Natalie Chan is an engineer, film producer, adventure seeker, entrepreneur, and educator. Her non-linear career journey led her to education when she realized that developing the next generation's purpose is key to solving the world's problems. In 2016 Natalie founded OWN Academy, an educational experience provider that brings real-world learning into the classroom through career samplers developed with industry professionals and global companies. Her brainchild the OWN Degree, the world's first real-world experience degree, is launching in 2023.

Among Natalie's diverse achievements are being selected as a Davos 50 Global Shaper, representing Asian youth to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, as well as being an Ashoka Changemaker x Change fellow in 2019. In 2021, she was awarded a fellowship by the Cartier’s Women Initiative as one of 24 female entrepreneurs around the world making an impact with their work.

Topic: Benefits of Multilingualism for Young Learners in a Globalised and Interconnected World

26th April 2023 - Primary Campus

Mindy holds degrees in Environmental Studies and Linguistics, in addition to her Multiple Subject Teaching credential with a CLAD (Cross-Cultural, Language and Academic Development) concentration. This specific expertise has been essential for her successful classroom teaching in both American and International School Settings where the core student population has primarily been second language learners. Mindy has both EAL and TESMC trainer certifications as well.

Drawing upon the research from past ECIS MLIE (Multilingual Learning in International Education) conferences, Mindy has collaborated with both EAL and Home Language teams to raise the profile and practical application of home languages and additional language learning across her school. She is currently the English as an Additional Language Leader of the International School of the Hague, overseeing the development of innovative language programming both within the mainstream curriculum and in EAL support lessons. Mindy has also been an active member of the ECIS MLIE Committee since 2017.

Topic: Guiding Our Young People Through the Fourth Industrial Revolution

31st January 2023 - Primary Campus

Shanton Chang (PhD) is Professor of Information Behaviour and Information Systems at the School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne. He is also Associate Dean (International) at the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology. He has extensive experience in international education, having been involved in recruitment, teaching and learning across cultures, career mentoring, international education strategy and policy.

Shanton works closely with industry partners to understand the skills that employers expect from graduates. His work with students include building employability skills and awareness of industry while studying. He has also worked with the various levels on Australian government to look at improving employment outcomes for students in collaboration with industry partners.

He is also a well published author on information behaviours of international students. His work includes a co-edited book “Digital Experiences of International Students: Challenging Assumptions and Rethinking Engagement”, and a special issue of the Journal of Studies in International Education on ‘Digitalisation of International Education: Opportunities and Disruptions’. He has also been invited to speak at numerous conferences and institutions on topics related to the information behaviours of international students. He was the Australian Computer Society’s ICT Educator of the Year in 2017, and received the International Education Association of Australia’s Distinguished Contribution to International Education Award in 2021. 

Topic: Growth Mindset and Developing Resilience In Our Young People

12th January 2023 - Secondary Campus

Manisha Tailor MBE first became a football coach in 2002 when she set up and ran sessions for pupils at the Hindu primary school where she was a teacher. A decade later, she changed career from a Deputy Headteacher, to work full-time in football.

She founded Swaggarlicious, an organisation that uses community football sessions to engage with minority groups including women and girls, and especially those with mental health challenges. She took workshops to schools with Show Racism the Red Card and later became Head Coach at Middlesex Girls Centre of Excellence, as well as Centre Manager.

Manisha is Vice-chair for Coaching, British Asians in Sport and Physical Activity steering group led by Sporting Equals. She is also first person of South Asian heritage to become Assistant Head of Coaching at QPR Boys’ Academy. She holds both the Advanced Youth Award and A Licence qualification.

In 2017 she received an MBE for services to football and diversity in sport. 

In April 2021 she authored ’50 Wellbeing Lessons for the Diverse Primary Classroom’ published by Routledge Education.

In September 2022 Manisha released ‘Dream Like Me: South Asian Football Trailblazers’ - a children’s book set to inspire South Asian children all over the world. 

Topic: How to Leverage Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Science for Our Community

6th December 2022 - Primary Campus

David Bott is the Associate Director of the Institute of Positive Education. David helps lead one of the world’s most experienced teams dedicated to research, development and training in the field of Positive Education; applied wellbeing science.

David has been involved in training thousands of teachers from hundreds of schools around the world in designing, implementing and sustaining individual and whole-school approaches to wellbeing. Bestselling Author of the book, "10 Things Schools Get Wrong".

Topic: Guiding Young People to be Confident and Successful

23rd November 2022 - Secondary Campus

Prakash is a Clinical Psychologist from Kuala Lumpur with an undergraduate degree in Psychology (BSc Hons) and Masters of Clinical Psychology from HELP University. He is also an experienced fitness trainer and applies his expertise to help children with special needs through physical therapy.

Prakash is well versed in the diagnostic tools needed in assessing, reporting, diagnosing and treating children with developmental conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD and other learning disabilities. He is also attending training in sensory integration and social thinking and incorporates these practices into his work. Prakash leads Oasis Place’s Social Thinking and Malaysia Day Camp and also plans and facilitates social communication sessions across age groups. Prakash conducts workshops, trainings and has been guest speaker on radio stations like BFM. Prakash is registered with the Malaysia Society of Clinical Psychology (MSCP) and is proficient in English and Malay.

Topic: Highly Effective Ways to Achieve Student Outcomes

3rd October 2022 - Secondary Campus

Dr Gerard Calnin, a Senior Fellow with the Education University of Hong Kong, has published internationally and works with organisations such as the International Baccalaureate and Cambridge Assessment. His thirty-year career in education has ranged from classroom practitioner to head of school, to government policy advisor, to researcher and lecturer at the tertiary level.

This presentation will explore what highly effective schools do, and how they are organised, to maximize learning growth for all students. We will explore both contemporary research and practice as it is evidenced in high performing schools around the world. We will also examine the crucial role that parents play as co-partners in the education of their child/ren.  There will be an opportunity for discussion and questions arising from the presentation.

Click recording below if you've missed the session with Dr Gerard Calnin.