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Hervé Jean-Marie Marchet
Head of Education | Middle-East,Turkey, & Africa | Amazon Web Services

Topic: The Next Generation Campus: A Student-Centric Approach & The Future of AI in Education

Herve is a leader in education transformation, driving the adoption of Amazon Web Services in the MEA region to enhance service delivery through technology. With over a decade of entrepreneurial experience, he co-founded and led start-ups in Technology, EdTech, and AI, gaining deep insights into the intersection of education and innovation. As Group CTO of GEMS Education, he played a key role in advancing K-12 learning. Previously, he spent 12 years at Apple as EMEA Education Director, overseeing a $2 billion education business. His early career included leadership roles at Packard Bell NEC and Zenith Data Systems, honing his expertise in operations, sales, and marketing. Holding an Executive MBA from HEC, one of Europe’s top business schools, Herve is a recognized thought leader in integrating technology into education, leveraging his vast experience to shape the future of learning.



Melissa (Mel) Gee Kee
Chief Talent, Development, and People Analytics Officer | Unilever

Topic: “Reimagining Careers - ‘Shape your own adventure’ “

Melissa Gee Kee (Mel) is a seasoned HR leader with over 21 years of experience across consulting and in-house roles in both startups and large corporations. She has worked and lived across the globe, including Japan, the UK, the US, Southeast Asia, Turkey, Iran, and Central Asia, and recently relocated to the Netherlands for her role in Unilever Ice Cream Division.

After earning a degree in Business with majors in HR Management and Organizational Communication from Queensland University of Technology, Mel began her career in retail before moving to Japan, where she worked in corporate training and HR consultancy, including a secondment to Microsoft. She later co-founded an HR consultancy startup. Since joining Unilever in 2008, Mel has led initiatives in learning, talent, and leadership development, pioneering award-winning digital selection processes and Inner Mobility Flex. She also served as Global HR Strategy Director, shaping Unilever’s HR agenda and transformation globally.


Aslı ACI
Ministry of Industry and Technology, Expert

Topic: Sector on Campus Program

Aslı completed her undergraduate studies in Industrial Engineering and earned her graduate degree in Management Information Systems from Gazi University. Since May 2024, she has been leading the “Sector on Campus Program” within the Technology Education Department of the General Directorate of National Technology at the Ministry of Industry and Technology Turkeye . In this role, she oversees initiatives that strengthen collaboration between academia and industry, with a focus on technological innovation and workforce development.

Previously, Aslı served as a Senior Scientific Programs Specialist at TÜBİTAK, where she contributed to key science and technology policies, strategic plans, and support programs. She played a vital role in initiatives such as the Science and Technology High Council and the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy. Additionally, she was involved in quality assessment and stakeholder satisfaction frameworks, ensuring alignment with national science and technology policies across multiple TÜBİTAK units.

Emre ÖNAL
Ministry of Industry and Technology, Expert

Topic: Sector on Campus Program

Emre is a dynamic professional with a strong foundation in mathematics, holding a Bachelor's degree from Bilkent University. He currently serves as an expert at the Ministry of Industry and Technology, Turkeye where he leads the "Sector on Campus" initiative. This program fosters collaboration between academia and industry by integrating cutting-edge technological advancements into academic curricula.

With over a decade of diverse experience, Emre has excelled in roles spanning scientific program management, revenue analysis, and project consulting. Prior to his current role, he spent eight years at Turkish Airlines, where he advanced through various positions, including Senior Revenue Management Analyst. His responsibilities included market analysis, pricing strategy development, and revenue optimization across multiple international markets. His extensive experience in both public and private sectors equips him with a well-rounded perspective on technology, business strategy, and industry-academic collaboration.

Leaders Institute 2025  

Click here for information on the Leaders & Emerging Leaders in Cooperative and Work-Integrated Learning

Awards 2025  

Click here for information on the 2025 Awards opportunities and nominations.

Call for Abstracts  

Click here for information on the current call for abstracts, deadlines, and full submission guides.

Accepted Presentations:  

Below you will find a list of the presentations for the 2025 program that have been accepted thus far. Full Conference program to be released shortly.

  • EL Community Development Through Project-Based WIL Initiatives (Canada)
  • Enhancing Student International Mobility Through Work-Integrated Learning: Proposal for a Model Aligning Organizational Expectations with the Individual Aspirations of Generation Z (France)
  • Fostering Aerospace Talent: LIFT UP Academic R&D Programs as a Model of Industry-Academia Collaboration (Turkiye)
  • Rethinking the Traditional Tripartite Stakeholder Model in Work Integrated Learning (WIL): Insights from an Irish University (Ireland)
  • Conquering Challenging Conversations: An AI-Driven, Work-Integrated Learning Platform for Proactive Communication Skills in Nursing Education (USA)
  • Student Knowledge Exchange in the UK: Exploring How We Can Capture the Learning Outcomes for Academic Staff and Industry Collaborators to Enrich Student Learning (United Kingdom)
  • TVET Lecturer Work-Integrated Learning: An Industry Perspective (South Africa)
  • Levelling Up: The Dual Roles of WIL in Research Doctorates (Ireland)
  • Multidiscipline WIL Opportunities as an Alternative to Discipline-Specific Offerings (New Zealand)
  • Bridging the Skills Gap: Trends and Innovations in Work-Integrated Learning and Employability at Mandela University (South Africa)
  • Professional Development Needs of the International Work-Integrated Learning Community (New Zealand)
  • Bringing Small Businesses to the Table: A Collaborative Take on Job Development (USA)
  • Invisible Trends: Exploring the Widespread Emergence of Hybrid Work Models and Strategies for Success (USA)
  • Understanding the mechanism of theory-practice integration in a work integrated learning model of education - An empirical study (India)
  • Integrating AI into Work-Integrated Learning: Business Case Studies as a Bridge Between Academia and Industry (USA)
  • Teaching Beyond the Classroom Within Co-operative Education, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Research Project (Canada)
  • Cultivating Connections: Introducing First Year Science Students to Career Readiness Through a New Professional Development Planning Framework (Canada)
  • Risky Business: Placing Agency at the Centre of WIL. Case Study Findings Using a New Model (Australia)
  • Two Universities Working in Partnership (United Kingdom)
  • How to Embed Scaffolded Work-Integrated Learning Across Each Level to 900 Psychology Students (United Kingdom)
  • Guidelines of Growth Mindset and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Development to Enhance Cooperative Education Students' Self-Efficacy (Thailand)
  • Navigating the Total Institution: The Rewards and Risks of Undergraduate Teaching Assistants in Jail (USA)
  • Peer Misconduct Across School and Workplace Settings in China's Tertiary TVET (New Zealand)
  • Fostering Career and World-Ready Graduates: The Impact of the Seneca-Amity-Microsoft Entrepreneurship (Canada)
  • What Enables or Constrains the Transfer of Students from HE to the Workplace? (South Africa)
  • Executives & Entrepreneurs in Residence: Bridging the WIL Gap for Students, Staff, and Faculty (Canada)
  • Micro-Internships as a Pathway to Career Readiness: Fostering Early Industry Exposure and Career Exploration for Psychology Undergraduates (Canada)
  • Building a National Eco-System for Quality WIL in Canada (Canada)

Accepted Interactive Workshops:  

  • Industry – Academy Partnerships – New Models of WIL Collaboration (Canada)
  • AiWIL – Snapshots of our AI journey to a New Frontier (Through the Quality AAA WIL Framework) (Canada)
  • Toolkit for Co-designing Work-Integrated Learning at the PhD Level (Ireland)
  • Building the Work-Integrated Learning Community Engagement through Training and Development (Ireland)
  • Reimagining Student Engagement in Higher Education for the Post-Pandemic Era (Canada)
  • Exploring AI in Work-Integrated Learning (Australia)

Accepted Round Table Discussions:  

  • Bridging AI Education and Real-World Applications: Insights from the Canada-Norway IWIL AI Project and the Way Forward (Norway)
  • Reimagining Hybrid Co-op: A Collaborative Discussion on Bridging Gaps and Building Best Practices (USA)
  • Unpacking WIL Realities: A Global Conversation (Canada)


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