Professor Hesham Metwalli is a globally recognised leader in higher education innovation, enterprising and prosperity studies. As the President of the University Rankings International Leadership Council with UNIRANKS, he has pioneered transformative initiatives including the world’s first university rankings leadership program (UR-LEAD), the HELIX global Higher Education Leadership and Innovation Exchange, and the HERO certification for Higher Education Regulatory OpenLabs and Sandboxes. He also founded Africa’s and the world’s first Higher Education Centre of Excellence for Prosperity Studies and Research.

As a global leader for higher education, his scholarship programs include the doctoral scholarship in Prosperity Research with the University of Newcastle in Australia, and the first scholarship for higher education leadership development in Least Developed Countries, in partnership with the International Association of Universities (IAU). Additionally, he established five scholarships for leadership in university rankings.

Professor Metwalli has numerous prestigious affiliations including membership on the Dean’s Leadership Council at Harvard University HMS, Middle East advisor and ambassador with the Academic Council for the United Nations, the UNESCO Chair for Global Health & Education, and Global Ambassador for the Clinton Foundation. He is also a Certified Lead Auditor with PwC, Certified University Reviewer with the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), Efficacy Reviewer with Pearson Education, and Leadership Facilitator certified by the UK National College for Leadership. He also completed the Doctoral Supervision Program with the University of Oxford. With this extensive background, Professor Metwalli provides strategic advice to governments, NGOs, and international institutions, advancing governance, education, prosperity, and sustainable development worldwide.