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Innovative Universities Webinar Series
Innovative Universities Webinar SeriesThe cutting edge of international higher education
Watch Innovative Universities Webinar Series
Welcome to the Innovative Universities Webinar Series!
Here, we spotlight universities reshaping the future of higher education from around the world. Each monthly session features a case that challenges traditional models with unique approaches to teaching, research, and governance.
Join us to explore what drives these institutions, the challenges they overcome, and the insights they share.
Upcoming webinars
Past webinars
Innovative Universities Webinar Series
Online (Virtual) event
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Why attend?
- The only webinar focusing exclusively on university cases
- Dynamic format: 15 min for a presentation, 45 min for a discussion
- Ask your own questions and engage in the discussion
Hosts
Prof. Dr. Isak Frumin
Isak Frumin is Head of the Observatory of Higher Education Innovations at Constructor University Bremen and, part-time, Professor in the Department of Higher Education Research at the University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria. He is a founding member of the Global Observatory of Higher Education Changes.
Previously, Isak was the founding director of the Institute of Education and vice-rector at HSE University in Moscow, and before that, a Lead Education Specialist at the World Bank, working in Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Nepal, and India. He began his career as founding principal of the Krasnoyarsk University Laboratory School, the first of its kind in Russia.
Isak is a Fellow of the International Academy of Education and specializes in international higher education and higher education innovations.
Read Isak’s recent writings:
Frumin, I. (2026). Expansion and Innovation in Europe’s Private Higher Education Sector. International Higher Education.
Frumin, I., & Kalgin, A. (2025). Digital Transformation and Growth in Germany’s Private Higher Education. International Higher Education.
Pausits, A., & Frumin, I. (2025). How to observe changes in higher education? Introduction to the annual report of GOHEC. Journal of Research and Innovation in Higher Education, 6(1), 1–12.
Contact Isak at
Dr. Dara Melnyk
Dara Melnyk is Director of Global Engagement at Higher Education Strategy Associates (Toronto, Canada). Previously, Dara consulted at the Boston Consulting Group in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she developed full-scale strategies for clients in higher education and the broader public sector. Prior to that, she advised universities and governments independently in Central Asia.
Earlier in her career, she served as Head of Research at the Skolkovo Education Development Centre, a think tank within the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo. In parallel, she co-designed, coordinated, and taught in the Master of Arts in Experimental Higher Education program at the School of Advanced Studies (University of Tyumen).
Dara holds a PhD from Maastricht University (the Netherlands). Her doctoral thesis, Success Factors of Innovative Universities, examined why some universities are more effective than others at improving higher education systems. Dara writes a regular Global Innovators column for University World News, which offers institutional portraits and analyses of how innovation works.
Read Dara’s recent writings:
Melnyk, D. (2026, May 15). Grown, not built: How to create a developmental university. University World News.
Melnyk, D. (2026). Beyond Policy: Innovative Universities as an Instrument of Higher Education Transformation. International Higher Education.
Melnyk, D. (2026, January 14). Three-city college gives students a "very human adventure." University World News.
Contact Dara at
Steering Committee
Attila Pausits
Well-known as the head of the Department for Higher Education Research & Development bei Donau-Universität Krems, Austria and academic director of the Erasmus Mundus Master Programme “Research and Innovation in Higher Education MSc”.
Daniel Kontowski
Head of Studies Social Sciences at Amsterdam University College.
Jules Coleman
Member, Constructor Group Strategic Advisory Board; Professor Emeritus and Provost Emeritus, New York University.
Jamil Salmi
Global Tertiary Education Expert, emeritus professor of higher education policy at Diego Portales University, Chile.
Maria Yudkevich
Research Fellow, Center for International Higher Education, Boston College.
Philip Altbach
Professor Emeritus and Distinguished Fellow, Center for International Higher Education, Boston College, US.
Po Yang
Dr. Po YANG, Chair of Department of Economics of Education and Administration, Graduate School of Education, Peking University.
Stay Connected
Have questions or thoughts about a particular webinar? We encourage you to engage with the content and fellow enthusiasts. Share your insights and connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for science. Follow updates about #InnovativeUniversities on LinkedIn.
Follow the Constructor University on social media to receive updates on upcoming webinars, engaging discussions, and more.
Contact
Isak Frumin
Co-Host
ifrumin@constructor.university
Dara Melnyk
Co-Host
dmelnyk@higheredstrategy.com
Thabelo Tshikala
Project Manager
ttshikala@constructor.university