The people behind the initiative

Mustafa Kayyali, PhD, is an academic leader, higher education quality assurance expert, and international accreditation specialist whose work stands at the intersection of institutional development, academic diplomacy, university rankings, and global knowledge exchange. Dr. Kayyali's academic background includes a PhD in Quality Management from Azteca University, a Master’s degree in Quality Management and Evaluation in Higher Education from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain, and an MBA. Dr. Kayyali is the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of the Encyclopedia of Higher Education, a major multi-volume global reference work published by Apple Academic Press in partnership with Routledge/Taylor & Francis. A prolific scholar and editor, Dr. Kayyali has authored and edited 28 academic books, with several additional volumes under publication, alongside peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 180 book chapters. Across his work as a researcher, editor, translator, consultant, and academic entrepreneur, he remains committed to excellence, equity, resilience, and international cooperation in higher education.

Dr. Milena Škobo is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Philology, Sinergija University, Bosnia and Herzegovina, specializing in English language and literature, innovative teaching methodologies, digital pedagogy, and interdisciplinary research. She holds a PhD in English Literature from the Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade, Serbia, where she also completed her undergraduate and master's studies. Dr. Škobo has authored and co-authored numerous scholarly articles, book chapters, and university textbooks, contributing to national and international academic publications. Among her notable works are Modernism in English Literature with a Study Guide and A Glimpse Into Victorian Literature with a Study Guide, which reflect her commitment to integrating literary scholarship with accessible and innovative pedagogical approaches. Beyond her publications, she actively contributes to academic discourse through research collaboration, scholarly conferences, editorial engagement, and interdisciplinary initiatives. As an educator and researcher, Dr. Škobo advocates learner-centered teaching, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of critical and creative competencies.