Sirin is a highly experienced International Director and specialist in Higher Education.
She has more than 20 years of international marketing and leadership experience in diplomatic and higher education organisations, and has worked with diverse organisations such as Brunel, Roehampton, the University of the West of Scotland and IDP.
Sirin began her career with the British Council in Istanbul, marketing British education at all levels from nursery to HE. She then moved to the UK to the University of Southampton, becoming a Regional Director and managing the University’s international engagement.
Sirin joined the University of Reading in 2007 as the Deputy Director International Office, with responsibility for international partnerships development, marketing and research. After a year, she was promoted to become International Director assuming leadership for all areas of internationalisation. Under her, the University of Reading redefined and reshaped its internationalisation ambitions and strategy, with fivefold growth in its international tuition fee income, delivery of a comprehensive partnerships strategy (research, teaching and mobility), with measurable growth in its international alumni engagement and enhancement of student and staff mobility. She ended her time at Reading with joint responsibility for all of the University’s Marketing, Communication and Engagement.
Sirin’s voluntary experience included two years as a chair for Europe Community of Practice for Higher Education, convened by the Universities UK International, and a chair and contributor for partnerships training days in the last four years (2014, 2015, 2016, present) for British Universities International Liaison Association.