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Marielle van der Meer
Executive Director of Partnerships and Global Networks at LIS: The London Interdisciplinary School
Professional Background
Marielle Van der Meer is a highly skilled and versatile expert in the sphere of international higher education. With over 15 years of experience, she has built a remarkable career dedicated to fostering innovation in educational frameworks and developing institutions from the ground up. Her rich background has provided her with the expertise required to successfully navigate the complex terrain of global education and to make significant contributions to various esteemed organizations in multiple countries.
Currently, Marielle holds the prestigious position of Executive Director of Partnerships and Global Networks at the London Interdisciplinary School (LIS). LIS, a pioneering university initiative aimed at transforming the educational landscape, is set to launch its first cohort of students in September 2021. As an integral member of the Executive Team, Marielle plays a pivotal role in shaping the university's local and global partnership strategy, ensuring that LIS establishes itself as a leader in interdisciplinary education.
Before her current role at LIS, Marielle served as the Vice President for Global Affairs at the African Leadership University, renowned for its focus on equipping African leaders with the skills necessary to address societal challenges. In this capacity, she was responsible for crafting and implementing strategies that promoted international student recruitment, developed institutional partnerships, launched international summer programs, and elevated the university's global brand. Her leadership and vision were instrumental in positioning the African Leadership University to have a meaningful impact on higher education in Africa.
Prior to her tenure at the African Leadership University, Marielle was the Managing Director for Europe and the Middle East at Minerva Schools at KGI. In this dynamic role, she successfully recruited 25% of the student class within three years. Additionally, she established strategic partnerships and played a crucial role in the launch of Minerva's first overseas campus in Berlin, which opened its doors in August 2016. Her keen understanding of the global education market has enabled her to effectively spearhead initiatives that resonate with contemporary educational demands.
Throughout her career, Marielle has also held various roles that showcase her dedication and proficiency in international higher education, including Assistant Recruitment Director for the UK and Europe at INTO University Partnerships, and Regional Manager at the same organization. Not only has she worked in the UK, but Marielle also gained valuable insights as the Europe Officer at London Metropolitan University, Account and Operations Manager at IOR Global Services, and Programme Manager at the University of Amsterdam.
Education and Achievements
Marielle's educational background is equally impressive, having earned her Master of Arts (M.A.) in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Amsterdam (UvA). This academic training has undoubtedly enriched her understanding of cultural nuances and the various factors that influence educational practices across different regions.
In addition to her formal education, Marielle is the Founder and Director of La Sagesse, an educational consultancy that provides essential assistance to educational providers in enhancing their international strategies, branding, and growth. This initiative highlights her commitment to fostering innovative educational models and supporting institutions in adapting to the evolving global landscape of higher education.
Marielle is not only recognized for her professional accomplishments but also for her thought leadership in the field. She frequently speaks at international conferences and panels, sharing her insights and expertise to inspire others in the sector. Her ability to communicate complex concepts in an engaging manner has made her a sought-after speaker in educational forums around the world.
Achievements
Marielle Van der Meer has achieved remarkable success in her professional journey, with several noteworthy accomplishments that speak volumes about her dedication and expertise in international higher education. Some highlights of her career include:
- Instrumental in developing and implementing global strategies aimed at recruiting international students and building strategic partnerships at the African Leadership University, leading to a significant increase in the institution's international standing.
- Successfully led the recruitment of 25% of Minerva Schools’ student body within three years and facilitated the launch of their first overseas campus in Berlin, showcasing her strategic vision and implementation capabilities.
- Established La Sagesse, an education consultancy that leverages innovative and non-traditional education models to help providers strengthen their brands and growth strategies.
- Actively participated and contributed to international higher education conferences, sharing knowledge on topics pertinent to global education dynamics and fostering collaborative knowledge exchange.
Through these achievements, Marielle exemplifies her unwavering commitment to the advancement of higher education on a global scale. Her work has not only enriched the institutions she has been part of, but it has also positively impacted the lives of students around the world, underscoring her role as a leader in the international education community.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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