The Advisory Board

Dr. Khaled Moussa Al-Masri

  • Dean of the Faculty of International Relations and Diplomacy at Al Sham Private University (ASPU).
  • Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Damascus.
  • Has a master’s degree in Political Science from Wichita State University in Kansas, USA.
  • Has a PhD in International Studies from the University of Denver, Colorado, USA—he specializes in International Relations and International Security.
  • He was the Vice Dean of the Faculty of International Relations at the University of Kalamoun in Syria.
  • He was the Head of International Relations at the Faculty of Political Science, Damascus University.
  • He published several researches and books on international relations, these include: The Theories of International Relations and The Theories of International Relations.

Dr. Amal Yazji

  • Professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Damascus.
  • Professor of Public International Law.
  • Consultant at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Damascus.
  • Has a Diploma in International and Economic Law from the Pantheon-Sorbonne University (Paris I).
  • Has a PhD in International Public Law.
  • A consultant for national and international institutions.

Dr. Mahdi Dakhlallah

  • President of Center for Strategic and International Studies, Syria.
  • Columnist in several national newspapers.
  • Has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.
  • Has a PhD in General Development Policy / Macroeconomics.
  • The former Syrian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
  • Served as the Minister of Information in Syria between 20014 and 2006.
  • Director General and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Baath newspaper 2002-2004.
  • Head of Studies at the Office of the General Secretariat of the National Command from 1983 to 2002.
  • He published several researches in politics, media, and international affairs.

Dr. Susan (Sue) Wolstenholme

  • President of the London International Academy (LIA).
  • Former president of the Ashley Public Relations Foundation.
  • Former president of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)

Dr. Sami Moubayed

  • Middle East historian, writer, and consultant on contemporary Syria.
  • Founder and President of the Damascus History Foundation.
  • Author of several book, including Under the Black Flag: At the frontier of the new jihad, East of the Grand Umayyad: Damascene Freemasonry 1868-1965, and The Missing Letters between Abdul Rahman Shahbandar and Hasan al-Hakim 1926-1936 to name a few.
  • Associate Professor at the University of Kalamoon (2005 – 2011).
  • He was a journalist at several outlets, including The Daily Star and Gulf News.

Mr. Kamal Khalaf

  • News anchor and talk show host and editor in Al-Mayadeen TV.
  • Columnist for the London-based daily, Ray.
  • He worked for 5 years in the field of editing and hosting political TV shows and in the Evaluation and Quality Committee at Al-Alam TV in Tehran.
  • He co-founded TRT Arabic Channel in Turkey.
  • Worked as a programs editor and a news anchor for Qatar Radio and Television.
  • Worked as a chief documentary commentator for several channels.
  • He worked in the field of training and preparing media professionals in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran and Qatar.
  • Worked as a news anchor in the Syrian TV, Radio Damascus, and Al Quds radio channel.

Dr. Nezar Mihoub

  • Chairman of the Syrian International Academy, SIA.
  • President of the Syrian Public Relations Association, SPRA.
  • Corporate Communication and Reputation Management Specialist.
  • CIPR-certified international teacher and trainer.
  • Program Leader at the International Public Relations Association, IPRA, in the Arab World.
  • Former Director of External Communication and Spokesperson of the Syrian Ministry of Information.
  • Author of several books, including: Public Opinion, Psychological Basis of Public Relations, Introduction to Public Relations, and Managing Communication During Crisis.

The Advisory Board’s Vision:

The Advisory Board believes that professional and vocational training are of vital importance to bridge the gap between educational institutions and labor markets.

The Boards believes that not only is SIA a training and development institution of a professional nature, but is also characterized by its social mission. It seeks to contribute effectively to human development in Arab institutions.

The Advisory Board stresses that SIA is not a profitable institution concerned only with financial investment. It aims to invest in humans as a key factor for growth and progress in Arab societies.

The Advisory Board has defined SIA’s training and educational strategy according to the following principles:

  1. The careful selection of training programs and materials according to the needs of Arab communities.
  2. The development of programs and curricula that respond to this reality and ensure the preparation of highly-skilled human resources.
  3. The assessment the deep theoretical knowledge and professional skills of SIA’s trainees.
  4. A special focus on hands-on and practical training while promoting professionalism and high work ethics.
  5. Ensuring that the educational content provided is in line with Arab national and social standards.

The Advisory Board believes that this strategy ensures the preparation of specialized professionals who understand their societies.