Leadership Forum - Istanbul

Learning is no longer a support function it’s a strategic driver of growth, innovation, and resilience across higher education and business. As AI accelerates change and skills demands evolve faster than ever, the question is no longer if transformation is needed - but how to do it effectively and at scale.

On May 14th, Coursera invites a select group of university and industry leaders to an exclusive Leadership Forum in Istanbul. This invite-only experience is designed for honest, high-value dialogue between peers tackling the same challenges across academia and enterprise.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Samar Farah, Skills Transformation Director at Coursera, who will share practical insights from working with institutions across EMEA on how to identify critical skills gaps, design scalable learning strategies, and translate digital transformation into measurable outcomes. Drawing on over 15 years of experience across education, philanthropy, and advisory, Samar will offer a grounded perspective on what works and what doesn’t when driving real change.

The conversation doesn’t stop there. Through a curated, closed-door dinner discussion, you’ll exchange perspectives with fellow leaders on the realities of scaling learning what’s holding organisations back today, what successful transformation should look like in the next 2–3 years, and where collaboration between higher education and industry can unlock new opportunities.

Set against an intimate and carefully designed setting, this forum is not about presentations it’s about perspective, shared challenges, and actionable ideas you can take back to your institution or organisation.

Countdown to the Event