Professor Tashmin Khamis, a member of The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) Board of Governors, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Academics Without Borders (AWB).
The Toronto-based non-profit mobilises academics worldwide to strengthen higher education institutions in low- and middle-income countries. Board Chair David Dunne announced the appointment, welcoming Professor Khamis alongside three other new directors: David Attipoe, Carl Amrhein, and Cherie Enns.
About Professor Khamis
Professor Khamis is Associate Vice President for Teaching and Learning at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). She leads faculty development, digital learning, scholarly activity, and curriculum development.
She previously spent 15 years as founding Vice Provost for Quality, Teaching and Learning at the Aga Khan University (AKU), where she worked with AWB volunteer mentors to strengthen institutional capacity.
Under Professor Khamis’s leadership, AKU became the only university in Pakistan and East Africa to be accredited by Advance HE in the United Kingdom. This accreditation enabled faculty to benchmark their teaching internationally and gain Higher Education Academy (HEA) Fellowships. She also established AKU’s first interdisciplinary Teachers’ Academy.
Professor Khamis continues in an adjunct role at AKU. Her research focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning, and higher education management.
She is a Principal Fellow of the HEA, one of around 1,000 Principal Fellows worldwide. She previously served for 10 years as Director for Aga Khan Education Services in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. She is also a former President of the East African Higher Education Quality Assurance Network.
About Academics Without Borders
AWB connects volunteer academics with higher education institutions seeking support in teaching, research, leadership, and institutional development.
The Board meets in person once each year. It also holds two online meetings and carries out ongoing work during the summer months. The next in-person meeting will take place in Toronto in early November 2026.
Professor Khamis’ appointment highlights her longstanding contributions to higher education leadership. It also strengthens IIS’ connections with international academic networks committed to improving higher education worldwide.
