Dr. Meghna Ramaswamy
Director, International Office
University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Meghna Ramaswamy is the Director of the International Office at the University of Saskatchewan, where she leads the international portfolio for the university covering the implementation of the university’s internationalization plan and the development of international research and partnerships. She has travelled and worked extensively with institutions, government, funding agencies and businesses around the world. She loves interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds, and uses these deep learning experiences to build vision and strategy in international education.
In 2021, Dr. Ramaswamy received recognition from the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) for Leadership, Dedication and Contribution to International Learning Communities in Canada. She has been a visionary leader in reconceptualising the University of Saskatchewan’s internationalization “People Around the World” conference and under her leadership the International Office received the 2021 Education for Sustainable Development Recognition Award by the Regional Centre for Excellence in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Dr. Ramaswamy is an elected Executive Committee member of the Commission on International Initiatives (CII) at the Association of Public Land Universities (APLU), USA and a Steering Committee member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Higher Education and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Network, UK. In these positions, Dr. Ramaswamy brought strategic insight and thoughtful approaches on globalization trends and cooperation strategies to strengthen partnerships between Canada and other countries in the world. She is the only Canadian elected to be part of these prestigious networks.
At a provincial level, she chairs the Saskatchewan Education Alliance (SEA) committee on international research, development and the SDGs in partnership with the Government of Saskatchewan, Canada. In 2021, she was awarded an “Outstanding Leadership” Award, for implementing intersectional approaches towards the SDGs in international education for the province of Saskatchewan by the Minister of Advanced Education, Government of Saskatchewan, Canada. Dr. Ramaswamy has authored multiple publications on the SDGs including those on zero hunger, interdisciplinary research, international education, partnerships and transformative leadership. In 2022, the University of Saskatchewan was ranked number 1 in Canada for SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals by the Times Higher Education Impact rankings.
At the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Ramaswamy chairs the International Operations Committee (IOC) comprising of approximately 30 campus stakeholders to engage in a dialogue on the ongoing delivery of resources and services to support our faculty, staff and students on international endeavours. Since Dr. Ramaswamy joined the University of Saskatchewan in 2018, the international research revenue for the university has more than doubled.
Prior to joining the University of Saskatchewan in 2018, Dr. Ramaswamy led the Centre for AIDS Reagents at the National Institutes of Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), a UK government agency that works in the field of biological standardization and is part of the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Here, Dr. Ramaswamy orchestrated key international partnerships and projects with the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Commission (EC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). In an advisory capacity, Dr. Ramaswamy served as an Expert Advisor to the World Health Organization and chaired the External Advisory Committee for European Commission funded projects. As a scientist, Dr. Ramaswamy attracted over $19 million in funding.
Prior to the joining the University of Saskatchewan, she was an adjunct lecturer in Kings College London, and taught undergraduate courses to medical students. As a postdoctoral fellow she worked at numerous places including the Royal Free Hospital London, GlaxoSmithKline UK and the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Dr. Ramaswamy has a BSc in Microbiology from Kings College London, MSc in Virology from The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a PhD in Clinical Infection from University College London.