Prof. Dr. Byoung-Cheorl Kang is Professor and Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Seoul National University (SNU-CALS), Korea. A leading expert in plant genetics and molecular breeding, his research focuses on pepper (Capsicum) genomics, disease resistance, and genome editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9. He has published extensively on QTL mapping, GWAS, and functional genomics, contributing to advances in crop improvement and sustainable agriculture. Prof. Kang earned his Ph.D.

Prof. Dr. Jose V. Camacho, Jr. is the Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), reappointed for the 2023–2026 term. He previously served as Dean of the UPLB Graduate School and Professor of Economics at the College of Economics and Management. His leadership vision, “Future-Proofing UPLB,” focuses on resilience, innovation, and global engagement. Dr. Camacho earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Kyoto University, specializing in education, labor, and human resource economics.

Dr. Suvaluk Asavasanti chairs the strategic agenda team for future food development at TSRI and serves on executive committees of FoSTAT and TYSA. With 18+ years in academia, industry, and funding agencies, she has led 70+ industrial projects and published extensively. Her work spans ADB consultancy, agri-food tech startup support, and STI policy. Her research focuses on food processing, product development, and educational innovation.

Daniel is a strategy and business leader with close to two decades of experience delivering transformative outcomes for governments & multinational corporations across APAC and North America.

Simon Schmid, Partner at SkillLab is guided by the mission to support a paradigm shift toward skill-based, equitable labor markets. Committed to human-centered digital transitions, he supports governments, employment services & multilateral organizations in modernizing labor market systems. SkillLab's technology uses responsible AI to generate user-verified skill data, enabling a skills-first approach that connects people, jobs, and education through the universal language of skills.

Giancarlo is the coordinator of the Policy Evaluation & Human Capital Area with more than 15 years of experience as a project manager and senior researcher in the field of employment and social policies, VET, and skills at the national, EU and extra-EU levels. He is responsible for managing international project teams, coordinating various assignments and liaising with international institutions. He is board member of the Fondazione and he has an academic background (BA & MSc) in economics.

Alexander specializes in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). His primary work areas include private sector cooperation in TVET, institutional eco-systems, and green labor markets. Before joining ADB, he was a project manager at the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), where he worked on a variety of TVET topics across Southeast Asia, including the ASEAN declaration on human resource development. He also worked in the field of public-private partnerships in the infrastructure sector in Germany.

Mrs. Lempinen is a seasoned professional in public sector reform and capacity building, with extensive global experience in advancing education and training systems. She excels in international and multicultural collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and the development of strong global partnerships. Deeply committed to continuous professional growth, she is passionate about lifelong learning and driving sustainable change through education and innovation.

Friedrich Huebler joined UNESCO-UNEVOC in November 2021. He has been employed by the United Nations for more than two decades and served previously as Head of the Education Standards and Methodology Section at the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, where his responsibilities included contributing to the global monitoring framework for Sustainable Development Goal 4 on education. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the New School for Social Research.