Prof. Dr. Jos J.L. Gommans is a historian specializing in early modern South Asian history and its global interactions with Central Asia, Southeasto,o Asia, and European colonial empires. He holds the Chair of Colonial and Global History at Leiden University, where he has been since 2011. His research primarily focuses on South Asia's medieval and early-modern history, global intellectual history, and Dutch colonial history.

Gommans has led major academic projects, including the NWO-G Horizon Project on Eurasian Empires (2011-2016) and the "Cosmopolis Programme," which trains historians in Dutch archives related to Asia and Africa. In 2022, he initiated "Cosmos Malabaricus," focusing on Kerala's early modern history.

His major publications include The Rise of the Indo-Afghan Empire, Mughal Warfare, The Unseen World, The Indian Frontier, and The Dutch Overseas Empire, 1600-1800

Dr. Jandhyala Prabhakar Rao is a Professor of Linguistics at the University of Hyderabad and a Member of the UNESCO-IFAP Bureau, where he serves as Chair of the Working Group on Information for Development. He has led initiatives in areas like multilingualism, information ethics, and AI ethics. Notably, he founded the Consortium on Global AI Ethics for Social Good and launched projects on AI ethics for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as South and Southeast Asia.

Dr. Rao advocates for the development of local AI, digital well-being, and preserving multilingualism through digital technologies. He has coordinated several national and international projects, published research, and contributed to academic journals. He has been invited to deliver talks at universities worldwide and has established partnerships with global institutions. Additionally, he is involved in India’s industrial organizations as a member of their executive committees.

Liesbeth De Paepe is passionate about online and flexible learning solutions for Dutch as a Second Language. Making non-native speakers self-reliant in a Dutch-speaking context is her mission! She founded neXtop, a 100% online learning program for Dutch. Her PhD research and many years of practical experience as a teacher in adult education taught her what really works.

She is affiliated with the train-the-trainer program of the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven). She lectures ‘Didactics of Dutch as a non-native language’ and provides traineeship guidance. She thus prepares pre-service teachers of Dutch for the job.

As a researcher, she coordinated numerous projects related to (online) learning of Dutch for various target groups, from low-literates to highly educated learners. 

Dr. Vinod Rastogi is an accomplished academic and corporate professional with a strong blend of Indian and Dutch influences. She holds a PhD, MBA, and an MA in English Literature. With over six years of experience as a corporate trainer and faculty member for doctorate students at a Dutch institute in The Hague, Dr. Rastogi also served as Dean for the Undergraduate Business School at the University of Bradford. Her professional strengths include managing large-scale projects, overseeing daily operations, and building strong networks.  She has been closely connected with Dutch academic and corporate circles since 2008, working with esteemed professionals such as Mr. Rob De Graaf from Philips and the late Dr. Alfred Brouwers. Dr. Rastogi is currently an advisory board member of the Foundation for Dutch Language and Culture, where she brings fresh perspectives and contributes to new opportunities.

Sucharitaa Rastogi is the current Dean of ISMS MBA College and is involved in a research project in Germany. With nearly 15 years of experience in business management education, she specializes in Human Resources Management and Corporate Communication. She focuses on applying strategic HR concepts to achieve organizational goals and has driven innovative changes in various roles.

She holds an MBA and an MSc in Digital Marketing from Germany and has a strong analytical background, honed during her time as a researcher at IMG. In 2010, she founded and led her own MBA college in Bangalore, which has become a leader in management education. Additionally, she has international exposure, particularly through an educational exchange program with the Netherlands since 2017, and serves now as an Advisory board member of the Foundation for Dutch Language and Culture.