Building on fundraising, partnership development and strategic communications experience in the think tank and foundation sectors, Carsten moved into higher education development in 2015 working at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Queen Mary University London and currently the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. 

At LSE, Carsten worked with HNWIs, foundations and corporates. Their funding enabled research, scholarships, infrastructure investment and public engagement, including the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa created with a ten-million-pound endowment. In its first 18 months, Carsten helped to establish the new institute as a multidisciplinary hub for research and policy engagement. He helped to raise almost twenty million pounds in philanthropic support and over six million in research council funding. 

At Queen Mary, in time for the launch of the university’s Strategy 2030, Carsten oversaw the rebuilding of a fundraising team for this Russell Group member and lobbied for a stronger alumni relations and fundraising function across the organisation. At Frankfurt School, as development director, he is overseeing the launch of a fundraising strategy in line with the ambition of this top-ranked, fast-growing business school. Previously, Carsten worked at the Robert Bosch Foundation, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. 

Having studied political science, law and political economy at the Free University Berlin and in Würzburg, Carsten also holds a M.A. in International Studies (Asia-Pacific) from the University of Birmingham (2006) and a M.Sc. in International Development (Africa) from LSE (2018). He continues his research in cross-border giving and the role of philanthropy in higher education, research and think tanks.

With more than 20 years of experience in academic settings, ranging from research-performing organizations to research-funding organizations, Stefan Bernhardt has handled numerous projects focused on positioning non-profit institutions in higher education in the public eye and vis-à-vis stakeholder expectations. All institutions Stefan worked for in managerial positions have in common that they can be defined as expert organizations showing traits that make marketing and communications efforts particularly challenging, ambitious, and complex. He believes in the power of branding and transformational leadership as essential elements for shaping the future of successful and prosperous learning organizations, especially in the higher education sector.

Among other positions, Stefan has served as Head of Corporate and Science Communications at the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), Communications Manager at the Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), and Head of Division at the Institute of Science and Technology (ISTA), responsible for Corporate Communications, Science Communications, and (Scientific) Events.

By academic training, Stefan Bernhardt studied Business Administration in Austria and the U.S. 

Building on 25 years of experience in corporate communications, Inge Boets joined VIB in 2023 as Communications Director. In this role, Inge oversees the internal and external communications strategy for the leading life sciences research institute, in support of its mission to push the boundaries of scientific discovery, transform it into disruptive biotech innovations and support the growth of the life sciences ecosystem in Flanders (Belgium).

Previously, Inge worked in several global leadership roles at leading PR agencies. As such, Inge advised a variety of clients from large multinationals and trade industry associations in the healthcare and chemical sectors. Inge has a wide expertise in corporate communications, issues management, stakeholders’ relations, media outreach and alliance-building programmes. 

Inge has a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences from KU Leuven. 

Realising that education is the key to change led Caroline Mattingley-Scott to fundraising. After initially working for the UNESCO project "Education for Children in Need", she soon became Director of the German foundation United World Colleges (UWC). Thereafter, Caroline successfully helped to set up and establish the first fundraising departments at the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. She has been head of fundraising at the University of Basel for ten years now. 

After studying education at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Caroline originally worked for several years in the private sector as a public relations consultant and as a marketing and sales manager before discovering her passion for people and philanthropy. She is involved in the network of Swiss university fundraisers, supports the German fundraising association in setting up a working group for research and higher education and is an enthusiastic participant and supporter of CASE. It is particularly important to her to help shape the professionalization of European university fundraising and to strengthen the exchange and cohesion among colleagues.

Mehrnoosh Rayner is Head of Alumni Relations at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) — an intergovernmental life sciences institute with six sites across Europe and support from more than 30 countries, including the UK.

Over the past 20+ years, she has built EMBL Alumni Relations from a small project into a strategic programme that plays a central role in delivering EMBL’s mission to support life sciences in Europe and beyond. Her work now increasingly focuses on alumni fundraising, both to advance EMBL’s initiatives and to demonstrate the power of alumni engagement as a driver for institutional growth. She has also helped emerging life science institutes establish their own alumni relations programmes and is passionate about developing the advancement sector across Europe through knowledge-sharing and collaboration.

Mehrnoosh has worked in higher education for over 30 years, leading stakeholder engagement, designing and growing programmes, and overseeing conferences, events, publications, and data management.

Prior to joining EMBL, she worked at the University of Edinburgh, where she graduated with an MA Honours degree and was later awarded a PhD.

Mehrnoosh is currently Chair of the CASE Europe Council.

With many years’ experience in internationalization of higher education in different capacities, Martine Torfs is dedicated to developing global stakeholder relations strategies serving higher education institutions' advancement. As Head of the Alumni Team at the KU Leuven Fundraising and Alumni Relations Office, Martine has designed and implemented worldwide alumni engagement programmes aligned with the university’s strategies. Intercultural relations, with multlingualism, art, literature and education at its core, have been a driver throughout her life.

Martine is Chair of the CASE Continental Europe Cabinet.