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Congratulations to UOW Global Enterprises' Group CEO and Managing Director Marisa Mastroianni, who has been named as one of The Australian Financial Review’s top Women in Leadership for 2026 (Education, Government & Not-for-Profit category).
The AFR’s awards recognise women who are driving meaningful impact and shaping the future in their sectors.
For Marisa, the recognition is deeply personal. Since stepping in as interim CEO in 2012, she has led the transformation of UOW Global Enterprises from a single offshore campus into one of Australia’s leading exporters of higher education. This was recognised at the highest level in 2025, when the organisation won both the NSW and National Export Awards for Education and Training. In doing so, UOWGE has played a central role in advancing UOW’s ambition to be recognised among the world’s top 100 universities, building the global network, reputation and student reach that a truly world-class institution demands.
Today, UOW Global Enterprises supports more than 17,000 students annually across campuses in Dubai, Malaysia, Hong Kong and India, as well as a pathway college in Australia. A sixth campus in Saudi Arabia is expected to open in 2027. The organisation employs more than 1,400 people from 60 nationalities.
“This recognition reflects the work of an outstanding leadership team and every one of our colleagues across five countries,” said Marisa. “Together, we have built something of genuine global significance from regional Australia, an organisation that creates life-changing opportunities for young people by expanding access to a world-class Australian education.”
At its heart, Marisa’s leadership philosophy is grounded in a simple conviction: that education changes lives. As the daughter of Italian migrants who came to Australia with little more than determination, she knows this firsthand. It continues to shape the organisation’s growth, its entry into new markets, and its commitment to academic integrity and commercial discipline in equal measure.
To read the AFR published article visit:
PIC: Marisa with UOWGE Chairman, John M Green