Soraya Beheshti is the Managing Director for Crimson Education, overseeing the EMEA+India region, and a member of the company’s core executive team. Soraya joined Crimson Education at 19 years old while studying full time at Columbia University. She established the company’s presence in the Middle East and quickly grew it to become one of the largest of the firm’s 25+ markets.
Soraya was the recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship at Columbia, from where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and was on the Dean’s List 7x. She was awarded Rising Star in Business - MENA at the MEED/Gulf Capital/FedEx SME awards in 2022. At university, she founded a non profit building blockchain technology to serve refugee communities, for which she was awarded the Columbia Innovation Award; and was a semi-finalist in the Hult Prize Ivy, the Columbia Venture Competition and the CTA Startup of the Year. For this work, she was also invited to be a guest lecturer at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC-Berkeley and CUNY. She was also selected for IvyG - the Ivy League’s First Generation College Student Conference, and the Columbia Students of Color Leadership Retreat. During her years researching and volunteering with refugee communities across Europe and the Middle East, she wrote a book of anthologies, stories and plant-based recipes from refugee homes - the proceeds of which she donates entirely to organizations serving refugee communities.
She was promoted to Regional Manager in 2020, overseeing Crimson Education’s operations in the EMEA region with 60+ employees.
She has been invited to be a panellist or keynote speaker at many regional and international events, including GITEX Global, SHE Congress (Baku), Green Fest, the Ras Al-Khaimah Trade and Investment Summit, Astrolabs and more.
She served on the board of the New Zealand Business Council for 2 years, often working with the NZ Consulate, NZ Trade and Enterprise and the Ambassador’s office. She also served as Vice President of the Columbia University Alumni Association of the UAE after four years.
Are our schools producing the innovators and change-makers of tomorrow?
Explore how entrepreneurship education can empower students to become the next generation of problem-solvers and change-makers.
Discover how entrepreneurship education can ignite a passion for innovation and drive economic growth
6-7 October, 2024
This workshop, delivered by Be GLAD in partnership with Spacetoon Education, will highlight a Research-Based AND Field-Tested instructional system that increases critical skills, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This innovative system has been used extensively to transform districts within the famed Silicon Valley of California and across the US for over 20 years, producing creative problem-solvers of the future. With recent developments in technology, this award-winning instructional system is now moving to empower educators throughout the Middle East and Africa. In this workshop, you’ll learn 5 fundamental instructional strategies from the most effective system and the process to gain mastery of key indicators of success to achieve academic excellence
Innovative programs that promote equity, access, and quality in education and the creative strategies they use to navigate funding challenges and achieve impactful results. This session is packed with thought-provoking discussions and practical takeaways, offering a glimpse into how non-profits are transforming education to shape a brighter future for teaching and learning.
This session brings together content creators who excel in delivering knowledge through storytelling, by weaving complex ideas into engaging narratives.
This discussion focuses on the pivotal role of vocational training in addressing the skills gap and equipping the workforce with the necessary competencies to thrive in today's dynamic job market and how it is enhancing employability and entrepreneurship. We will share insights on effective vocational training models, collaborations between educational institutions and industries, and strategies for preparing individuals for success in the evolving workforce.
Points of Discussions:
Art Residencies as Catalysts for Artistic Growth (skill development, focus and immersion, feedback and critique)
Residencies and Professional Development (networking opportunities, exhibitions and visibility)
Art Residencies as Spaces for Reflection and Conceptual Development (time for reflection, development for new ideas)
Residencies and Education (integration with art education, mentorship and guidance)
Challenges and opportunities (funding, support, residency models)
