Governance

Elisabeth Rehn (Finland) served as the Patron of the UWC-IBO Initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association “Education from Conflict to Internationalism” which was responsible for the Initiative. She was the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the Republic of Croatia, FRY, Bosnia and Herzegovina and FYROM (1995–1998), and the United Nations Under-Secretary General, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1998–1999). Mrs Rehn was the first female Minister of Defence in Finland, and in Europe. She possesses an extensive knowledge of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.

Lamija Tanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) served as the Chair of the Executive Committee of the UWC-IBO Initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina since its establishment in May 2005. Her passion for reforming and enhancing educational standards in Bosnia and Herzegovina has led her to assume key roles in governmental and international organizations in the area of education. She is the Chair of Humanity in Action, Bosnia and Herzegovina and a member of the Humanity in Action, Inc. Board of Directors. In the period 2001-2004 she was head of the Department for International Scientific, Technical, Educational and Cultural Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia-Herzegovina when she contributed extensively in the activities of organizing the UWC in B&H. From 1994 to 2001, she was Head of the Embassy of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Kingdom of Denmark. Lamija Tanović has a long university career. She was a Professor of Atomic and Nuclear Physics and Solid State Physics at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Sarajevo. Prof. Tanović is a member of the European Academy of Sciences since 2003.

Pilvi Torsti (Finland) works as the director of European Training Foundation, EU agency in Turin, Italy working on education and training policies and human capital development outside the EU countries supporting the EU external services. Prior to ETF Pilvi served 2013-2023 as the State Secretary of three ministries (education, employment, transport&communication) in Finland and as an MP in the Finnish national parliament. She is Adjunct Professor of Political History at the University of Helsinki. She has served in the Helsinki City Government (2012-2017) and the Helsinki City Council (since 2012). Doctor Torsti was appointed the State Secretary for the Minister of Education (2013-2015) and a Special Advisor to the Minister at the Ministry of Employment and Economy (2011-2013). Before serving in the government she worked as a Research Director and Programme Director in a post-war educational project, being also one of the three founders of the United World College in Mostar. Doctor Torsti has worked as a journalist and authored several academic and general interest books, and has been honored for her work towards peace. She is a UWC graduate (AD 1995) and an Eisenhower Fellow 2013. Dr Torsti has lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina for several years between 1999 and 2006, speaks the local languages. She is married with three children of whom one was born in Sarajevo 2006.

Ivan Lorenčič (Slovenia) is retired Headmaster of the 2nd Gymnasium Maribor, Slovenia (an IB school since 1990). He was the Director of the National Education Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (1993-2000) and was responsible for curriculum development and implementation, teacher training, implementation of national external examinations and the reform of primary and secondary education. He has also been leading the Centre for the Professional Development of Teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2005.

Jasminka Bratić (Bosnia and Herzegovina) is the former secretary of the Faculty of Economics of the University "Džemal Bijedić" in Mostar and the former assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, Administration and Local Self-Government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (Mostar). She has extensive professional experience in the legal system of BiH, as well as a long period of volunteer work in the educational system of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mrs. Bratić firmly believes that education is key to building peace, and that the principle of unity of diversity is the foundation of human existence, which motivates her involvement in educational initiatives, and especially within the UWC movement. She enthusiastically supported the opening of UWC Mostar and served as the Chair of the School Board of Gimnazija Mostar since 2006 in several mandates, a position she remains in for the 2022-2026 term.

Fleur Meijs (The Netherlands) serves as a Permanent Proxy for the Chair of the UWC Mostar College Board and is also a member of the UWC International Board. As a partner at PwC in the City of London, she specialised in significant and complex audit and advisory projects with financial institutions in the City. She also served as a member of the Dutch Parliamentary Committee in respect of the Structure of Dutch Banks following the credit crisis. Mrs Meijs left PwC to become a non-executive director and to dedicate more time to charity work. She works as a non-executive director for Fidelity European Trust plc and Ruffer LLP, and served as a director for Invesco Asia Trust plc. In her efforts to give back to society she has also worked for the children’s development organization Plan International in West Africa, as a trustee of the British Museum Friends, and has set up with her husband the endowment for UWC Mostar, Bridge to the Future.

Elvira Dilberović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) served as the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Kingdom of Sweden and the Minister of Education and Science in the Federal Government Bosnia and Herzegovina. From 2009 to 2012, Elvira served as the BiH Subject coordinator for "Intercultural Understanding and Human Rights", Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Oslo and she was the Head of the Centre for Languages at the "Džemal Bijedić University" Mostar. She holds a PhD in Linguistics. Elvira is a member of the Scandinavian Military Order of the Collar (MOC).

Sandra Ann Thomas (United Kingdom) has 35 years of classroom experience, as a teacher of IB English, and A-level English Literature. At the United World College of the Adriatic (1995-2009) she worked as an English teacher, Head of Department and as Deputy Head (1997-2009), with responsibility for all aspects of the academic programme, pastoral care and university counselling. At UWC Adriatic, Mrs Thomas shared a residence with students for fourteen years. Her extensive experience includes participation in UWC student selections, IB examinations, and UWC audits.

Andrew Bennett worked at UWCSEA in Singapore (1981-2004), the final 11 years as Head of College. He has also served as the Chair of the UWC Heads Committee. From 2006 to 2015, Mr Bennett was employed by St Joseph's Institution in Singapore, initially as the founding Principal of SJI International and later as CEO and adviser. He is retired and living in the UK.

Mirna (Jancic) Doyle (Bosnia and Herzegovina) served as the Development Director of UWC Mostar when the college was established in 2006. She has worked as an advisor and project manager for the European Union Special Representative in BiH, as an education researcher-consultant for international and non-governmental organizations in the country, and as a journalist/editor for iwpr.net. Mirna’s diverse professional portfolio includes visual art, through which she explored the teaching of competing historical narratives at Bosnian schools - exhibited in 2023 at the History Museum of BiH.

Josipa Gotovac was born and raised in Split, Croatia. She holds a Master's degree in Mathematics and Informatics and has over five years of experience in education. For the past three years, she has been a mathematics teacher at UWC Mostar, where she also serves as the Extended Essay Coordinator. Josipa is currently pursuing a PhD in applied mathematics, focusing primarily on cryptography. Alongside her academic work, she is passionate about advancing education and fostering a love for mathematics among her students.

Anja Weiss (Germany) is trained in law and education management. After starting her career in an international law firm she now works as an educational consultant advising both private and public institutions and organisations on governance and policy topics in the UK and in Germany. For over 15 years she held various roles within UWC, both in Germany and for UWC International. She is an UWC alumna.

Mia Glamuzina (BiH and Croatia) is the current Head of Economic and Legal Department, Chamber of Economy of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, She served as the Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer PC Motorways of Federation BiH and Head of Marketing Department PC Motorways of Federation BiH as well as Advisor for development to the Minister of Transport, Federal Ministry of Transport and Communication. Since 2012 she is the Head of Business Economics at Logos Centar Mostar. From 2011-2015 Mia was Economics teacher and Senior Tutor at UWC Mostar as well as the Head of Social Sciences Department.

Adriaan van der Linden (The Netherlands) is the parent representative on the board. He is married and the father of three daughters, one of which is currently attending UWC Mostar. He graduated from Wageningen University in Land use planning and is currently working as Manager of Development at Leisurelands. He is also serving as a board member of the local Museum of History and city marketing organization and has served on the advisory board of the provincial trust. He is involved in several local, regional, national, and international groups related to bathing waters and water quality and is also a member of the expert group on the implementation of the EU Bathing Water Directive. Next to being a parent of a student, he wants to support UWC and UWC Mostar because of its mission to build bridges between people and cultures to unite, inspire, and engage students and the wider community to strive for a peaceful and sustainable future through active local partnerships.

Damir Čobo, born on July 19th, 1994 Dado comes from Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he started to perform in theaters at the age of 12 in order to escape and oppose the Bosnian segregation politics. He has a BA in Drama (acting/directing) from Bennington College, USA. While studying, he worked on performing arts projects and workshops as an actor, dancer, director, choreographer, and a lighting designer. During his time at Bennington Dado joined Theatre Without Borders where he's remained active since. After his graduation he moved to NYC where he continued to follow the light and create. He had learned from and collaborated with wonderful people and inspiring artists such as Jim Houghton, Tina Landau, Charles Mee, Tuce Yasak, Daria Fain, Marjani Forte, and many others. In 2018 he returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina where he started working as an IB Theatre Arts teacher, at United World College in Mostar. He has since been part of many projects in various capacities. He worked on a movie by Jasmila Žbanić, Quo Vadis Aida, where he took on the role of an art department assistant and an art director assistant. He has acted in plays at the National Theater Sarajevo and Croatian National Theater in Mostar, working with directors from the region - Diego de Brea, Mirjana Medojević, Selma Spahić, Ivica Buljan, Ivan Leo Lemo, and others. Dado has been a collaborator and a mentor on recurring Erasmus+ "BITI" exchanges in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is currently finishing up his Master's Degree in Acting, at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo.

Tetyana Samiliv is a 2016 graduate of UWC Mostar. She currently works as a development associate at Capital A Housing in Austin, Texas, managing community engagement and affordable housing projects. Tetyana holds an MS in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin (2023) and a bachelor's degree in sustainable management from St. Olaf College (2020). With experience in sustainability, the circular economy, and urban planning, she is actively involved in rebuilding post-war Ukraine. She leads the Ukraine Rebuilding Action Group (URAG) under the International Division of the American Planning Association (APA) and volunteers with Ro3kvit, a Ukrainian urban coalition focused on rebuilding efforts. Since 2021, Tetyana has been part of the UWC Alumni Collective and is eager to support UWC Mostar further, as her time there as a student was a life-changing one.

Philine Nau is an independent Mediator specialising in workplace and community mediation and mostly working with international organisations such as the OECD, UNICEF and the International Criminal Court. She is a former staff member of UWC International where she was responsible for coordinating safeguarding and mental health support efforts across UWC schools and colleges. Philine has also worked in conflict resolution for the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Côte d'Ivoire and the International Chamber of Commerce’s Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution in Paris. She was drawn to UWC and UWC Mostar in particular because of its work in proactively promoting peace and preventing conflict by fostering intercultural understanding among young people from diverse backgrounds.