Alberto Acereda

Higher Ed

Higher Education Leadership and Impact

I have dedicated my career to transforming higher education through innovation, strategic partnerships, and student success leadership.

Whether working within universities, educational companies, leading global initiatives, or advising EdTech firms and institutions, my goal has remained the same: to align mission with innovation and deliver measurable outcomes that empower learners, institutions, and society.

My work bridges the academic and corporate worlds, helping higher education organizations scale impact through platform strategy, digital transformation, and global engagement — always keeping the learner and student at the center.

Strategic Focus Areas

Institutional Partnerships & Academic Relations

  • Built trusted, long-term networks across Research 1 institutions, policy centers, and global academic organizations.

  • Developed initiatives that align educational mission, technology innovation, and measurable institutional outcomes.

  • Supported student success models through strategic alignment with universities and state systems.

Business Development & Growth Strategy

  • Directed global higher education portfolios exceeding $200M, achieving consistent double-digit growth.

  • Led market expansion initiatives for education platforms, credentialing solutions, and workforce development tools.

  • Forged strategic partnerships that accelerated platform adoption, admissions innovation, and learning success.

Globalization & International Higher Education Leadership

  • Expanded institutional and platform presence across Latin America, Europe, India, and the Middle East.

  • Founded and led Arizona State University’s largest Semester Study Abroad program, promoting intercultural academic experiences for students and faculty.

  • Worked with ministries of education, accreditation bodies, and international foundations to advance global higher education access.

Digital Transformation & Innovation

  • Introduced AI-powered assessment frameworks, skills-based credentialing, and data-driven student success solutions.

  • Advised on digital learning platforms, online program strategies, and institutional readiness for the future of education.

  • Partnered with academic institutions to integrate analytics and workforce alignment into the student journey.

Academic Leadership & Policy Engagement

  • Former Tenured Professor, Department Chair, Dean Fellow, and President of the College Senate at Arizona State University.

  • Served as Dean Fellow and Faculty Senate President, leading strategic governance initiatives across colleges and departments.

  • Engaged with national and international higher education associations to promote innovation, student mobility, and institutional resilience.

Representative Executive Speaking and Conference Engagements

Below is a sample of selected executive speaking, panel, and conference engagements.
For a full list of presentations, plenaries, and advisory roles, please contact me directly.

  • Participant, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Annual Meeting (Aurora, CO, 2024)

  • Participant, Middle States Commission on Higher Education Annual Conference (Philadelphia, PA, 2023)

  • Participant, American Council on Education Annual Meeting (Washington, DC, 2023)

  • Presenter, ASU+GSV Summit — Unbundling and Rebundling Learning for a New Era (San Diego, CA, 2022)

  • Presenter, Association of American Universities – Association of Graduate Deans Annual Meeting — The Future of Graduate Education (Washington, DC, 2022)

  • Presenter, Indian Management Conclave (IMC) — Innovation and Future Skills in Higher Education (Kozhikode, India, 2022)

  • Presenter, Council of Graduate Schools Annual Meeting (New Orleans, 2022)

  • Presenter, Council of Graduate Schools Annual Meeting (Nashville, 2021)

  • Guest Speaker, Big Ten Academic Alliance Graduate Education Conference (Chicago, IL, 2019)

  • Presenter, Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools Annual Meeting (Montreal, Canada, 2018)

  • Presenter, European Association for International Education Annual Conference — Graduate Management Education: Measuring Learning Outcomes (Seville, Spain, 2017)

  • Presenter, Lumina Foundation – Social Science Research Council Summit on Higher Education Student Learning Outcomes (Brooklyn, NY, 2016)

  • Presenter, Pennsylvania Association of Councils of Trustees Annual Meeting (Harrisburg, PA, 2016)

  • Keynote Speaker, Hispanic Educational Technology Services Annual Conference (San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2014)

Academic Foundations and Scholarly Contributions

Before moving into senior executive roles, I spent over a decade as a tenured professor and academic leader at Arizona State University. During that time, I published numerous scholarly articles, research chapters, and books, and presented original research at over 100 academic and international conferences.

This scholarly foundation continues to shape my leadership in higher education — grounding innovation in academic rigor, and strategy in a deep understanding of faculty culture, research impact, and student learning. My experience within the university as a teacher, researcher, and administrator provides a unique lens through which I approach institutional partnerships, policy engagement, and academic transformation.

To explore a full list of my research publications, please visit the Research page in this same personal website.