Brett Berquist

Career / Professional Highlights

Mr Brett Berquist is Vice President – Strategy Development and Planning at AIFE, where he leads the formulation and execution of the organisation’s enterprise-wide strategic agenda. He is responsible for driving integrated planning across markets, products, and partnerships, ensuring alignment to AIFE’s long-term priorities and supporting its position as a leading transnational education provider.

Mr Berquist is a highly experienced international higher education leader with more than three decades of experience spanning teaching, academic leadership, and senior university administration. Prior to joining AIFE, he served as Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) at the University of Canterbury, where he led institutional engagement, advancement, and strategic partnerships across local, national, and international domains.

He has also held senior international leadership roles, including Director of International at the University of Auckland and Executive Director of the Office of Study Abroad at Michigan State University. At Michigan State, he led one of the largest study abroad operations among U.S. public universities, expanding global programs, strengthening quality and risk management frameworks, and advancing research, internship, and experiential learning opportunities.

Mr Berquist brings deep expertise in strategy development and execution, international education, student mobility, transnational education, and partnership development. His work has consistently focused on strengthening global networks, enhancing student outcomes and employability, and advancing collaboration between universities, industry, and government.

In his role at AIFE, Mr Berquist drives strategic planning discipline, leads the development of priority partnerships, and strengthens the organisation’s engagement across New Zealand and the broader region, supporting the delivery of globally connected education and research initiatives.