Shada Islam

Shada Islam is a Brussels-based independent advisor and strategist with expertise spanning European Union affairs, Asia, Africa, Geopolitics, Trade, Migration, Inclusion, Diversity, and Women's Empowerment. Her current academic and professional affiliations include:

• Visiting Professor at the College of Europe (Natolin campus)
• Solvay Fellow at the Vrije University Brussel (VUB)
• Member of the European Policy Centre's Strategic Council and Senior Adviser for Europe in the World programme
• Founder of New Horizons Project (NHP), a global strategy and advisory media company

Her research focuses on the intersection of Geopolitics, Trade, and Migration with Inclusion, Diversity, and Women's Empowerment within European policy frameworks. She is particularly recognized for analyzing how European Union strategies impact global relations with Asia and Africa, emphasizing inclusive governance models and gender-responsive policy design. Her work bridges academic analysis with practical policy implementation in international affairs.

Key recognitions include:

• Named among the 20 most influential women in Brussels by Politico (2017)
• Solvay Fellowship at Vrije University Brussel

Islam maintains active advisory roles through the European Policy Centre and her own consultancy, building on her prior leadership as Director of Europe and Geopolitics at Friends of Europe until June 2020. Her strategic guidance shapes discourse on European global engagement, migration governance, and diversity mainstreaming in policy institutions.