Samit Lotlikar is a data strategy leader with over 20 years of experience driving analytics, data science, and digital innovation in higher education. As Head of Advanced Analytics at Zayed University — a function within the university's Strategy Sector — he leads the institution's analytical engine, translating complex data into strategic intelligence for senior leadership on rankings, benchmarking, and institutional effectiveness.

Under his leadership, Zayed University built a cloud-based data warehouse integrating 35 source systems, deployed predictive models for student success and enrollment forecasting, and democratized data access through an ecosystem of 170+ dashboards used across all colleges. He established and chairs the university's Data Governance Committee, and co-founded a regional Higher Education Benchmarking Consortium spanning 30 institutions.

Samit leads Zayed University's global and sustainability rankings strategy, including QS, Times Higher Education, and heads its Rankings Management Task Force. He serves on the Explorance Customer Advisory Board and advises internationally on higher-education analytics. 

He is passionate about evidence-based transformation and the role of data in reimagining how universities measure, benchmark, and improve outcomes