Dr. Maria Spies is the Chief Innovation Officer at QS Quacquarelli Symonds and Co-Founder of HolonIQ, the world’s leading research and analytics platform for the global education economy. At QS, she leads the Innovation Practice, supporting universities in digital transformation and AI integration. Through HolonIQ, she heads the Education Intelligence Unit, developing globally recognized tools such as the AI Capability Framework, Global Learning Landscape, and Digital Transformation Frameworks.

With over 20 years of experience in both public and private education sectors, Dr. Spies has driven innovation in curriculum, teaching, and student experience across more than 50 countries. She holds a Doctorate in Higher Education from the University of Liverpool, where her award-winning thesis focused on public-private partnerships in higher education, as well as a Master of Adult Education and a Bachelor of Arts. She also earned an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT Sloan.

Dr. Spies is an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and is a sought-after speaker on education, innovation, and technology trends shaping the future of learning.