Public Policy (PP)
WASD has a long and distinguished history of advancing sustainable development (SD) through research, policy engagement, capacity building, and international collaboration. Building on this legacy, WASD has become a trusted consultancy provider supporting governments, institutions, and organisations in addressing complex governance and development challenges. Through its specialist institute, LISD, WASD delivers expert PP consultancy services to support governments, public institutions, and organisations in designing and implementing effective policy solutions. PP is critical in shaping national development, improving public services, and addressing economic, social, and environmental challenges. In today’s rapidly changing environment, governments and institutions require evidence-based, responsive, and forward-looking policies to meet citizen needs and deliver sustainable outcomes. Strong PP enhances governance, improves service delivery, strengthens accountability, and supports inclusive and sustainable development. It also enables institutions to respond effectively to emerging issues, manage public resources efficiently, and build public trust. Through our consultancy, WASD and LISD support clients in policy analysis, policy design, regulatory review, impact assessment, implementation planning, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring and evaluation. We help develop practical, evidence-based public policies aligned with strategic and national priorities. Our services are distinguished by an interdisciplinary, research-led approach delivered by world-class experts with extensive international experience in PP, governance, development, and institutional reform. This enables WASD and LISD to provide tailored, practical, and high-impact consultancy solutions that strengthen policymaking and support effective public sector performance.
Professor Michael Busler (New Jersey - USA) is a Professor of Finance at Stockton University in the USA. He has held positions at Pennsylvania State University, Delaware University, Rutgers University and Drexel University. He teaches courses in Corporate Finance, managerial economics and Entrepreneurship. Dr. Busler is a known expert in Public Policy and Economics. He has published more than 65 refereed journal articles and nearly 1000 opinion columns in major publications. In addition, he has given hundreds of interviews on both syndicated radio and on network tv stations.
Professor Allam Ahmed (London - UK) is a Professor of Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development; Co-Founder of SMART KM MODEL: An Integrated Knowledge Management Framework for Organizational Excellence and led the implementation of the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa Knowledge Management Framework Musharaka. Founding President of WASD; SDGs Universities Initiative; Middle Eastern Knowledge Economy Institute; Fellow Faculty of Public Health, UK; Fellow Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK; and Fellow Academy of World Business, Marketing and Management Development, Australia. Prior to QMUL, Prof. Ahmed spent 15 years at the University of Sussex Science Policy Research Unit (1st science and policy think tank in the UK) where he established and led Sussex’s most successful postgraduate programme MSc International Management.
Dr Gale Rigobert (Saint Lucia - Caribbean) is Former Dean of Academic Affairs at the University of St. Martin (USM), in the Dutch Caribbean. She is the former Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development in Saint Lucia (2016-2021). Prior to becoming a parliamentary representative, a position she held on to for over nine (9) years (2011-2021), she was a government senator for a short period, which followed her role as advisor on national development to the Government of Saint Lucia (2010-2011). Dr. Rigobert was appointed Leader of the Opposition in 2013, the first woman to hold such office in the island of Saint Lucia.
Her career path has taken her through the hallowed walls of academia, with her career spanning several countries and institutions: The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago (2002-2010); SPRU, University of Sussex (2009), the United Kingdom; Anton de Kom University, Suriname (2009); the Interdisciplinary Global Development Centre (IGDC), University of York (2021-2022) and now the University of St. Martin.
Dr Joyce Capelli (São Paulo - Brazil) is the President and Executive Director of Instituto Melhores Dias, expert in the formation of collaborative public-private partnerships that leverage the unique skills and resources of corporations, government and community groups to sustain vital education, health and community development programs in Brazil and other countries. She holds a degree in dental sciences, master’s in dentistry, specialization in administration for the third sector, graduated by the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance, training in depth psychology.
Samia Melhem (Washington - USA) is a Lead Policy Specialist at the World Bank’s Digital Development and AI Vice Presidency, based in Washington DC. She manages digital government transformation operations, leveraging technologies to improve delivery of public services in all sectors. She is currently leading a large digital government investment project portfolio, and regional research on Digital Skills for Jobs; as well as AI’s impact on the digital economy. During her career at the WBG, Samia managed digital transformation projects/operations in East and Central Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. She authored several publications on Telecoms Policy and Regulation, Digital government, Digital Economy, Digital Capabilities and Skills, Cloud computing, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Open data, PPP, and Bridging the gender digital divide. In May 2025, Samia received an award from the Arab League for her Digital Economy work in the MENA region. In addition to her current role at the World Bank, Samia started teaching at George Washington University.
Professor Liisa Laakso (Helsinki - Finland) Liisa Laakso has acted in different national and international positions of trust including the Finnish Government’s Research and Innovation Council. Currently she is member of the Human Rights Committee of the Council of Finnish Academies. Before joining the Nordic Africa Institute she served as the Rector of the University of Tampere and before that as the Dean at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Social Science. She was a professor and UNESCO Chair at the University of Jyväskylä in 2004, in the field of Development and International Cooperation.
Professor Intisar Soghayroun (Khartoum - Sudan) is the Former Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Sudan (September 2019 - October 2021) and Professor of Archaeology at the Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, University of Khartoum(1991-2022). Expert at The Institute of Arabic Manuscripts June 2023 up to present. She has special interest in the theoretical archaeology, Islamic civilization, Archaeology and Museums studies, Ancient technologies, Theatrical Archaeology as well as Gender Archaeology. A research fellow at Bergen University, Norway in 2008 and ST, John’s college/Cambridge University, UK in 2000 and held a number of administrative positions at University of Khartoum such Dean, Faculty of Arts, and Dean, Deanship for Scientific Research. A member of national, regional and international associations of Archaeologists. Also worked as a consultant for a numbers of organizations such as Ethiopia-Sudan Power System Interconnection, Red Sea Power Plant, SMEC International PTY LTD and Consultancy Service for lake Nasser/Nubia Watershed. A member of United Nations General Assembly Science Summit (UNGASS) 2021 up to present.
Professor Luisa Maure (Panama City - Panama) is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Natural, Exact, and Technology Sciences of the University of Panama. With a Bachelor's in Mathematics (UP), a Master's in Mathematics and its Didactics (UAEH, México), and a PhD in Didactics of Mathematics and Experimental Sciences (University of Barcelona), she has dedicated her career to transforming mathematics education. She leads the GIEM21 research group, fostering innovation in teacher training and inclusive education. As president of the APANAC Congress 2023 and a member of Panama’s National Research System (SNI-SENACYT), she promotes science for development. Her work aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in quality education (SDG 4) and gender equality (SDG 5). She has collaborated internationally to advance educational policies and was honored with the title Cavaliere of the Order of the Star of Italy for her contributions to science diplomacy and academic cooperation.
Ambassador (Ret) Dr Petru Dumitriu (Geneve - Switzerland) is a Former Ambassador and Permanent Observer of the Council of Europe to the United Nations in Geneva. Currently Senior Fellow and Lecturer on Multilateral Diplomacy postgraduate courses, Diplo Foundation/University of Malta. Former member of the United Nations Joint Inspection Unit and Editor of numerous reports including: Strengthening the policy research uptake in service of the 2030 Agenda for SD, Role of PPPs in the Implementation of Agenda 2030, Knowledge Management in the UN System