Sustainable Development (SD)
WASD has a distinguished history of advancing research, knowledge exchange, and policy dialogue to support sustainable development (SD) worldwide. Over the years, WASD has grown into a trusted consultancy provider, working with governments, universities, and international organisations. With its prestigious institute (LISD), WASD delivers specialised consultancy services focused on strengthening and transforming HE systems globally. HE plays a vital role in the current educational landscape. It is central to developing skilled human capital, fostering innovation, and addressing global challenges such as inequality, climate change, and economic instability. In today’s rapidly changing world, universities must adapt to new modes of learning, widening participation, and increasing demands for relevance and impact. Beyond academia, strong HE systems contribute to social mobility, economic growth, and the advancement of knowledge-based societies. Through our consultancy, WASD and LISD support institutions in enhancing quality, access, and global engagement in HE. We offer tailored advisory services including institutional strategy development, curriculum innovation, quality assurance, digital integration, and capacity building. Our approach is collaborative and context-driven, ensuring that each solution responds to the unique needs and challenges of our partners. A distinctive element of our work is our commitment to extending the reach of HE to crisis zones and underserved regions worldwide. We actively support initiatives that promote the right to education for all, helping institutions design flexible, inclusive, and resilient systems that can operate in fragile and resource-constrained environments. This reflects our broader mission of advancing equitable and SD through education. Our consultancy services are delivered by world-class experts, including leading academics, policy advisors, and practitioners with extensive international experience. Combined with our research-led approach and global networks, this enables WASD and LISD to provide innovative, high-quality solutions that empower HE institutions to thrive and make a meaningful impact.
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.
Professor Lynette Louw (Eastern Cape -South Africa) is the Raymond Ackerman Chair of Management and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Commerce at Rhodes University in Makhanda, South Africa. Her areas of speciality include Strategic Management, International Organisational Behaviour, Cross-cultural Management and SMEs/Entrepreneurship. She has taught and/or researched in the Netherlands, Germany, Uganda and China. Previously, Lynette was a member of the MBA Higher Education Quality Committee for the Council on Higher Education (CHE) in South Africa (2003 - 2004).
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.
Miryem Salah (London - UK) is the director for Digital, Data & AI Transformation, Managing Director for the MSP sales channel of Vodafone Business IT hubs at VodafoneThree.Having led on major transformation across IT, digital, data, analytics and AI globally in private, public sectors. Miryem operates at the intersection of strategy, execution, culture, and impact-the space where she has consistently delivered the greatest value. She brings end‑to‑end ownership: setting direction, aligning capital and talent, and taking full accountability for outcomes. Her experience spans sectors and geographies, with leadership across the full enterprise agenda. Miryem brings strong financial and commercial acumen, with deep expertise in capital allocation, business case development, operating model design, and benefits realisation. She has led complex, multinational organisations through change under pressure-modernising infrastructure, integrating cultures, and delivering measurable improvements in customer experience, efficiency, and profitability. Building high‑performing, inclusive leadership teams with clarity, pace, and accountability. She is deeply committed to sustainability, diversity, and developing future leaders. Miryem is known for authentic leadership, decisive action, and strong stakeholder engagement at the shareholder, board & investor level.
Dr Ondřej Dvouletý (Prague - Czech Republic) is Associate Professor at the Department of Entrepreneurship, Prague University of Economics and Business. His research focuses on heterogeneity of self-employment, entrepreneurship and SME policy evaluation and entrepreneurial economics. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Small Business Management, Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies and Central European Business Review. Ondřej is also the Editor of the annual Innovation Management, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability (IMES) conference.
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.
Professor Dhiya Al-Jumeily OBE (Liverpool - UK) has 30+ years experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning. In 2020, Prof Al-Jumeily was appointed by her majesty “THE QUEEN to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, “OBE- Ordinary Officers of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order” for the “Services to Scientific Research”. Within healthcare field Prof Al-Jumeily developed SMART applications for disease diagnosis and management that are currently used by patients in the UK, UAE and Iraq. On the scientific community level, Prof Al-Jumeily established the eSystems Engineering Society (eSES) that has contributors from researchers and scientists at worldwide. The eSES activities include intelligent patient management system; datasets and databanks; DeSE annual and international conference; accredited professional courses; and the International Journal of Data Science and Advanced Analytics. On the research funding level, Prof Al-Jumeily attracted more than £7.5M of funding and published >350 publications.
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.
Professor Khalid Hasan (Toronto - Canada) is a Canadian marketing scholar, author, and researcher specialising in sustainability, global strategy, and market research. A Harvard-trained strategist, he has authored, co-authored, and edited seven books, including The New Sustainability Edge (2025) (with the Father of Modern Marketing Professor Philip Kotler). His other publications include Strategic Marketing Management in Asia (2026) and Marketing Practices in Developing Economies (2009). Professor Hasan teaches Sustainability, Marketing, and Human Resource Management in North America and South Asia and serves as CEO of ResInt Canada and President of ResInt Sustainability Institute. With over 35 years of experience, including senior leadership roles at Nielsen, he has led research for the World Bank, the U.S. Department of State, USAID, UNICEF, and major global multinational corporations and Fortune 500 companies. He is also a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.
Dr Nisrine Slitine (Morocco) has always been attentive to the needs of the Moroccan society. As a doctor with a great entrepreneurial spirit, she quickly became aware of the importance of paramedical professions in the provision of health care at the national level, and the great deficit that the Kingdom knows in this matter. As a result, Dr Nisrine went into the business world, before supporting her doctoral thesis, and enrolled in the continuing education cycle of the Institut Supérieur de Commerce et d'Administration des Entreprises (ISCAE), a Business Management specialty, in order to equip itself with all the tools necessary to meet this crucial need that it has identified in the paramedic market.
Professor Joseph Ntayi (Kampala - Uganda) is a Professor at Makerere University Business School and served as the former Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Energy, and Management Sciences at Makerere University Business School (MUBS), a position he relinquished in July 2023. Prior to this, he held several notable positions within the institution, including Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Management Science, Head of the Department of Marketing, Procurement, and Logistics Management. With over three decades of dedicated service to Makerere University, Makerere University Business School, and the government of Uganda, Prof. Ntayi has made significant contributions across various roles in Development Finance, Foreign Trade, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, Development Economics, and Strategic Management. Prof. Joseph M. Ntayi is a luminary in both the academic and professional spheres, celebrated for his profound impact as an international scholar, insightful consultant, and pioneering social entrepreneur. Prof. Ntayi has co-authored more than 200 articles for internationally acclaimed journals, covering a wide range of research interests including Development Finance, Development Economics, Microfinance, Energy Economics, Public Sector Procurement, Supply Chain and Logistics, Public Sector Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Positive Psychology, and Public health. In February 2021, 2022, January 2023, and January 2024, Prof. Ntayi received prestigious accolades from the International Scientific Scholars Forum, recognizing him as one of the top scholars in the world and acknowledging his excellence in Business & Management and Strategic Management. Furthermore, he has been recognized as the leading Strategic Management Scientist in Uganda and the Second most prominent in this field across Africa.
Professor Doaa Salman (Cairo - Egypt) is an esteemed Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Management Sciences at October University for Modern Sciences and Arts and a well-respected authority in the academic community. Her expertise lies in several fields of research, including Managerial Finance, Financial Institutions Management, International Economics and Trade Agreements, Money & Banking, International Banking, Feasibility Studies, Public Finance, inclusive growth, development, Health Economics and digital transformation and sustainability. She is a master of commonly used statistical tools and computer software used for cost and revenue analysis, and econometric applications such as SPSS, Stata, R, etc. She is the chief editor of the MSA-Management Sciences Journal and her research has appeared in several prestigious journals, including Economics and Policy, International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies, International Journal of Green Economics, International Journal of Development and Conflict, and Journal of Economics.
Dr Ihab Tewfik (London - UK) is a Registered Nutritionist and UNICEF-UN consultant with significant expertise in planning, implementing and evaluating sustainable public health nutrition intervention programmes at population level. Ihab has developed an independent research career that underpins the pivotal role of medical nutrition in regulating complications of chronic diseases through Tailored Functional Recipes (TFRs). These innovative TFRs are formulated, optimized using locally food ingredients and served as meals to nourish vulnerable populations to attain optimum health. The TFR-concept is not limited to elimination of malnutrition but extend to the design and engineering of food that transcends disease prevention by improving availability of micronutrients, increasing biological functions, and promoting sustainable health. Such concept has been employed to modulate global chronic disease in Georgia, Nigeria, Ghana, India, Lebanon, Nepal, Qatar, Kuwait and UK. Dr Tewfik has led the Human Nutrition degree at University of Westminster over the last twelve years as Programme Director. His research portfolio spans to investigate the relationship between obesogenic environment and health outcomes of individual and population. His work embraces the effects of nutritional exposure during childhood and risk factors for later non-communicable diseases (NAFLD, PCOs, ADHD, CVD, DM, Cancer) especially in countries experiencing nutritional transition. As Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health (FRSPH), Ihab has been at the forefront of promoting global public health intervention with an international research agenda stretched to 11 research projects with UNICEF-UN in aspects of public health nutrition intervention. In UK, he has carried out three national projects on food safety (FSA-UK) and on Biomarkers for predicting breast radiotherapy induced side-effect funded by the National Cancer Research Institute.
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 Philip Kotler (Chicago - USA) is widely regarded as the "Father of Modern Marketing" - is an acclaimed American marketing author, consultant, and professor emeritus. He served as the S.C. Johnson Distinguished Professor of International Marketing (Emeritus), Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Known for popularising the concept of the marketing mix, Kotler has authored over 80 books, including Marketing Management and the Principles of Marketing.
Professor Farida Fortune (London - UK) Professor of Medicine in relation to Oral Health, Director Centre for Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine and Director London Behçet's Centre of Excellence, Former Dean and Director of the Institute of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (QMUL). She Co-chaired the UN Sustainable Development Goals focussing on countries in Africa, South America, and Asia, New York, USA. Awarded CBE for services to Dentistry; Prestigious Colyer Gold Medal for significant contribution to the profession through research, teaching and clinical work; Slack Medal for outstanding contribution to the College and its successors; and President of Odontology section of Royal Society of Medicine.
Professor Manuel Frutos-Perez (Cambridge - UK) is the Chief Academic Officer at the digital division of Cambridge Education Group. He leads the strategic planning process across a wide portfolio of Higher Education partnerships, with a focus on international market intelligence, academic excellence, and outstanding learner support. He is also a Visiting Professor in Online Education and Digital Innovation at the University of Hull, UK, and a Visiting Professor in Digital Learning at the Academic Practice Directorate, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. Manuel is an international technology expert promoting the advancement of learning and teaching in Higher Education, and regularly delivers thought leadership keynotes at international events.
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 Rocky Dwyer (Minneapolis - USA) is a Core Faculty Professor in the Doctor of Business Administration Program in the College of Management and Human Potential at Walden University, USA. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, UK; a Fellow of the Society of Management Accountants and a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada. He is an award winning author, editor and educator, who has consulted and undertaken research to support social change for private, not-for profit, and public sector organizations in 30 countries to examine and validate Corporate Social Responsibility, Poverty Reduction initiatives, strategic organizational capacity to support social change, performance management and ethics. His research has been presented and published for conferences and symposiums in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, India, South America, Germany, the Russian Federation; and the Peoples Republic of China.
Dr Malgorzata Sulimierska (Brighton - UK) is a Senior Lecturer in Banking and FinTech at the Department of Business and Management for the University of Sussex Business School and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She also has Oxford Fintech and Blockchain Qualifications from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Financial Economics from the University of Sussex (UK). She is involved in research and teaching at numerous institutions, Lancaster University (UK), Catholic Leuven University (Belgium) and Loughborough University (UK). Her excellent teaching skills have been valued by several teaching awards, the BMEs Oscar Award for the Best seminar tutor, Excellence in Teaching Award and Student-Led Teaching Award. Her remarkable passion for teaching and discovering new areas of development guides her interests towards FinTech, Banking digitalization, Financial literature, Financial inclusions and political uncertainty.
Professor Muhammad Aziz Rahman (Melbourne - Australia) is an experienced academic, a medical doctor and a public health professional. Following completion of medical graduation (MBBS), he completed his post-graduation in Public Health (MPH, PhD). Currently, he is working as the Associate Dean of Research at the Institute of Health and Wellbeing and the Professor of Public Health at Federation University Australia in Melbourne. Professor Rahman has been working in the areas of public health research and teaching for more than 20 years, both in Australian and international settings. He has an excellent track record of providing leadership in completing different research and community projects successfully, focusing on different aspects of public health, securing funding, producing high-quality research publications, supervising higher degree research students, assisting in capacity building and providing supportive supervision to the early/mid-career researchers and collaborating successfully with experienced researchers. Professor Rahman has published more than 200 research papers in multidisciplinary journals with more than 135,000 citations. Due to his extraordinary track record of research citations, he has been ranked amongst the world’s top 2% scientists for the last five years (2020-25), ranking done by Elsevier BV and Stanford University, USA. He has contributed to generating over $13 million in funding in his professional career. He has extensive international research collaborations with over 25 countries and has successfully led several multi-country research projects with significant outputs. Professor Rahman is also actively engaged with professional communities through different leadership roles. He is the Vice President at the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), the largest organisation for public health professionals in Australia.
Professor Arshi Naim (London - UK) is recognised among the Top 2% Scientists globally by Stanford University and Elsevier, is a distinguished academic with over 23 years of experience in business management, digital marketing, higher education, quality assurance, and academic leadership. A prolific researcher, she has published 115+ Scopus-indexed papers in high impact journals and contributed to academic books with leading publishers such as Wiley, Springer, Elsevier, Emerald, Taylor & Francis, IGI Global, Nova Science, and Bentham Science.
Dr Mohamed Hassan-Sayed (Southampton - UK) is the Founder and Director of Chemical Engineering programs at the University of Southampton. He is an experienced academic with a demonstrated history of working in higher education and industry for 20 years. Skilled in Chemical and Energy systems, a Chartered Energy Engineer From the Energy Institute and a Chartered Engineer from the Institute of Engineering and Technology as well chartered Manager from the Chartered Management institute. He developed and taught a range of Energy and Chemical Engineering courses at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels in Kuwait, Saudi, Egypt and the UK. A strong engineering professional with over 95 publications and several books and contributions; supervised 20 PhD projects to conclusion. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK. And several certifications in Engineering Business, Management, and innovation. Mohamed Developed the Energy and Petroleum courses at the Australian College in Kuwait then became an Associate Professor for 6 years at the American University in Cairo, where he helped in developing the Energy and Petroleum engineering courses leading to ABET acerdation and participated in the Education Development Program for Egyptian Universities and has previously taught at Suez Canal University and many other private universities such as the British University in Egypt. He also developed and lead the course in Energy and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Portsmouth for six years achieving accreditation through the Engineering council (energy institute) in the UK.
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
Professor Roubina Juwaheer (Mauritius) is currently a Professor of Marketing at the Department of Management, Faculty of Law and Management. She served as the Pro Vice- Chancellor (Planning and Resources) of the University of Mauritius from 2014-2017 and Dean of the Faculty from 2008-2011. As an Academic, she has several years of experience in marketing, tourism and hospitality in Mauritius and the Indian Ocean Islands and extensive teaching, industrial and consulting experience in the marketing, hospitality and tourism field. Her additional research interests include green marketing, ecotourism, service quality, customer satisfaction, advocacy for women and children, CRM and health care management. Prof. Juwaheer has also been awarded the title of ‘Africa’s Most Influential Women 2016 in Business and Government’ both at Country and Regional levels in the field of Tertiary Education Sector (Academic) in Mauritius and the Indian Ocean Region (IOC) in August 2016 by the CEO Global magazine, a media magazine that has during the previous years focused on Africa’s leading talent and sharing their success stories.
Dr Rawad Hammad (London - UK) is a computer scientist with 20 years of experience in academic research, teaching, industry and leadership. Research interests include the use of Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and disruptive technologies for Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL), e-health and Smart Cities. His expertise lies in the application of innovative technologies from Artificial Intelligence, Semantics, Business Process Management, and Data Management in multi-disciplinary application domains including TEL and e-health. Rawad is the leader of two MSc Programmes and a Technology-Enhanced Learning Research Group. He is also co-director and co-founder of a newly established Smart Health Centre at the University of East London. Moreover, Rawad has been working on large-scale collaborative EU and international projects such as: DECUMANUS, TRANSFER and SmartTech which established collaboration with international partners from UK, Japan, Germany, Finland, the EU and the Middle East. Moreover, Rawad delivered a few keynote speeches and received a considerable number of research awards, the latest was the outstanding paper 2021 by Emerald Publishing. He is an executive committee member of the international society of Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED), and a panel member of different research journal/conference communities such as EC-TEL, IARIA, WASD, MEKEI, in addition to IEEE, ACM.