Leadership Team

Prof. Bassam Alameddine

President

K 366

+971 7 246 8801

Professor Bassam Alameddine is a seasoned higher education executive, widely recognized for his transformational leadership and strategic vision. Prior to joining AURAK, he served as President of Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST), where he led a phase of institutional growth, academic innovation, and operational excellence. Over a distinguished tenure at GUST, Professor Alameddine held key leadership roles including Director of Graduate Studies and Research, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and ultimately President. Among his many achievements, he oversaw the establishment of the College of Engineering and Architecture, launched interdisciplinary programs aligned with market needs, and implemented the Students’ Performance Enhancement and Active Retention (SPEAR) system, which resulted in a 56% improvement in student retention and success. His leadership contributed significantly to GUST’s rise in global and regional rankings, successful institutional accreditations (QAA, AACSB, ABET, ACA), and increased research output by a factor of five. He championed governance reforms to enhance transparency, streamlined academic operations, and advanced the university’s internationalization strategy by cultivating partnerships with leading global institutions. Professor Alameddine is also an accomplished scholar and Principal Investigator of the Functional Materials Group, a research initiative focused on carbon capture, gas separation, hydrogen storage, and environmental remediation. His work, which aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, has attracted over $2.5 million in competitive funding and led to more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and conference contributions. Before his tenure at GUST, Professor Alameddine held academic and administrative positions at Columbia University, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), and the University of Fribourg, where he cultivated his expertise in academic governance, program development, and institutional strategy. He holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Fribourg, a Master’s in Materials Science Engineering from ENSIACET in Toulouse, and a postgraduate certificate in Senior Leadership from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. Beyond academia, Professor Alameddine advises major players in the energy, cosmetics, and scientific sectors, and serves on multiple advisory and scientific boards. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and an active member of various professional organizations, with a deep commitment to diversity, sustainability, and leadership development in higher education.

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Prof. Khalid Hussain

Provost / Professor of Systems Engineering

K 361

+971 7 246 8700

Professor Khalid Hussain is the Provost at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK). He has over three decades of academic leadership experience in the UK and Middle East, previously serving as Dean at AURAK, the University of Wollongong in Dubai, and the University of Bradford (UK). A Chartered Mechanical Engineer, he holds a PhD from Loughborough University (UK) and has published extensively in engineering and applied mathematics. His research and leadership have advanced programs in AI, sustainability, and engineering innovation while fostering strong industry collaborations.

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Mr. Basheer Daoud

Vice President – Operational Excellence and Financial Management

K 359

+971 7 246 8901

Mr. Basheer Daoud serves as the Vice President of Operational Excellence and Financial Management at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK). He has over 30 years rich experience in finance, internal audit, public accounting and enterprise risk management including 18 years in senior management roles gaining these experiences from across different countries specifically in UAE, Canada, Oman and Yemen. Before joining AURAK, he held a senior leadership position as the Executive Director of Finance at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) with many key achievements including where he led efforts to establish and manage investment strategy for endowments, created financial modeling for future financial planning, negotiated and restructured key government receivables, led and implemented transformation plans for Finance and Procurement that are based on people, processes and technology, put in place and implemented numerous financial policies and procedures. Before being appointed as the Executive Director of Finance, Mr. Basheer served as the Director of Internal Audit at AUS where he demonstrated his proficient understanding and implementation of IFRS, US GAAP, COSO framework, IIA Core Principles for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing. Mr. Basheer held key positions in various industries including a large steel manufacturing company in Canada, global energy and chemicals company in Yemen and big four audit firm in Oman and UAE. Mr. Basheer holds an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) degree from the American University of Sharjah and Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Jordan. He is also a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) earning both certifications from the U.S.

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Prof. Mohammed Awad

Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation / Professor - Computer Science

K 347

+971 7 246 8730

In the fall of 2013, Dr. Mohammed Awad joined the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the School of Engineering in the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Immediately prior, he worked as an assistant professor in the Computer Science Department of Al-Ahliyya Amman University in Amman, Jordan where he had the opportunity to focus on teaching and learning and was ranked number one professor by the students of the school of Information Technology. During his time at AURAK, Dr. Awad has received the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and the President’s Award for Leadership in Service. Dr. Awad earned his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Houston in the United States in 2011. He earned a MSc in Computer Science at the same university in 2006. He completed a BSc in Computer Science at Yarmouk University in Jordan in 2003. During his graduate studies at the University of Houston, Dr. Awad worked as a teaching assistant for various courses from the freshman to graduate levels and had the opportunity to develop his skills as an educator. Dr. Awad’s research interests include cybersecurity, more specifically in E-voting and I-voting security. Previously, he was involved in a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant where he developed a curriculum module to illustrate electronic voting for non-Computer Science majors. Additional areas of interest include machine learning, data analytics, and technology education.

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Mr. Rajesh Prema

Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management

D - 1st Flr.

+971 7 246 8806

Mr. Rajesh Prema boasts an impressive career that spans over 20 years across diverse sectors like Higher Education, Information Technology, and Aerospace. Currently serving as the Associate Vice President for Enrolment Management and Marketing at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), he has carved out a niche as a results-driven leader. Prior to joining AURAK, he held a leadership position in Marketing at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD). During his 14-year tenure with UOWD, he played a pivotal role in shaping the university’s strategic marketing efforts and student recruitment initiatives, leaving an indelible impact on the institution's growth and reputation. As the Associate Vice President of Enrolment Management at AURAK, Mr. Rajesh Prema contributes significantly to enhancing the university's brand presence both domestically and internationally. By implementing a range of strategic and tactical initiatives, he has driven record-breaking student enrolments, elevated brand awareness, and fostered community engagement. His remarkable achievements extend to develop new international markets to attract transnational students, enhancing institutional public relations, managing the budgets, optimizing media buying and sustainable operations to improve the efficacy, where his strategic decisions yield incredible ROI. From strategic marketing to hardcore sales negotiation, from event management to student recruitment, Rajesh's competencies are diverse. His insight into digital advertising strategy, website development, marketing collateral management, and student recruitment makes him an indispensable asset in an age dominated by digital landscapes. Mr. Rajesh Prema graduated with a master’s degree in international business from the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), where he specialized in Marketing, Supply Chain, Business, Finance, and Change Management. Prior to that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Pondicherry University, India. This multi-disciplinary education uniquely positions Rajesh at the intersection of technology and business.

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Prof. Rachel Matar

Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences / Professor - Biotechnology

K 342

+971 7 246 8799

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Prof. Hamed Assaf

Dean, Professor - Civil Engineering

G-319 B

+971 7 246 8786

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Prof. Tahseen Anwer Arshi

Interim Dean - School of Business / Professor - Innovation and Entrepreneurship / Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at AURAK (ACE)

H 301B

+971 7 246 8788

Prof. Tahseen Anwer Arshi, as the Interim Dean - School of Business, plays a pivotal role in shaping the academic and research landscape at AURAK. He also serves as the Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at AURAK (ACE) and is a professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the School of Business. Professor Tahseen possesses a distinguished academic background, holding a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wollongong in Australia and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom. He is not only certified in Sustainability from prestigious institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and Duke University, but he has also acquired advanced artificial intelligence certifications from Stanford University. With a prolific publication record exceeding 50 journal articles and book chapters, several of which appear in Scopus Q1 journals, Professor Tahseen asserts his expertise in the field. He has also effectively chaired two international conferences and serves as an associate editor and reviewer for several prestigious journals, demonstrating his leadership capabilities in research and academia. Furthermore, he plays a critical role as an external reviewer for the Directorate of Higher Education Reviews Authority in Bahrain, the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA), and the National Academic Accreditation and Evaluation in Saudi Arabia. Prof. Tahseen's expertise in entrepreneurship is validated by his role as a Certified Entrepreneurship Educator by the SME Development Fund and certification in technology entrepreneurship from Harvard Online program. Prof. Tahseen holds several patents and invented the AI-powered SECURE (patented) system to assist start-ups in evaluating business plans (https://www.securecanvas.net). He is a member of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and Data Central. Prof. Tahseen specializes in designing and delivering technology-enhanced curricula, and his research interests are entrepreneurial behavior, technology start-ups, start-up business models, and innovation.

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Mr. Mohamad A. Abdulqader

Acting Senior Director of OIAER and OISE

K

+971 7 246 8818

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