Faculty and Staff

Dr Julie Cross is an accomplished higher education leader with over twenty-five years of experience within the sector, including six years within the Middle East.

Earlier she worked as an Academic at the University of Central Lancashire, between 2010 and 2020 and at the University of Salford holding positions of Associate Dean (International) and latterly Dean. Dr Julie was also instrumental in forging the University of Salford partnership with the British University of Bahrain and within the partnership held positions of VP Academic, Vice President and President. She received her MRes and PhD from the University of Salford and her Bachelors Degree from the University of Central Lancashire.

Gianluca is a Programme Leader for LLM, an Editor of Academia.edu and the Editor of the Constitutional Law category on Philpapers.org. He is also a former Director of the Professional and Institutional Ethics Programme at the Institute of Applied Ethics as well as a former member of the Advisory Group, Ethics and Social Justice Interdisciplinary Research Theme at Hull University, Kingston upon Hull.

He held academic posts at several English universities and obtained substantial funding from several prestigious research institutions from both inside the UK (e.g. ESRC) and outside (e.g. ESF/PRIME).

Dr Alessandro Stefano Ala is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Accounting and Finance at the University of Aberdeen’s Qatar Campus. He also serves as Program Director for both the M.A. in Accounting and Finance and the M.Sc. in International Business Management.  A distinguished graduate of a QS World Top 6 University in Business and Management with Triple Crown Accreditation (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA), Dr Alessandro holds a combined B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Law and Business Administration, along with a Ph.D. in Accounting and Finance. 

Dr Kate Amanda is an accomplished higher education professional, with 10 years of experience in teaching and research at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels. She has worked at universities on and on academic projects around the world, and brings a global, inter-disciplinary perspective to her work. Her scholarship focuses on critical security studies and feminist approaches. She has successfully supervised several PhD projects.

Maha is a passionate law lecturer at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen, where she teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students. With an LLM in Private Law from the esteemed Lebanese University, she brings a strong academic foundation to her teaching. Her legal expertise is further enriched by certifications in International Refugee Law from the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo-Italy, adding a global and humanitarian dimension to her perspective.

Prior to joining AFG, Maha contributed to a transnational higher education partnership in the GCC, where she delivered a wide-ranging portfolio of law courses to a culturally diverse student body. Her classroom is a dynamic space shaped by her academic depth and her ability to engage students across three languages, fostering inclusive dialogue and cross-cultural understanding.

Maha’s research delves into the nuanced intersections of Shariah Law within multi-confessional societies, with a particular focus on legal pluralism and the coexistence of diverse legal frameworks in local religious court systems.

Dr Lyn Batchelor is Director of Studies at the Qatar Campus.

Dr Feim Blakcori is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for International Human Resource Management at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen in Business and Management discipline. He has an undergraduate degree in Management & Informatics from the University of Prishtina, a Masters degree from the University of Sheffield and a PhD degree from the University of Hull.

Prior to joining the AFG College with the University of Aberdeen, he had academic posts at the University of Leicester and University of Hull teaching at all academic levels and publishing on organizational change, dynamic routines, small and medium enterprises and feedback and sensemaking in organization. He has also presented his academic work in various conferences, such as Academy of Management Proceedings, British Academy of Management and European Group for Organizational Studies.

Feim has over five years of teaching experience and has developed a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, in the subject of HRM. He is also a Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy.

His research interest comprises organizational change, organisational routines, sensemaking in organisations, identity and cognitive neuroscience.

Dr Nadia DeGama is a Senior Lecturer and the Programme Leader for Undergraduate Business Management Programmes at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen.

She completed her PhD at York University, Toronto in the field of Human Resource Management. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Nadia's research primarily draws on critical and interpretive approaches to understanding work and working in organisations. Key strands to her research include: global careers; alternative approaches to understanding HRM; and examining contemporary and alternative forms of work. She has recently conducted studies within the context of self-initiated expatriation, Uber drivers, and social media bloggers. Her work has been published in various peer-reviewed journals such as Organisation, Organisational Research Methods, Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology and Journal of Business Ethics.

Nadia also serves as an Associate Editor of Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management. Her areas of teaching include human resource management, business management, and organisational studies. Nadia has taught and supervised dissertations at the undergraduate and postgraduate level in universities in Canada, the UK and Qatar.

When not working Nadia enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children, exploring and discovering Qatar's many gems.

Stephen started his career working for the Mapping and Charting Establishment (Royal Engineers) as a cartographer. He moved into education as an administrator and has held various management and leadership roles within the private and public sectors. He was director of development at a leading independent business school in London, and, as a member of the strategic management team there, was responsible for domestic and international student recruitment and selection, as well as all aspects of marketing and promotion.

He completed an MBA in 1994, and for the past twenty years he has concentrated on teaching and lecturing. He has taught on various university programmes (The University of Hull, The University of Plymouth, The University of Northampton, and The University of Wolverhampton), at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He was an external examiner for The University of Teesside and an Examiner for the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Stephen brings a wealth of experience both as a theoretician and a practitioner in management, marketing and strategy. In his professional and academic roles he has travelled widely around the globe and has experience of delivering programmes externally in China other Asia countries and across the African continent.

Dr Wilfrid Flanda is a Senior lecturer (Associate Professor) in Management at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen. Dr Wilfrid Flanda holds a BA (Hons) in Education, an MA in International Development (Education) and also an MBA. He successfully completed his postgraduate certificate in Teaching and Learning, which is accredited by the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE) and offers national and international recognition as a Fellow. He studied for his postgraduate doctoral degree at the University of Chester (UK) where he investigated the management of teacher continuing professional development in the UK further education sector.

Dr Flanda has fifteen (15) years of continuing and progressively responsible relevant professional experience in the field of education. He has developed extensive experience of curriculum planning and delivery, as well as course and programme development and administration from Foundation to doctorate levels. In his leadership roles, he has been responsible for outcomes that enable and enhance the University's education provision, from short courses through to doctoral programmes, with a strong focus on learning, teaching and the student experience. Dr Flanda has provided direction and leadership on student experience, education policy, flexible and online learning, admissions and student complaints. He has driven the delivery of an outstanding student experience that reflects and embeds the University's values and its diversity and inclusion commitments. Dr Flanda has ensured the scrutiny of both programme proposals and institutional partnerships in the United Kingdom, Hungary and Sri Lanka.

Dr Flanda' welcomes qualitative research projects in the following areas: Workplace learning; Diversity in the workplace; Prior experiential learning; (Teacher) Continuing professional development (in TVET); Teacher resilience; Marketisation of Higher education; Assessment and feedback in Higher education; Inclusive teaching and assessment.

Dr Rami Hamdi is a Senior Lecturer in Computing Science and the Programme Leader for the Computing Programmes at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen. He oversees the overall delivery and coordination of the computing programmes and serves as course coordinator for several modules, including Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, Algorithms, Databases and Data Management, Programming, and Mathematics.

He received the PhD degree in Engineering from the ÉTS University of Quebec, Canada, in 2018, where he was a recipient of the prestigious scholarship from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec Nature et Technologies for his doctoral research. His thesis was nominated for “Best Thesis of the Year”.

Prior to his tenure at AFG, Dr Hamdi held positions at several international universities, including the University of Quebec at Montreal, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, and Texas A&M University at Qatar.

Dr Hamdi authored numerous world-leading IEEE journal and conference papers. He has a research interest in artificial intelligence, internet of things, energy efficiency, resource management, and algorithm design for next generation wireless networks.

Dr Munshi Masudul Haq is a Senior Lecturer in Economics and Finance at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen, where he brings a wealth of academic and practical experience to his role. He holds a PhD in Economics, an MSc in International Money, Banking, and Finance, and a BSc in Economics, underscoring his deep commitment to the field. Since 2010, Dr Munshi has been privileged to teach Economics, Finance, Statistics, and Econometrics at renowned institutions, including the University of Aberdeen, the University of Birmingham, Aston University in the UK, and Qatar University. He is also a Certified Management & Business Educator (CMBE) from The Chartered Association of Business Schools in UK. His teaching philosophy is centered on nurturing the next generation of thinkers and equipping them with the skills needed to excel in a dynamic global economy.
In addition to his academic role, Dr Munshi serves as an independent consultant, offering expert insights in Applied Finance and Economics. His research endeavors are driven by a passion for advancing economic understanding and fostering financial innovation. He is honoured to have research published in leading international journals in Economics and Finance. Over the years, he has successfully secured research grants from various esteemed institutions worldwide. Currently, his research focuses on critical issues such as Food Security in Qatar and the MENA Region, with additional research interests in Applied Econometrics, International Trade, and Corporate Finance.
He is open to exploring new research collaborations and welcome opportunities to work with fellow scholars and professionals in advancing the field of Economics and Finance. He can be reached at munshi.haq@abdn.ac.uk for research collaboration opportunities.
Further information about Dr Munshi's research:

• Google Scholar Profile

Thayyiba Ibrahim is a Lecturer in Politics and International Relations with over seventeen years of experience in higher education across Qatar, the UK, and Canada. Over the last five years, she has taught at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen (Qatar), along with the University of Doha for Science and Technology and Qatar University. Her teaching has covered subjects such as international relations theory, globalization, political ideologies, research methods, and human development in Qatar. She has also contributed to curriculum design, accreditation processes, and student mentoring, including the supervision of undergraduate dissertations and master’s theses. In addition to teaching, she has been involved in program development, accreditation reviews, and strategic planning initiatives, helping to shape degree programmes in International Affairs, Global Diplomacy, and Defence Studies.

Dr Thomas Bonnie James is a Lecturer and the Programme Leader for Politics and International Relations at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen in Qatar. He is a specialist in West Asian Studies, with a research focus on International Relations, Global Political Economy, Foreign Policy Analysis, and Gulf Studies. His research explores Qatar’s Foreign Policy, emphasizing how non-traditional tools such as Sports Diplomacy, and Soft Power Strategies have shaped the country’s regional and international image. In addition to his expertise in Middle Eastern geopolitics. James is a specialist on Defense Diplomacy, Intelligence Studies, Cyber Defense, and Energy Politics. James serves as a reviewer for The International Journal of the History of Sport, published by Taylor & Francis. Outside of academia, James is an automotive enthusiast, specializing in circuit racing. He is also passionate about theatre and acting, actively exploring different performance techniques.

• Google Scholar Profile

Dr Saad Kashem is a Senior Lecturer in Computing Science at the AFG College with the University of Aberdeen. He has 11 years of experience as an Instructor, Course Coordinator, and Researcher of Robotics, Computer Science and Engineering courses in Australia, Malaysia, and Qatar. He received his B.Sc. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from East West University and Ph.D. degree in Robotics and Mechatronics from Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. At present, he is the Visiting Assistant Professor at Presidency University. Prior to that he worked at Qatar Armed Forces - Academic Officers Program, Qatar University, Texas A&M University, and Swinburne University of Technology. Dr Saad also worked in industry for two years as an Executive Electrical Engineer and Control System Engineer in Brisbane Australia.

Dr Saad has already published 1 patent, 1 book, 5 book chapters, 37 peer-reviewed journals (Web of Science indexed:12, Scopus indexed:19), and 22 conference articles (Total= 63). https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=_Sxh6SUAAAAJ&hl=en

He is a professional member of Institution of Engineering and Technology, UK (IET), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, and International Association of Engineers (IAENG). He is an editorial board member and reviewer of many international reputed Journals such as Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (USA), IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology (USA), Vehicle System Dynamics, Taylor and Francis Ltd, (UK) etc.

His research interests include vehicle dynamics, electric vehicle, renewable energy systems, intelligent and autonomous control, robotics, nonlinear control theory, and applications.

Dr Semih Kerestecioglu is a Senior Lecturer in Finance at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen. Prior to this appointment, he served as an Assistant Professor of Finance at the University of Aberdeen in the UK, where he coordinated and lectured on undergraduate and postgraduate finance courses. He holds his PhD in Finance from the University of Liverpool and MSc in Finance and Investment from the University of Exeter. His research focuses on economic uncertainty and financial markets, with particular interests in asset pricing, behavioural finance, market microstructure and pricing anomalies. His work has been published in ABS 3-star journals. Dr Kerestecioglu also supervises postgraduates dissertations and contributes to the development of core finance programmes.

Dr Razi Mahmood is a Senior Lecturer at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen in Public Health. He has an undergraduate degree in biology from Concordia University, a Master in Public Health degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD in Epidemiology degree conferred by the University of Saskatchewan.

Prior to joining the AFG College with the University of Aberdeen he worked at the University of Doha for Science and Technology and the University of Saskatchewan. He has 7 years of teaching experience having taught at undergraduate and graduate levels, and has successfully supervised/mentored several graduate students. He has developed courses related toepidemiology, biostatistics, research methods, health education, human ethics, and leadership. Research interests include epidemiology of chronic diseases (diabetes, COPD), infectious diseases (COVID-19, food borne illnesses, and STIs), and upstream determinants of disease (circadian disruption, mental health and well-being). In his free time he enjoys traveling, learning new languages, and spending time with his family.

Dr Christopher Miles is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen and has been teaching marketing communication, marketing management, and communication theory at the UG and PG level for the past 20 years at institutions in the UK, Cyprus, and Malta. He is a pioneer in applying rhetorical frames to consideration of persuasion in marketing theory and marketing strategy and has published three books exploring this area, along with many journal articles and book chapters. He holds a PhD from the University of East Anglia and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He is an Associate Editor at the Journal of Marketing Management, a member of the editorial board of Marketing Theory, and a Facilitator at the Journal of Customer Behaviour.

Dr Mohammad Naiseh is a Lecturer in Computing Science at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen. He earned his PhD in Responsible Artificial Intelligence from Bournemouth University, United Kingdom, where his research focused on designing safe and effective explainable AI (XAI) systems for clinical applications. Following his doctorate, Dr. Naiseh served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the UKRI Trustworthy Autonomous Systems Hub, University of Southampton. Prior to joining the University of Aberdeen, he held the position of Assistant Professor in AI and Data Science at Bournemouth University, where he designed and delivered computing programmes and led the Social XAI Research Group, exploring the intersection of explainability, ethics, and human–AI interaction. Naiseh is also an Editorial Board Member of Discover Artificial Intelligence and an active peer reviewer for leading international journals, including AI & Society and Artificial Intelligence in Medicine. His academic contributions lie at the crossroads of explainable AI, human-centered design, and responsible innovation, with a strong emphasis on real-world impact in healthcare and other critical domains.

Robert is an experienced Senior Lecturer that has worked around the world on a number of trans-national higher education projects.

Dr Nara Tagiyeva is a Senior Lecturer in Public Health at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen. She also holds an honorary position as a Senior Lecturer at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, where she previously worked.

At AFG College Nara leads a range of courses on the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme, including Research Methods, Epidemiology, and Systematic Reviewing.

Externally, she contributes as a member of Working Group 5 within the Euro-CAN (Multi-Sectoral Responses to Child Abuse and Neglect in Europe) Action network, funded by the European Cooperation on Science and Technology (COST). In this role, she providesmethodological expertise on research into child maltreatment in Europe, focusing on theimpacts during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nara is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Royal Society for Public Health, as well as a member of The International Society of Global Health and The External Examiners’ Community of Practice.

These affiliations enhance her educational and public health expertise, which she brings to her role.

She holds a PhD in Environmental Medicine from the University of Aberdeen and an MPH from Cardiff University. While her research initially centred on respiratory epidemiology, her interests have expanded to include broader public health challenges, with a particular focus on evidence synthesis and quantitative research.

Nara has a strong track record of securing research funding and publishing in high-impact journals. Her professional experience includes working with humanitarian organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN World Food Programme, collaborating on TB projects with the WHO and Ministries of Health and, and a clinical background specialising in asthma and allergies in Azerbaijan.

Dr Muhammad Wasim is a Senior Lecturer in Business Management at AFG College with the University of Aberdeen. He holds an MBA and DBA from the University of the West of Scotland, where his research focused on entrepreneurship, organisational orientations, and SME performance.