Speakers

Prof. Isam Zabalawi is the President of the Australian University (AU). With a PhD in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Leeds University, he is specialized in analog and digital signal processing and communication techniques. His interests include the communication industry, information technology, technology transfer and higher education development and reform.

Prof. Zabalawi is a well-published research scholar and prior to joining AU in 2017, held senior positions including President of The Arab Academy for Banking & Financial Sciences, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Jordan, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah (UAE), Chairman of the Higher Education Accreditation Council of Jordan, founding minister for establishing the German-Jordanian University and founding President of the International University for Science and Technology (IUST) in Syria 2005-2007.

He is a Fellow of Engineers Australia and awarded the Engineering Executive credentials. Additionally, he is a fellow of The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) – United Kingdom and he is a fellow with the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI). He served as a Higher Education Reform Expert (HERE’s) with the European Commission and Erasmus+ (Tempus) Office, Jordan.

Ali Emrouznejad is Professor and Chair in Business Analytics at Surrey Business School, UK, and Director of the Centre for Business Analytics in Practice. His research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and performance measurement, with particular expertise in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and sustainability analytics.

Professor Emrouznejad has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles and several influential books on business analytics, big data, and AI. He serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Business Analytics and holds editorial roles with several leading journals in operations research and management science. His applied research spans sectors such as healthcare, education, energy, and public services, with a focus on using data-driven approaches to support digital transformation and sustainable development.

Recognized among the top 2% of most influential scientists globally, he holds an h-index above 85 and is widely regarded as a global leader in AI and operations research. www.emrouznejad.com