Dr. Mohammed H. Alaqad is an Assistant Professor of Translation & Interpreting Studies at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. He has more than 15 years of academic and research experience. His main areas of research interest include translation studies and conference interpreting, forensic linguistics, artificial intelligence (AI), and socio-ideological aspects of the Arabic language. He is also the founder and CEO of the Asian Federation of Translators and Interpreters, Malaysia, where he contributes to advancing professional standards and fostering regional collaboration in the language services industry. Previously, he served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Hashim Sani Centre for Palestine Studies, University of Malaya. From February 2019 to January 2024, Dr. Alaqad was an Assistant Professor at Management & Science University (MSU), where he led both the diploma and bachelor programs in translation and interpreting. During his tenure, he made significant contributions to establishing and shaping the university’s translation programs. He also served as an Associate Professor of translation and interpreting in the English Language Department at the Faculty of Humanities, Israa University, Gaza, Palestine, from 20 September 2023 to 31 December 2023. Dr. Alaqad has held several academic appointments at the University of Malaya, including: Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Hashim Sani Centre for Palestine Studies (July 2024 - August 2025) Universiti Malaya Elite Fellow, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics (December 2024 – December 2025) Visiting Lecturer, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics (February 2023 – February 2024) Lecturer (English & Arabic subjects), Center for Continuing Education (July 2017 – July 2018) Research Assistant, Asia-Europe Institute / The Centre for ASEAN Regionalism Universiti Malaya (CARUM)/ Humanities Research Cluster, IPPP (February 2013 – July 2017) He has been invited as a keynote/guest speaker at more than 40 international conferences and academic events, contributing to global discussions on language, translation, education, and artificial intelligence (AI). He is also a seasoned conference interpreter, having participated in over 150 conferences and events; this experience informs his academic work and deepens his understanding of the practical challenges and complex scenarios in interpretation and communication. His scholarly contributions include numerous peer-reviewed research articles, books, and book chapters. In addition to his research, Dr. Alaqad is the managing editor of The International Journal of Palestine Studies, UM. He also serves on the editorial boards of Cambridge Scholars of Language & Linguistics (UK), the International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (IJALT) (USA), and the Journal of Intercultural Communication Research (a Scopus-indexed Routledge journal) from 2022 to 2025. He is also an editorial board member of The Southeastern Philippines Journal of Research and Development (a Scopus-indexed Q2 journal) in the Philippines from 2022 to 2027.   

  Dr Sr Yasmin Mohd Adnan has been with the Department of Real Estate, Faculty of Built Environment since 2001 until her retirement as a Professor in 2024. Currently, she is taking on the role of Honorary Professor in the same department. During her term at the university, she was the Head of the Department of Estate Management from 2004 to 2007, from 2015 to 2018, and was the Deputy Dean (Undergraduate Studies) from 2019 to 2021. Before joining the University of Malaya, she worked in a property consultancy firm, a bank, the property subsidiary of PETRONAS, the national oil company and KLCC Urusharta. Her career spans over 30 years in the areas of valuation, property and facilities management within the real estate practice and academic sectors. A valuer and property manager by training and professionally registered with the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agent and Property Managers, Malaysia, Dr Yasmin has been involved in several major research projects in real estate focusing on commercial real estate studies, real estate sustainability (management & development) as well as real estate economics and has published in several local and international journals. She is also currently a fellow and member of several professional organisations which include the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (RISM), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (UK) and Malaysia Institute of Property and Facility Managers, Malaysia and has held various positions in RISM including as a council member, examination board member, editorial board member, education and accreditation board as well as past Secretary of the Property Surveyors Division. In addition, she was a board member of the Pacific Rim Real Estate Society from 2011 to 2017. She was the chief editor of the International Journal of Property Sciences, a journal of the Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya. She has also chaired international conferences, including the Pacific Rim Real Estate Society conferences held twice (jointly with the Royal Institution of Surveyors, Malaysia - partnering universities committee) in Kuala Lumpur.    

A PhD graduate in Human Molecular Genetics from University of Aberdeen, UK, with a special interest in researching DNA variations and Genomics in various organisms. Currently serving Universiti Malaya as an academic, a researcher, and also leading the Faculty of Science as Dean. As Dean, his main focus is to synergize linkages with industrial partners and agencies, and effort that is crucial to ensure graduate employability.