Professor Dr. Haris Abd Wahab is a faculty member at the Department of Social Administration and Justice, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya. He currently serves as the Deputy Dean (Development) and previously held the position of Deputy Dean (Student Affairs) within the same faculty. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Haris specializes in Community Development and has been instrumental in advancing teaching, learning, and research in the fields of community development and social work. He lectures on various subjects including social problems, social work, community development, social marketing, research methodology, and social theories. His research interests encompass community well-being, social care programs for at-risk children in Malaysia, children’s well-being, and social development among vulnerable groups. Before joining academia, Dr. Haris served as a Medical Social Worker at the Ministry of Health Malaysia from 1996 to 2000, where he gained valuable field experience in social work practice.

Dr. Zawawi Ismail is an Associate Professor and previously the Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He received his Bachelor Degree in Arabic Language & Literature (Major), Shariah (Minor) from Yarmouk University, Jordan, Post Graduate Diploma of Education from International Islamic University Malaysia, Master in Arabic Education and obtained his Ph.D. in the field of Education from the National University of Malaysia 2008. His research interests include Arabic & Islamic Education Curriculum, Teacher Education, Muslim Minority Education,  and Quranic Language Education. He has published articles in international and national journals,  books and other publications. Dr. Zawawi has contributed a lot to society and he is also active in several NGOs and one of the founders of Yayasan As-Syafie which is focusing on developing Islamic Boarding School in Cambodia and other educational activities in Indonesia and Malaysia.      

Dr. Abubakar Abubakar Usman is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of International and Strategic Studies at Universiti Malaya (UM), Malaysia, where he specializes in globalization, development, and the politics of Africa and the Middle East. With a multidisciplinary academic background spanning International Relations, Diplomacy, and Islamic Finance, Dr. Usman is a prolific scholar whose work bridges theory and policy. Academic LeadershipDr. Usman currently serves as a Guest Lecturer at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, teaching Politics and International Relations of the Middle East. He has also been invited as a Guest Speaker at institutions such as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Nile University Nigeria, where he shared expertise on diplomacy, conflict resolution, and strategic studies. His teaching philosophy emphasizes critical thinking and real-world applicability, honed through roles as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and as an English instructor for Saudi Schools Kuala Lumpur. Research ContributionsA dedicated researcher, Dr. Usman has held prestigious fellowships, including as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at IIUM’s Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIiBF), where he explored the intersection of Islamic finance and global development. As a Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Africa Studies Circle at the Asia Middle East Centre for Research and Dialogue (AMEC), he fosters cross-civilizational dialogue and evidence-based policy recommendations. His research has been published in high-impact journals such as South African Journal of International Affairs, Global Society, and Contemporary Islam, and he has contributed chapters to Routledge and Palgrave Macmillan volumes on Islamic finance, African diplomacy, and human rights. Dr. Usman actively engages in peer review for Web of Science-indexed journals, including Security Journal and SN Social Sciences, and is currently developing two book projects: The Political Economy of Africa-Asia Relations (Routledge) and Coups in 21st Century Africa (Palgrave Macmillan). His doctoral thesis on Boko Haram’s media strategies and master’s research on Islamic finance as a development tool reflect his commitment to addressing pressing global challenges. Policy and Public EngagementBeyond academia, Dr. Usman is a sought-after commentator on African geopolitics, contributing to platforms like Africa@LSE, Daily Trust, and The Conversation. His analyses on ECOWAS, military coups, and Nigeria’s foreign policy have shaped public discourse. He has also served as an interpreter and translator for Malaysian government agencies, leveraging fluency in English, Arabic, and Hausa. Education and Honors PhD in International Relations (Globalization & Development), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Master of Diplomacy and Strategic Studies (CGPA: 4.00), UKM Master of Political Science (CGPA: 3.83), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) BA in Arabic/Mass Communication, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria Professional Affiliations Member, International Studies Association (ISA) Associate Member, International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS) For a full list of publications and research projects, visit his Google Scholar or ORCID profiles. Contact:Email: abubakar.usman@um.edu.my | Phone: +60 162417993Address: Department of International and Strategic Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya