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

Dr. Anas Hakimee is a Restorative Clinical Specialist and lecturer at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya. He obtained his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from Universiti Malaya in 2014 and served with the Ministry of Health Malaysia until 2019. He subsequently completed his postgraduate training and was awarded a Master of Clinical Dentistry in Restorative Dentistry in 2023, also from Universiti Malaya, with clinical emphasis on Prosthodontics, Implantology, and Digital Dentistry workflows. Dr. Anas is actively involved in teaching and supervising both undergraduate and postgraduate dental students. He is a committed member of several esteemed professional organisations, including the International Association for Dental Research – Malaysia Section (IADR MALSEC), the International Team for Implantology (ITI), the Malaysian Association of Prosthodontics (MAP), and the Malaysian Dental Association (MDA). He also serves as one of the founding committee members of the Malaysian Dental Materials Society (MADEMS). His clinical interests centre around the integration of digital workflows in restorative dentistry and implantology. His research areas include Prosthodontics, Dental Materials, Digital Dentistry, Implantology, and Dental Traumatology. Currently, he is involved in a university-funded research project on dental trauma and supervises both undergraduate & postgraduate students in both clinical audit and research projects.

Ts. Dr. Rajiv Ravi is a Researcher and Senior Lecturer from the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya (UM). Professional Technologist (Ts) certified under (MBOT), Biotechnology specialist. Rajiv Ravi completed his undergraduate in the field of Biotechnology in 2010 and venture into Parasitology in the field of applied parasitology in University Science Malaysia (2013). He has been active in understanding the role, life cycles, prevalences, morphology and molecular identifications parasites in aquatic environment, mainly Zeylanicobdella argumensis, Neobenedenia melleni, Acanthocephala, and Caligus clemensi. Further completed Molecular Parasitology Doctoral Research (PhD) in University Science Malaysia in the year (2018). He then pursued his Postdoctoral work in collaborative research project from Vector Control Research Unit (VCRU) USM & UMK on the establishment of various bioinsecticides against Aedes mosquitoes. The notable achievements in his term were from the invention of Nano-Azo’s Mosquito Control, published 2019 in Berita Harian Malaysian Newspapers under the segment of Varsity. Additionally, won Gold Medals in ITEX, MTE 2019 and Invited Judge Panel for MTE Invention and Innovation Award Category, 2020. Moving on from there he, joined private academic university as a Lecturer, and secured Principal Investigator(PI) for KPT Research Grants Title, Larvicidal activities of Areca catechu L. extracts against Aedes (Diptera) (FRGS) worth RM70,100 and Co-Researcher for MOF research grant title, Superfood Spirulina worth RM284,000. Next in his career progression, he moved his achievements as Head of Biology Department for Sumitomo Chemicals under the Environmental Health and Technology Centre (EHTC), working with new active developments and data generations for HCRL, Tarkazuka, Japan Research Sumitomo Institutions. He also played major role as New Idea Development (NID) coordinator for Environmental Health Technology Centre (EHTC), Asia Pacific and Japan.