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

Jariah Mohd Jan is Professor in Sociolinguistics at the Department of English Language, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. She has held several leadership roles at the university as the Deputy Dean of the Institute of Graduate Studies, Deputy Executive Director of the Asia-Europe Institute, Deputy Dean of Research and Development, Deputy Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics. She specialises in sociolinguistics, in particular, gender and power in relation to language. Her recent work focuses on pragmatics, leadership discourse and the relevance of gender and ethnicity in the workplace, and academic concerns and needs of children in foster care. She is Programme Leader of the Impact-Oriented Interdisciplinary Research Grant (IIRG) Programme on documenting the language and culture of the Kerinchi community in Kuala Lumpur. She has also published numerous articles in international journals on topics ranging from gendered discourse, through socio-pragmatic aspects of interaction, to discourse and linguistic features of the Mah Meri, Javanese and Kerinchi communities in Malaysia. Her recent books include Discourse Research in the Malaysian Context (with Zalina Mohd Kasim and Sharon Sharmini Danarajan) (2020, Universiti Putra Malaysia Press), Pragmatics Research in the Malaysian Context (with Siti Nurbaya Mohd Nor, Mohd Ridwan Abdul Wahid, Veronica Lowe) (2021; Universiti Malaya Press), Voices in Texts and Contexts (with Yamaguchi, T. and Sheena Kaur) (2021; Sunway University Press), and Neoliberalization of English Language Policy in the Global South (with Jalalian Daghigh and Sheena Kaur) (2022; Springer).

Dr Rohaida Mohd. Saat is an honorary professor at the Department of Mathematics and Science Education, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya. She was the former dean at the faculty and before that, she was the Head of Quality Assurance and Accreditation Unit, Quality Management Enhancement Centre (QMEC), University of Malaya.  She received her Bachelor Degree and Master’s degree from Indiana University, USA and PhD degree from Universiti Putra Malaysia. She also holds a certificate in Qualitative Research Methods from The University of Georgia, USA. Her area of specialization and research is in science education, teacher education and qualitative research methodology. She headed several research projects in the area of science education, funded by various agencies. She has authored and co-authored several books, articles and research reports in the area of science education and education in general.  She has also served as Editorial Boards of Eurasia Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, European Journal of STEM Education and Journal of Science and Mathematics in Southeast Asia. She has served the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE) as a MyRA Auditor and on the panel of evaluators for MOHE research grants. She is a trained ISO auditor and the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUNQA) lead academic programme assessor.