Our faculty

Murdoch University Dubai faculty

Our university faculties in Dubai consist of a range of experts in their fields who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and skills with students. The academic staff is dedicated to providing an excellent learning experience for all students. They have a wealth of knowledge in their fields and are always happy to share their expertise with students who want to learn more about their chosen subject area.

Our faculty members come from a variety of countries and backgrounds, but they all share one thing in common: they’re dedicated to providing our students with an education that will prepare them for their careers by offering them the most current research available. Our faculty members have extensive experience working at universities around the world, including Australia, Canada, England, and more—and they’re all ready to help you achieve your goals at Murdoch University Dubai!

They are committed to the success of our students, and they know that in order for them to succeed, it is essential to provide them with a high-quality education that is accessible around the world.

That’s exactly why we are offering the following programs for your career growth:

Business
Communication
Psychology
Information Technology
Criminology
Education

We all know that feeling of looking around and seeing an exciting world of possibilities, but not knowing where to start. If you’re unsure of what direction to take with your studies or career, this is your starting point. Our courses are grouped into study areas to help you find the path that’s right for you. Within each study area in Murdoch Academics, you’ll see our undergraduate, honours, and postgraduate courses.

Be a part of our community of leaders

At Murdoch, we value the contributions of our diverse and passionate employees. We are committed to helping them grow in their careers and thrive professionally as part of a supportive community.

Murdoch University has an ambitious agenda for growth both locally and internationally. With campuses in Perth, Singapore, and Dubai and more than 25,000 students on its rosters—it is one of the fastest-growing universities in Australia.

Discipline Lead Profiles

Dr. Leena Wanganoo

Discipline Lead – Business

Dr. Leena is a distinguished academic leader with 30 years of experience, 12 years in educational leadership within higher education and an 18-year corporate career with multinational companies. She holds a PhD in Sustainable Supply Chain Management, a Postgraduate Diploma in International Business and an MBA in Marketing.

As a discipline lead, Dr. Leena oversees the Diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate business programs while teaching Global Business, Sustainability, and Strategic Management courses. Her rich blend of academic and industry experience ensures that students gain both theoretical understanding and practical insights.

In addition to her teaching role, Dr. Leena is actively engaged in research and case study development. Her research interests lie in Sustainable Management & Development and Service excellence strategy. She regularly publishes her work in esteemed international journals, and many of her case studies have been featured by The Case Centre, UK. Beyond her academic responsibilities, Dr. Leena is a founding member of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce Higher Education initiative. She actively contributes to advancing higher education in the UAE and co-leads the academic coordinator community of practitioners, part of the university’s learning and teaching network.

Dr. Magdalena Mosanya

Discipline Lead – Psychology

Dr. Magdalena Mosanya holds a PhD in Psychology from the Institute of Psychology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, an MSc in psychology from Middlesex University, and an MA in cultural anthropology and communication from Silesian University. She is the Discipline Lead for Psychology and Criminology, as well as Student Counsellor at Murdoch University Dubai.

Dr. Magdalena’s extensive research experience is reflected in her authorship of numerous scientific publications and speeches given at international conferences. Her research interests span a wide range of areas, including intercultural communication, the well-being of third culture kids (TCKs), sports psychology, and women’s emancipation. In addition, she is proficient in various therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy and EMDR.

Faiza Qureshi

Discipline Lead – Foundation Studies and Master of Education

Faiza Qureshi is the Discipline Lead for the Master of Education and Foundation Programs at Murdoch University, Dubai. She serves as Chair of the Learning and Teaching Committee and is a full-time lecturer for the MEd and Graduate Certificates in Education courses. Faiza currently teaches courses in education on policy analysis, teaching and learning in culturally diverse environments, teaching methodologies and research for educators. She is also an associate editor for a Scopus-indexed Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching.

Currently pursuing a PhD in Education from Murdoch University (Australia), Faiza holds a Master of Education degree from Murdoch University (Dubai), a UG Dip in English from the University of London (UK), and an ICELT qualification from Cambridge (UK). She also has Senior Fellowship and AFHEA from Advance HE.

With a career spanning over 15 years in the education sector, Faiza is actively engaged in several SoTL and higher education research projects and regularly publishes articles in academic journals on learning and teaching in higher education; she has been on an editorial board of an ELT journal for several years and has also co-authored an ESL book and a few works of fiction. Faiza has also been a Vice Principal at a school and serves on the stakeholders’ committees for schools.

Joseph John Nalloor

Discipline Lead – Communication

Associate Dean – Engagement

Joseph John Nalloor is the Discipline Lead for the Bachelor of Communication courses at Murdoch University Dubai. He has over 19 years of experience teaching media in Dubai and has headed three media schools. He also currently serves as the Associate Dean of Engagement.

He is a Strategy Board Member of MEPRA (Middle East Public Relations Association) and a Board Member of PRCA-MENA (Public Relations and Communications Association). As a member of the MEPRA AI Committee, he was part of the team that released one of the first ‘AI guidelines’ for the communications PR community in the Middle East. Joseph also serves on several university academic boards.

He believes in strong student-industry collaborations and has been responsible for multiple tie-ups with the Dubai Press Club, Emirates Literature Festival, Sharjah International Book Fair, and Dubai International Film Festival. Over the years, his students have been working in media houses and PR firms in the UAE and the region.

Joseph has mentored several successful student teams that have participated in competitions and creative hackathons and received notable awards.

Moreover, Joseph’s research and industry engagement has garnered him recognition as a thought leader in the media field. His publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations at international conferences, and contributions as a speaker on media issues demonstrate his commitment to staying at the forefront of industry trends and sharing his insights with a broad audience. Joseph has spoken on several industry panels, quoted in news articles, and even appeared on broadcast media. He is also an Associate Fellowship holder from the Higher Education Academy (HEA), UK.

Dr. Salih Ismail

Discipline Lead – Information Technology

Dr. Salih is an industry-experienced academician. He holds a PhD from Heriot-Watt University in Security of Cloud Computing. He also graduated with a distinction in MSc in Computer Systems Management from Heriot-Watt University and received a BSc (Hons) in Information Technology from the University of Bedfordshire. He holds a Fellowship (FHEA) and a Senior Fellowship (SFHEA) from the Higher Education Academy (UK).

His research interests include Cyber Security, the Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, and the Semantic Web. He has published across various disciplines in some top journals and conferences. His research collaborations have extended globally to receive funding for his projects.

Before academia, he worked in the industry in various posts, including IT Manager, Technology Officer, and Database Administrator, and sat on many advisory boards for tech start-ups. Throughout his career, Dr. Salih has demonstrated a strong commitment to shaping the next generation of leaders and thinkers. He has consulted on multiple mission-critical projects in Cyber Security for both Governments and Industries. He has received various awards showcasing his excellence in Cybersecurity, including the prestigious Dubai Electronic Cyber Security Innovation Award.

Dr. Rania Itani

Dr. Rania holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) with a focus on Finance from Nottingham Trent University (UK). She has 17 years of professional experience, including eight years in academia, where she has taught Finance, Accounting, and Economics. During this time, she served as the Specialisation Coordinator for the Department of Finance, Accounting, and Economics for five years. She has also participated in various executive roles, including Chair of the Faculty Senate and a member of the Board of Directors.

Dr. Rania teaches Finance at Murdoch University Dubai, engaging both postgraduate and undergraduate students.

Her research spans financial crises, regulatory issues, and digital finance. She has been widely published in international journals and presented at leading conferences. Dr. Rania is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Business and Operations Research and has a research affiliation with the Jordan Applied Science Research Center. She also serves on the steering committee of the Global Academic Forum on Technology, Innovation, and Management (GAFTIM) and reviews for the Corporate & Business Strategy Review journal. Her contributions to the field have been recognised with several research awards.

Before her academic career, Dr. Rania spent eight years in the banking sector, where she concluded her tenure as Head of the Financial Institutions Department and attained international professional certification.

Dr. Pallavi Ranjan

Dr. Pallavi Ranjan is a faculty member at Murdoch University Dubai and a research scientist in AI focused on computer vision, image processing and earth sciences. With over 15 years of full-time academic experience in the Middle East and India, Dr. Ranjan is a visionary leader with a strong focus on mentoring and nurturing future tech professionals. She earned her PhD in AI and Machine Learning from Delhi Technological University in 2024 and a Fellowship from the Higher Education Academy (UK) in 2017 for her teaching excellence. Dr. Ranjan completed her master’s in computer science engineering as a gold medallist in 2010 after successfully clearing the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering. Presently, she is steering the Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems program at Murdoch University Dubai.

Her research involves developing novel algorithms in Computer Vision, Image Processing, Generative AI, Data Science and Machine Learning with remote sensing, HSI, earth sciences, urban development, and disaster management applications. She has published over 30 papers in SCI/E journals and conferences, authored multiple book chapters, and filed several patents in the Indian Patent Office and the Australian Government. Dr. Ranjan actively participates in government and industry-funded projects and reviews for prestigious journals, including IEEE TGRS, Earth Sciences, Signal Image Video Processing, and JISA, to name a few. Believing that teaching, industry, and research are inseparable parts of academia, Dr. Ranjan has chaired sessions at leading conferences and organised and hosted conferences powered by the British Computer Society, CISCO, Oracle MEA, Robotics Club @The Assembly during her tenure at Middlesex University. She was honoured with the Commendable Research Award from Delhi Technological University for her contributions to the field. Extremely close to her heart, Dr. Ranjan is committed to empowering women to pursue careers in science and tech. She previously served as the Head of the ORACLE Academy MEA and is a Senior Member of IEEE, where she continues to contribute to her domain.

Noor Alkhateeb

Noor Jamal Alkhateeb is an IT lecturer in Computer Science with extensive experience in academia and industry. She holds a Master’s in Software Engineering and is currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science at UAEU. Noor has over eight years of teaching experience in higher education, specialising in hybrid teaching approaches, and eight years of industrial experience as an IT Manager, Web Application Department Manager, and Software Engineer. She is ITIL certified (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), bridging academic concepts with practical industry applications. Noor’s research focuses on bioinformatics, particularly using deep learning models, especially graph models, to predict genetic modifiers in rare genetic diseases. She has received numerous awards and promotions during her tenure as an IT Manager and teacher.

Dr. Sushma Hans

Dr. Sushma Hans is a distinguished academic professional with over 13 years of experience in teaching and research, contributing significantly to the field of Information Technology. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from Delhi University, India. She specialises in several key domains, including database management systems, business intelligence, research methodologies, machine learning, algorithms, and programming languages. She is an Associate Fellowship holder from the Higher Education Academy (HEA), UK.

Dr. Sushma Hans also brings a solid foundation of corporate experience from her tenure at Aricent Technologies, where she honed her expertise in industry practices before transitioning fully into academia. Her dual experience in both corporate and academic spheres allows her to offer students a holistic perspective on the application of technology in real-world settings. As a dedicated educator and researcher, Dr. Sushma continues to contribute to the evolving landscape of Information Technology, inspiring the next generation of innovators and thought leaders.