Professor Ghassan Aouad

Professor Ghassan Aouad is a distinguished academic leader with more than three decades of experience in higher education, research, and university management. Prior to joining Abu Dhabi University, he served as President of Applied Science University for over eight years and held several senior leadership positions at leading universities across the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

He earned his Master of Science in Construction (1987) and Ph.D. in Integrated Planning Systems for the Construction Industry (1991) from Loughborough University. Following the completion of his doctoral studies, he joined University of Salford, where he served in a number of senior academic and administrative roles, including Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Professor Aouad has supervised 24 doctoral students, examined 52 Ph.D. candidates, authored three research books, published more than 90 peer-reviewed journal articles, and delivered over 50 keynote speeches at international conferences worldwide. He has also secured more than £18 million in research funding through major international research projects as both Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator.

His leadership experience further includes serving as President of University of Wollongong in Dubai and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Gulf University for Science and Technology. In addition, he has held prominent leadership positions within professional organizations, including President and Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Building.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to higher education and research, Professor Aouad was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Technology by Loughborough University in 2016. He is a Fellow of Advance HE and the Chartered Institute of Building, and serves as a member of Advance HE’s Strategic Advisory Group for Leadership and Management.