HBMSU Dean receives education leadership award at Asian Leadership Awards

Dr. Hanan Issa Malkawi recognized for her commitment to excellence

[UAE, October 8, 2014] – Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has announced that its newly appointed Dean for Research and Doctoral Studies, Dr. Hanan Issa Malkawi, won a prestigious honor the Asian Education Leadership Award at the 4th Asian Leadership Awards for her continuing commitment to excellence in the academic field. Dr. Malkawi bagged the coveted education leadership award in recognition of her outstanding efforts to help enrich and transform the country's culture, society and economy.

For more than 25 years, Dr. Malkawi has been heavily involved in biotechnology and bio-nanotechnology research and their applications in the environmental, health, agriculture, microbiology, food, and cosmetics fields. She has over 70 published papers in peer-reviewed international scientific journals and outstanding teaching and supervision activities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She has also registered several patents and received numerous grants and fellowships from national and international agencies. She has attended numerous congresses, symposia and forums across the globe to deliver lectures and share her expertise as well.

Prof. Moustafa Hassan, Assistant Chancellor for Academic Affairs, said: “Dr. Malkawi epitomizes the core values of a true leader in terms of strength, innovation, ingenuity, knowledge and foresight. Her numerous research projects are truly invaluable especially now that the UAE Government is moving towards adopting a knowledge-based economy.

The university as well as its students will indeed benefit from her wealth of knowledge and be inspired by her passion for lifelong learning. Her win at the 4^th Asian Education Leadership Awards is also our success as she is a testament to the caliber of HBMSU’s entire academic team. We are proud of her and we extend our congratulations to her.”

The education leadership award is only one of the major recognitions that Dr. Malkawi has received during the course of her career. Furthermore, she is an active member of several national, regional and international academic and non-academic institutions. Prior to her appointment as Dean for Research and Doctoral Studies at HBMSU, she was also the Assistant and Vice-Dean of Faculty of Sciences; Director of the UNESCO Chair for Desert Studies; Dean of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies; Director of Foreign Projects Management Unit; and, more recently, Vice President for Scientific Research and International Relations at Yarmouk University.

Dr. Malkawi said: “The recent prestigious honor given by the Asian Education Leadership Awards is proof of our untiring efforts at HBMSU to enhance and strengthen the culture of research and development in the country. It shows our commitment to establish a learning environment that stimulates and encourages creativity and innovation to help the UAE Government’s initiative to harness the power of information and technology to attain economic success. This recognition only pushes me even more to do better in my field and inspire the younger generation to embark on research activities of national importance. Rest assured that I would continue on with my mission to contribute to the advancement of the local, regional and global education sectors.”