Faculty

Pro-Vice Chancellor

Professor John Grainger, as a graduate of Murdoch Perth, Western Australia, is delighted to lead a team of educational professionals in offering a range of internationally accredited Australian degrees in Dubai. These educational opportunities truly represent the ethos, high standards, and unequivocal calibre of degrees offered by Murdoch University in Australia.

Professor Grainger earned degrees in Psychology and Education prior to gaining his MBA and his Doctorate in Business Administration. He has a long and distinguished career within the international information dissemination industry, as a professional writer and publisher; a successful business leader; an IT consultant; a teacher and an academic in Australia, the United Kingdom and Singapore, before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 2002.

He describes life in the UAE, and Dubai in particular, as “energizing, stimulating and very fulfilling” and reflects that “the opportunity to help grow an Australian university of international reputation, within the context of the UAE is a professional and personal dream come true.” He is enthusiastic about Murdoch University’s role in offering genuine and authentic learning opportunities to young people in the Emirates, specifically crafted to develop the skills, experience and expertise which will empower them to take on their future role as leaders in the local and global business community.

Professor Grainger is passionate about teaching, and he has considerable experience in most areas of business education with particular expertise in Strategic Management, Leadership and Motivation, Entrepreneurship, Educational Technology, Knowledge Management, Information Technology and Environmental Sustainability. He is also a strong advocate of student-focused and authentic learning experiences, whereby students learn by active rather than passive engagement - pedagogical techniques perfected by Murdoch University over its three decade history. He is enthusiastic about the role of technology in improving the learning process and is himself a dedicated life-long learner.

Message from the Pro-Vice Chancellor

E-mail: john.grainger@murdochdubai.ac.ae

Academic Director – Murdoch Business School

Amanda joined Murdoch in August 2009, bringing with her over ten years’ experience of teaching Business, IT and English in the tertiary education sector in Australia, the UK, Kuwait and the UAE. In addition to teaching, Amanda has also coordinated a Student Success Centre in the UAE, which aims at helping students of all levels become holistic learners. She is absolutely delighted to be leading a team of highly qualified Business faculty, and is passionate about student-focused learning.

Amanda has a strong background in the Australian education system. She has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Australia in Perth, with a double major in Psychology, and minors in Anthropology and Economics. She attained her MBA with distinction from Charles Sturt University in Australia, and specialised in tertiary education and human resource development in a Middle Eastern context. Amanda is also a qualified TEFL teacher with a Cambridge University CELTA, and holds additional qualifications from TAFE in Australia, focusing on Training and Assessment, and from Wideworld Harvard Business School, focusing on Teaching for Understanding.

In addition to her academic background, Amanda is a Member of the Australian Institute of Management, and has worked in private industry and government departments in a number of countries including Australia, New Zealand, Germany and France.

E-mail: amanda.mcstay@murdochdubai.ac.ae

Acting Academic Director for Media and Mass Communication

Johan Claasen hails from South Africa where he honed his journalistic skills over three decades in print, radio and television news. Johan holds a BA (Ed) from the University of Johannesburg in 1983 and started teaching English at a local high school before commencing his career as a as sports journalist at a local newspaper. In 1984 Johan joined the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) as radio news reporter. This set him on the road for a career in broadcast journalism that has yet to end.. Johan served in several capacities, such as producer and editor of one of the SABC's national radio news and actuality programmes, radio correspondent in Bonn ('West' Germany), input-editor of national TV news, regional news editor, and specialist parliamentary reporter.

Later on Johan became founder employee of Punt Gesels Radio, South Africa's first talk radio station in the Afrikaans language. In his capacity as the station's Regional News Editor in Cape Town, Johan hosted his own talk show on socio-political issues and the media industry.

Before embarking on a search for new career opportunities in the UAE, Johan spent four years at academic institutions in Cape Town and Stellenbosch where he lectured in Journalism, Media Studies, Communication Science and Public Relations. He also completed an intensive Television Production and Reporting course at the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism in Johannesburg. This course was presented in association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Johan's passion lies in Media. In relying on his experience he strives to contribute towards keeping Murdoch on the forefront of quality education and training.

E-mail: johan.claasen@murdochdubai.ac.ae

Lesley Mullen graduated from University of Durham in the United Kingdom where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (Hons) Degree and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education. She has a wide range of teaching experience and has taught across the “quantitative curriculum” for the past ten years in the United Kingdom, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Lesley lived and taught in Fujairah for two years before leaving to take up a middle management teaching position in Cairo. She is very happy to return to the UAE and is very excited to now be part of the team at Murdoch University International Study Centre Dubai.

Lesley has always been fascinated by Mathematics and finds the subject very exciting. She is passionate about teaching and is extremely committed to her students. She employs a range of teaching methods to ensure higher student confidence, motivation, interaction and ultimately higher achievement.

E-mail: lesley.mullen@murdochdubai.ac.ae

Saba Siddiqi holds Masters Degree from Goldsmiths University in London, United Kingdom, where she graduated with a Distinction in Media Communications, specialising in Film-making. She has also attended Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia where she earned her qualifications as a Murdoch Lecturer in the Tutor Training Program.

Saba is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Media Communication and Culture at Murdoch University Dubai. She is specializing in Screen and Sound Studies and Productions, and is currently engrossed in producing the next generation of Film and Television specialists to accommodate the booming media field in Dubai.

E-mail: saba.siddiqi@murdochdubai.ac.ae

Associate Lecturer

Cristina Popa holds a Degree in Mathematics, with a concentration in Applied Mathematics from Al. I. Cuza University, Romania. Her expertise also encompasses the fields of Psychology, Pedagogy and Methodology of Mathematics Teaching. Popa taught Mathematics and IT for three years in Romania and later established a career as a Certified Accountant in Perth, Western Australia, where she was also honoured with ‘The Award of Excellence’ from Career People, Perth. Popa also holds an IV Certification in ESL.

Cristina has been with Murdoch University since May 2009 as a lecturer of Mathematics and Statistics, and Information Technology for Murdoch University Preparation Course.

Faculty - Business

Dan joined Murdoch University in November 2009 to teach in the MUPC and Business programmes. Hailing from the United States, Daniel Adkins began his career working in the information technology industry. He has taught IT professionals in various disciplines including project management, quality management, and leadership skills. Over the course of 20 years, Adkins held numerous management positions, including CIO and CEO. After founding an international school in India, he moved to the UAE in 2007 to return to his passion, which is teaching. Dan holds an MBA from Herriot-Watt University and has received professional certifications in project management, quality assurance, and TEFL.

Carrie Annabi joined Murdoch Business School in December 2009 as a lecturer for the MBA program. She holds a BA in Business Administration from Paisley University (UK), a Master of Science degree in Logistics from Glasgow Caledonian University (UK) and has studied further an MSc in Property Investment and Finance through Heriot Watt University (UK). Her research interests have included disparate areas, such as the UK fibre-optic technology infrastructure, the impact of European Directives on recycling and the paper industry, social deprivation indices and ensuing community and housing regeneration. Carrie has maintained her personal development and was recently awarded a Graduate Certificate in Law from the University of the West of Scotland (UK) to augment her Specialist Paralegal qualification in Employment Law gained in conjunction with Strathclyde University (UK). Carrie is also TEFL certificated and her next academic challenge is a PhD.

Carrie has extensive international experience and has worked in Qatar, Cyprus, Finland, as well as Singapore. Although a recent recruit to the UAE, Carrie possesses over 10 years exposure to the Gulf region, and is delighted to be back working within academia. She is excited by the prospect of living in Dubai during this current global dynamic economic phase as she believes it will provide her students with a platform from which to effect a positive change to business arenas, by providing bona fide opportunities and value-added gains for their learning experiences.

Dr Rhiannon Talbot is an honours graduate from the University of Lancaster (UK), holds a doctorate from the University of Warwick (UK) and a postgraduate diploma in teaching, from the University of Newcastle (UK). In her academic career she has taught in both the University of Warwick and the University of Newcastle.

She has over two dozen publications in a wide range of sectors ranging from international peer reviewed academic journals, newspapers, book chapters, edited collections to magazines. She has extensive media experience having undertaken work with the BBC and appeared on programmes such as BBC1 the Politics show, Radio 4 and Radio 5. She is also a qualified TEFL teacher and has previously worked in post-communist Czechoslovakia (now the Slovak Republic). She took a short career break from academic teaching from 2006-2008 where she lived in rural India and undertook charitable work with local schools.

Lecturer

Saritha hails from India, having graduated from the Mahatma Gandhi University in Law. She went on to do her Masters in Law at Cochin University of Science and Technology, where she specialised in Environment and Consumer Law. Presently doing her PhD, her research concentrates on how the emigration law protects human rights of people going abroad. It tries to analyse the drawbacks of the existing emigration laws of India and suggest solutions to the issue.

Saritha has been living in Dubai for the past five years during which she has acquired experience teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students in universities. Her main areas of teaching concentrate on Law, Industrial Relations, Environmental Management and Tourism.

She has joined Murdoch University as lecturer of Law and teaches MBA and MHRM and of Media Law for undergraduates. She is very passionate about teaching. Teaching Law in a foreign country gives her ample opportunity to interact with the students on a higher level. It also allows her  to learn their views about legal systems of many countries; how to develop a critical attitude and instil a sense of justice as part of their values system.

Lecturer and Teaching and Learning Centre Coordinator

Reem holds an MA in English: Issues in Modern Culture, from the University College London, and a BA in English Literature from the American University of Beirut. After being awarded her MA, she taught at the Lebanese American University and then moved on to teach English at AUB, her alma mater, for several years. In the UAE, she has taught at the American University in Dubai, and has also gained valuable copywriting experience at leading multinational advertising agencies. 

Reem joined Murdoch University in December 2009 and is excited to be teaching again.  She is a lecturer in the School of Media Communication and Culture, and also runs Murdoch Dubai’s Teaching and Learning Centre, where she assists students in improving their critical thinking, writing skills, and their study habits, through workshops and one-on-one consultations.

Reem is dedicated to bringing out the best in her students and believes that Murdoch’s student-focused approach is a great step in that direction.

Lecturer

Carol is a highly professional lecturer with a strong focus on the quality of the learning experience and a passionate commitment to the development of students. She has extensive experience in the business world in various Management and Executive Management roles. She has worked in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the UAE. She also has valuable experience training in the corporate sector.

In addition to her business background Carol has an MBA in Strategic Marketing. She also holds teaching qualifications from Trinity College and City & Guilds. She is a member of the British Institute for Learning and is a dedicated lifelong learner.

Associate Lecturer

A communications specialist with 11 years of cumulative experience in radio and television broadcasting, advertising and public relations, Devajyoti J Haldar has a wide range of interests and expertise in mass media. He holds a postgraduate degree from India’s premier institution, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication.

He was part of the elite group promoting ‘Education@UK’, as part of his duties at British Council Division. His radio career spans India and the UAE. Devajyoti has expanded his repertoire by experimenting with formats and music genres. Filmstars, musicians, politicians, economists, business barons, artists and star journalists have featured regularly on his shows. Dev has been associated with Murdoch University, Dubai, since its inception in 2008. He believes that Dubai’s media scene has immense potential and that all it takes to get there is effective communicators. Dev believes that the presence of Murdoch University in Dubai, will help that dream into reality.

E-mail: devajyoti.haldar@murdochdubai.ac.ae