From the bustling streets of Dhaka to the academic corridors of London, Prof. Taimur Sharif’s path has been marked by vision, resilience, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence. What began as a young scholar’s interest in Bangladesh has grown into a lifelong mission to reimagine education as a vehicle for change across countries. Today, as Dean of the College of Business at a leading American university in the Middle East, he stands as a global academic leader whose career spans continents and cultures, combining creativity with integrity.
Over the last two decades, Prof. Sharif has led institutions across South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, with a vision rooted in inclusion, innovation, and transformation. His belief in learning by doing has shaped his efforts to make education more experiential and technology-driven, tailormade for a diverse range of learners. From establishing Iraq’s first Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program to launching South Asia’s first Agribusiness MBA, he has consistently turned ideas into pioneering initiatives. Whether inspiring new teaching methods in the United Kingdom or advancing educational excellence in the Middle East, Prof. Sharif’s leadership blends strategy with empathy, proving that true education shapes not only the mind but also the heart.
Roots of Resilience
Prof. Sharif’s journey began in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s vibrant capital, where he was raised in a family that valued discipline, diligence, and academic achievement. The classrooms of Ideal High School and Notre Dame College—two of the nation’s premier institutions—laid the foundation for his intellectual curiosity and sense of purpose. His higher studies took him from Aligarh Muslim University—one of India’s top ten ranked universities, to Stockholm University in Sweden, and the University of Sussex in the UK, culminating into a PhD in International Business and Economics from London South Bank University, UK.
“Education is not merely a profession. It is a transformative force,” he reflects. This conviction, formed during his student years, continues to drive his approach to academic leadership today. His early influences run deep rooted in the principles of servant leadership exemplified by prophetic figures in Islamic tradition, whose commitments to meaningful change in people’s lives resonate strongly with Sharif’s own leadership philosophy. Through this practice of leading by serving, he has helped empower staff to lead with purpose, inspired students to pursue knowledge with compassion to employable outcomes, and strengthened communities through education that uplifts and unites.
Building Bridges Across Continents
Prof. Sharif’s career spans an impressive roster of international institutions. He has served in progressive leadership roles at the International Islamic University – Chittagong and American International University in Bangladesh, Haywards Heath College, London South Bank University and Birmingham Newman University in the UK, Murdoch University Dubai and Alhosn University in the UAE, Muscat University in Oman, and recently at the University of Kurdistan Hewlêr and the American University of Kurdistan in Iraq.
This geographical diversity represents more than career mobility, it reflects his commitment to understanding and bridging different educational philosophies. He has navigated the UK’s outcome-focused quality frameworks, witnessed the Gulf’s rapid educational modernization, contributed to Iraq’s post-conflict academic rebuilding, and applied his South Asian background’s emphasis on education as social responsibility. Through partnership projects with global institutions including Aston University, Cranfield University, the University of Huddersfield, Stanford University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he has broadened his perspective on transnational education and collaborative excellence.
“My professional journey evolved across countries and cultures, each with its own educational ethos,” he explains. The US liberal education model particularly deepened his belief in holistic learning, an approach that cultivates critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and civic responsibility alongside academic excellence.
Redefining Academic Leadership
Prof. Sharif’s leadership style defies conventional hierarchies. He describes his approach as transformational with a servant-leadership core, drawing inspiration from figures like Prophet Muhammad, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert K. Greenleaf. For him, leadership measures itself not through control but through cultivating environments where people feel valued, heard, and inspired to exceed their own expectations.
This philosophy manifests in concrete institutional changes. Recognizing that exceptional student outcomes stem from empowered staff, he builds high-performing academic teams through strategic vision, inclusive development, and targeted support. He has introduced transparent workload models, succession planning frameworks, and structured Performance and Development Review processes. His implementation of flexible Work Allocation Models supports differentiated career paths, while targeted teaching enhancements, including faculty exchanges with transnational partners and Advance HE pedagogy workshops, elevate institutional capacity.
The results speak volumes. During his leadership at Birmingham Newman University, the Business and Management subject area achieved a historic milestone by scoring ‘excellent’ across all National Student Survey scales for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021), surpassing national averages across UK universities, an unprecedented accomplishment in the institution’s history.
Innovation as Institution-Building
Prof. Sharif’s core mission blurs the lines between academia and industry, creating ecosystems that promote innovation, sustainability, and employability. This vision has evolved into fostering transnational education partnerships, developing professional doctorate programs, and championing decolonized, experiential learning. He remains mindful of frameworks such as the UK Office for Students’ condition B3 (Continuation, Completion, Progression), ensuring that educational innovation never compromises student outcomes or quality standards.
His pioneering spirit has produced several firsts. He introduced Iraq’s first Doctor of Business Administration program and South Asia’s first Agribusiness MBA program in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In the UAE, he partnered with Stanford School of Management to lead a High-Performance Project introducing Innovation and Entrepreneurship modules across all bachelor programs, developing a comprehensive e-learning site that he presented at the UAE Prime Minister’s Office following an official invitation from the Ministry of Education.
Recognition and Impact
The honors Prof. Sharif has accumulated affirm both scholarly excellence and leadership impact. He stands as the first and only business educator in Iraq to receive the Principal Fellowship from Advance HE (UK), a distinction that underscores his sustained leadership in teaching and learning. He holds the Chartered Manager designation from the Chartered Management Institute (UK) and the Chartered Institute of Management (Canada), alongside Certified Management and Business Educator status from the Chartered Association of Business Schools (UK) and Certified HR Professional qualification from the Australian HR Institute. He also maintains Recognized Teacher Status from Cranfield University.
His academic contributions encompass over 100 publications in globally indexed journals, keynote presentations at international conferences, and examination of forty doctoral theses. He has led numerous program validations and international partnerships across the UK, South and East Asia, the Gulf region, and Iraq, and serves as a country expert for the Foundation for International Business Accreditation (FIBAA), Germany. For over two years, he has served as a Distinguished Professor at Woxsen University, India, further extending his global academic engagement.
Balancing Act
Managing an international academic career alongside personal commitments demands what Prof. Sharif calls “mindful compartmentalization and purposeful integration.” He practices being fully present wherever he stands, while aligning personal values with professional goals. Working across continents and time zones requires flexibility, but it also creates opportunities to connect with diverse people and ideas.
Prof. Sharif remains profoundly grateful to his spouse, whose unwavering support and dedication, especially in caring for their young family, including a child with disability, have made his demanding academic and leadership roles possible. “I view leadership not as dominance over time, but as harmony within priorities,” he explains. He invests time in reading, researching, and mentoring young scholars, activities that constantly recharge his sense of purpose.
Challenges inevitably arise, academic leadership often involves high-stakes decision-making, managing expectations, and navigating both external uncertainties and potential internal resistance. Prof. Sharif has learned to treat challenges as learning moments rather than disruptions. Integrity, humility, and gratitude anchor him, especially during transitions. He believes effective leadership depends on continuous communication, patient listening, and consistent follow-up while guiding others closely and allowing room for recognizing that growth often emerges from imperfection and creative thinking.
The Fire Within
What fuels Prof. Sharif’s passion? Witnessing transformation, when students discover their potential, teams exceed expectations, or partnerships create both revenue streams and social value. He sees learning as a lifelong journey and teaching as an act of hope. The opportunity to connect global knowledge with local realities and to building institutions that prioritize character alongside competence drives him daily.
His passion extends to integrating sustainability, innovation, and ethics into business education, preparing future leaders not just to succeed, but to serve as responsible citizens. Global collaboration ignites his enthusiasm, whether working with partners across the UK, the US, South and East Asia, or the MENA region to develop programs that bridge cultures and economies. Each initiative, from dual degrees to professional doctorates, reinforces his belief that education, when guided by vision and empathy, has the power to widen opportunities for diverse populations and reshape the world in transformative ways.
This passion also extends beyond academia, reflected in his service on various boards, advisory councils, and community organizations — spanning educational institutions in the UK (e.g., Pound Hill Infant School), Bangladesh (e.g., Islami Arabi University), and the UAE (e.g., Reach British School, Bangladesh Embassy School); to non-governmental and professional bodies in Oman (e.g., AIESEC, SME Committee of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry); and civic boards in the UK (e.g., Local Community Board). These experiences continually reaffirm his belief that leadership in education is most powerful when it bridges communities, cultures, and causes for the common good.
Wisdom for Emerging Leaders
Prof. Sharif offers clear-eyed advice to aspiring leaders: lead with purpose, not position. Titles may grant authority, but trust and integrity earn influence. He quotes Prophet Muhammad: “Any man whom the Almighty has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise,” reminding us that leadership ultimately represents a responsibility of service. Similarly, Abraham Lincoln’s observation resonates: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
Be curious, be empathetic, and remain adaptable, these are your greatest assets in an unpredictable world. “Never stop learning. The moment you believe you have arrived is the moment growth stops,” he counsels. He encourages leaders to embrace challenges as opportunities for reinvention and surround themselves with people who question, challenge, and complement their strengths. Leadership, he insists, is not about being the smartest person in the room, it’s about building a room full of smart, motivated people who share a common purpose.
Prof. Sharif acknowledges his weaknesses with characteristic honesty. He tends to strive for high standards and become deeply attached to strategic tasks, working relentlessly and sometimes pushing himself beyond comfort zones until completion, often at the expense of leisure, family time, and health. While this determination has enabled him to deliver complex initiatives with professional recognition, it has taught him the importance of balance. He now views these experiences as a learning playground, emphasizing that ambition must be tempered with empathy for oneself and guided by principles of authentic servant leadership. As Mahatma Gandhi wisely noted, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”
A Vision for Tomorrow
In a world shaped by disruption and digital transformation, Prof. Sharif identifies humanizing progress as both our greatest challenge and opportunity. He envisions building a future where education, innovation, and compassion coexist harmoniously. His mantra remains simple yet profound: “Growth begins where comfort ends. Believe in your vision, act with integrity, and stay relentlessly curious. True success is not in reaching the top, it’s in helping others rise with you.”
As Nelson Mandela observed, “I never lose. I either win or learn“, a philosophy that perfectly captures Prof. Sharif’s approach to stepping beyond comfort, embracing challenges, and learning continuously as pathways to meaningful impact.
For Prof. Taimur Sharif, leadership ultimately transcends individual achievement. As Martin Luther King Jr. eloquently stated, “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” These principles guide his work, leadership is not about changing the world alone, but about empowering others to change it with you.
Through nearly three decades of distinguished service across continents, Prof. Sharif demonstrates that when vision meets vulnerability, when purpose aligns with empathy, and when excellence intertwines with service, education becomes not just a profession but a transformative force capable of reshaping lives, institutions, and societies. His journey continues, powered by an unwavering commitment to nurturing empowered yet responsible global citizens capable of shaping a more equitable and sustainable world.
