Prof. Bassam Alameddine (President American University of Ras Al Khaimah) UAE

Professor Bassam Alameddine recently joint, as President of American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK). Prior to AURAK, he served as the President of Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST), where he has established himself as a visionary leader in higher education, driving institutional transformation, academic excellence, and sustainable innovation. With an extensive background in education, research, and executive program management, Professor Alameddine has consistently demonstrated strategic foresight in advancing university goals, enhancing student success, and improving operational efficiency.

Throughout his distinguished tenure at GUST, Professor Alameddine has ascended through a range of academic and administrative roles—from Assistant Professor to Full Professor, and from Director of Graduate Studies and Research to Vice President for Academic Affairs. His leadership as Acting President, and subsequently as President, has been instrumental in catalyzing the university’s substantial growth, elevating its academic reputation, and forging a culture of research and innovation.

Under his presidency, GUST has seen remarkable institutional advancements. He led the establishment of the College of Engineering and Architecture, initiated new interdisciplinary academic programs aligned with market demands, and implemented the innovative Students’ Performance Enhancement and Active Retention (SPEAR) system, which resulted in a 56% improvement in student retention and academic outcomes. His governance reforms have streamlined institutional processes, enhancing transparency and operational excellence.

Professor Alameddine’s strategic vision has also driven GUST’s ascent in international rankings—improving by 108 positions—while achieving 42% financial growth. He has expanded global academic collaborations with prestigious institutions such as the University of Ottawa, University of Leeds, and University of Liverpool, promoting international research, academic mobility, and cross-border innovation.

He has successfully secured prestigious institutional accreditations, including QAA, AACSB, ABET, and ACA, and significantly increased the research budget from 2.5% to 4.3%. His establishment of research fellowships and mentorship programs has led to a five-fold increase in research output, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and elevating the university’s research profile.

As Principal Investigator of the Functional Materials Group, Professor Alameddine leads cutting-edge research in materials science and engineering, specializing in carbon capture, gas separation, toxic pollutant adsorption, hydrogen storage, and optoelectronic applications. His work, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, addresses critical challenges in environmental remediation and sustainable technologies. He has secured over $2.5 million in competitive research funding and authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and conference proceedings.

Prior to his tenure at GUST, Professor Alameddine held esteemed academic and leadership roles at internationally renowned institutions, including Columbia University (New York), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), and the University of Fribourg. These experiences have refined his expertise in program development, organizational leadership, and strategic planning on a global scale.

His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Fribourg, a Master of Science in Materials Science Engineering from ENSIACET (Toulouse), and a postgraduate certificate in senior leadership from the Saïd Business School at Oxford University.

In addition to his academic roles, Professor Alameddine serves as a consultant to leading organizations in the oil, cosmetics, and scientific sectors and holds advisory positions on several strategic and scientific boards. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and an active member of numerous professional organizations, he is deeply committed to diversity, mentorship, and sustainability-driven innovation in higher education.