In conversation with Professor Yusra Mouzughi: Navigating higher education, student success, and leadership.

As a bilingual leader and a woman navigating both regional and international academic landscapes, Professor Yusra Mouzughi reflects on her journey to higher education leadership, and discusses the current evolution – and necessary? evolution - of higher education.

In this interview summary, read about Professor Mouzughi’s experiences and insights, including the need for systemic and technological advancements, and preparing students for a globalised world.

Listen in to the full episode here.

Read the transcript here.

Challenges and multiple identities

Professor Mouzughi reflects on the complexity of her roles,“there are multiple identities that we all have to work with and engage with, and it’s something that we continue to think about.”

This complexity is pronounced for women leaders in the Arab world.

“One of the challenges as a female Arab leader who evidently looks female and looks Arab, is the idea that I feel I have to continually reassert my credibility.”?

This challenge is compounded by the broader societal expectations and the lack of immediate career role models. “I’ve really not had any role models in my own life in terms of career,” Professor Mouzughi noted, “I’m conscious of that for that next generation, my daughter and others.”

However, “there is a little bit of a misconception in, the wide world around the challenge for women… education is probably the most welcoming, for women in, in the Gulf and in the Middle East.”

The evolving landscape of higher education

“The pace of change in the wider world is really quite immense.”? Universities face the challenge of keeping up with technological advancements and evolving industry needs.

“We need to rethink some of those [systems] in order to make sure that we are able to respond to the developing needs of our market, of our ecosystem, and of our students.” “Technology is here to stay. And technology is a huge opportunity.”?

What needs to change for students:

1. Engagement in campus life: “One thing I could do to support students is getting students to really embed in campus life... it is the extracurricular, it is the sporting, it is the clubs.”
2. Understanding diverse student needs: “Having done my own PhD as a mature part-time student with work commitments and family commitments, the appreciation of students at different stages in their careers is really important.”? She advocates for a nuanced understanding and support system that caters to varying student circumstances.
3. Real-world experience: She strongly supports the integration of industry placements and practical experiences into academic programs. Drawing from her own background in the business sector. “I’m a big supporter of industry relations, industry speakers, industry placements.”?

Preparing students for a globalised world

“We are creating graduates and alumni that are global players.”

When discussing what sets graduates of the University of Birmingham Dubai apart, Professor Mouzughi highlights the institution’s commitment to both cutting-edge research and global exposure. “We pride ourselves on our ability to bring together really important elements of the educational portfolio.” Students benefit from a curriculum informed by high-level research and a diverse, global campus environment.

Professor Mouzughi stresses the importance of extracurricular activities and real-world experiences. “I hope I would have lots of opportunities to support students in many different ways,” she said, also emphasising the value of campus life and industry placements, recalling her own experience in industry:

“One of the things that has been... directly impacted by my own experience in industry is my commitment to placements.”

Studiosity's Reimagining Higher Education podcast features Higher Education leaders from around the world as they share personal stories from within the sector - reflecting on improvements to teaching and learning and the student experience, while candidly discussing what still needs to come. Listen in, from wherever you stream your podcasts.