DoctorateHub faculty & fellows

Cofounder and Legal Head of Institution

Affiliated Faculty

Dr. Ana Faria has been with DoctorateHub from its beginning in 2017 and currently heads the DoctorateHub office. Her leadership blends a thorough understanding of doctorate education with substancial experience in higher and adult education, business management, and research, providing a unique perspective on doctoral education. Her qualifications include a PhD in Engineering and Innovation from the Open University (United Kingdom) awarded for her thesis "The role of behaviour in the transition to more energy-efficient use at home", an MBA from the Hochschule für Technik Esslingen (Germany), a European Degree in International Management from the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (The Netherlands), as well as an Economics Degree from the University of Minho (Portugal).

Prior to launching DoctorateHub, Dr. Faria worked in higher and adult education and research, including as Research Fellow, Honorary Assistant Lecturer, and Consultant at several prestigious universities and institutions. She is also an experienced expert evaluator for national and European funding agencies, with a proven track record in securing funding for research and investment projects, creating and delivering educational programs, and successfully managing a wide range of projects. Dr. Faria’s expertise extends to knowledge innovation, sustainable development, organizational projects, and entrepreneurship, and she's actively involved in fostering collaboration between academia and industry.

Her vision for DoctorateHub is to accelerate doctoral-level education completion, increase student mastery, and improve university doctoral programme outcomes globally. She is committed to providing high-quality, innovative learning experiences to doctorate candidates globally, preparing them for global challenges.

Dr. Ana joined DoctorateHub as an Affiliated Faculty member in the autumn of 2024.

Pro Vice Chancellor for Learning

Faculty

Dr. Meiszner is an experienced academic and entrepreneur with a strong background in doctoral education, digital transformation, and innovation in education systems generally, as well as in innovation within a number of further research and business development fields. His expertise spans across multiple disciplines, including knowledge management, innovation, digital transformation, organizational development, and technology enhanced learning. As co-founder of DoctorateHub, he has leveraged his skills to create a global learning ecosystem designed to improve doctoral education outcomes.

Since 2012, he has mentored and coached over 500 professional doctoral candidates (mid-career to senior, aged 35-70) through the University of Liverpool's DBA program and, since 2016, with DoctorateHub. This considerable expertise has provided essential insights into the challenges that doctorate candidates face when tackling complex, real-world problems. The understanding of the important challenges faced by both, experienced and novice researchers, motivated the creation of DoctorateHub, which aims to offer tailored support for students assisting them in problem identification, analysis, thesis writing, and eventually, problem resolution.

Aside from his work with DoctorateHub, Dr. Meiszner is a highly distinguished research fellow with two decades of international expertise in innovation, ICT, education, management, and economics. He has successfully led research, training, and capacity-building programs around the world, managing both, internal and global teams. His experience includes working with major academic institutions such as UNU-MERIT, which is continuously ranked in the top three globally in its field.

Dr. Meiszner has a PhD from The Open University (2011), which focusses on the emergence of free/open courses and lessons learnt from the open source movement. His academic background also includes three higher education degrees in management from universities in France, Germany, and the Netherlands, with majors in International Management and Human Resources & Organisational Management.

Dr. Andreas Meiszner's multifaceted career reflects a unique blend of academic rigor, entrepreneurial vision, and international experience. His commitment to innovation in education and technology is clearly demonstrated in his work with DoctorateHub and throughout his career. As a co-founder of DoctorateHub, he is responsible for strategic growth and the expansion of the platform's support services.

Affiliated Faculty

Executive Leader with Global Experience Across Diverse Industries.

With over two decades of leadership in water treatment solutions, pulp and paper technology, construction additives, and outdoor sports equipment distribution, I have held regional and global roles within a specialty chemicals Fortune 500 company. My multidisciplinary background enables me to navigate complex business environments and implement strategies that achieve organizational goals.

Drawing on advanced studies including a doctorate from the University of Liverpool and a degree from Yale University, I leverage technical expertise to drive innovation and enhance operational efficiency. As a certified scuba diving instructor, I bring a passion for exploration and continuous learning to both my professional and personal endeavors.

I joined DoctorateHub as an Affiliated Faculty member in the autumn of 2024.

Affiliated Faculty

Dr James (Jim) Wagstaff began his career in the technology sector 35 years ago. Jim has been an educator and entrepreneur in Singapore for the last 14 years of his career. He co-founded Noodle Factory, an AI-powered teaching and learning platform, and Jam Factory, a management consulting and education services business. His career spans various executive roles in technology companies like Dell Technologies, Brocade Communications, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Jim's expertise lies in digital pedagogy, focusing on the application of AI in teaching and learning. He is dedicated to advancing educational technology and improving learning outcomes through his research and practical applications. Jim teaches a continuing professional development course at Singapore Management University designed for educators who wish to apply innovative technologies in teaching and learning. Jim holds a doctorate and master’s degree from the University of Liverpool in the UK, a post-doctoral Diploma in Academic Practice, and several other certifications from other institutions. Jim is the author of the AI-Assisted Teaching and Learning: A Generative AI Field Guide for Educators, which explores AI's transformative potential in education.

Jim joined DoctorateHub as an Affiliated Faculty member in the autumn of 2024.

Affiliated Faculty

Dr. Levent Yildiz is a highly accomplished healthcare executive with over 20 years of experience in market access, pricing, business development, and regional marketing in the pharmaceutical industry. His expertise spans across multiple therapeutic areas, including speciality and primary care, and he has a track record of success in both mature and emerging markets.

Dr. Yildiz has held leadership positions at major pharmaceutical firms including Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, and Roche, where he consistently outperformed expectations in terms of revenue and market share growth. His background includes building market access operations from the bottom up, designing pricing and reimbursement strategies, launching new medicines, and establishing health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) programs.

Dr. Yildiz has a thorough understanding of healthcare systems including healthcare coverage, policies, pricing, access barriers and regulatory frameworks across all Emerging markets i.e., LATAM, Asia, Asia-Pacific and Africa. His exceptional leadership skills are complemented by postgraduate degrees in business administration and health economics. He is fluent in several languages, reflecting his international background. Dr. Yildiz's vast publishing record demonstrates his contributions to the subject of healthcare economics as well as his commitment to innovative healthcare delivery systems.

Dr. Levent joined DoctorateHub as an Affiliated Faculty member in the autumn of 2024.

Academic Fellow

Dr. Mohammed Rahman is a British-Bangladeshi criminologist specialising in serious violence and organised crime. His work has reached global audiences through publications, including three books, several book chapters, and several peer-reviewed articles. Mohammed's research interests extend to areas such as social inequalities and qualitative research methodologies.

In addition to his academic work, he maintains a wide portfolio of professional work. This currently includes consultancy on criminological and societal issues with local authorities and charities. Currently he is a Network Expert Member for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime and also an Advisory Panel Member for the Office of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.

Mohammed regularly disseminates his research in national and international media outlets. Previously he has offered expert commentary for the BBC, ITV, CBS, Channel 5, and TIME magazine.

Dr. Mohammed joined DoctorateHub as an Academic Fellow end of 2024.

Forthcoming publications:

• Rahman, M. A Criminological Voyage: Using the car as a place of work and technology for street level ethnographic research.

• Rahman, M.& Deuchar, R. Ethics in Criminological Research. London: Routledge.

Selected publications:

• Rahman, M.& Abdulkader, M. (2022) Living Rough: The vulnerabilities of rough sleepers in Birmingham, UK, Abuse: An International Journal.

• Kewley, S., Pemberton, S.,& Rahman, M. (2021) Preventing Sexual Harm: Towards a Positive Criminology. London: Routledge.

• Rahman, M., McLean, R., Deuchar, R.,& Densley, J. (2020) Who are the enforcers? The motives and methods of muscle for hire in West Scotland and the West Midlands. Trends in Organised Crime. Springer.

• Rahman, M. (2019) Homicide and Organised Crime: Ethnographic Narratives of Violence in the Criminal Underworld. London: Palgrave.

Dr. Sona, CEO and Co-founder of A&SL Consulting, is a University of Liverpool DBA graduate with over 28 years of experience at the HSBC Group.

She has worked in three regions and seven countries, holding various roles in Retail and Wholesale banking, Insurance, Operations, Transformation, Risk Management, Financial Crime prevention, HR, and Information Technology. Dr. Sona worked with internal and external stakeholders, representing C-suite and senior leadership, and has become an active mentor for colleagues and friends.

Recently, she has focused on her consulting firm, helping professionals with international mobility. In addition to managing the firm, Sona advises several boards, applying her knowledge and connections. She is involved with the University of Liverpool's LAMBDA Research Centre, which applies big data analytics and AI, and the International Advisory Group representing Hong Kong alumni. She also continues researching AI applications in managing Financial Crime Risk.

Dr. Sona is passionate about leading diverse teams in multinational environments and developing the next generation of leaders. She would love to bring her extensive experience to the DoctorateHub where she became an Affiliated Faculty member in the autumn of 2024.

Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, Quality, and Governance

Faculty

Currently, Professor Dr. Boštjan Gomišček serves as the DoctorateHub’s Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, Quality, and Governance. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and development of research, quality assurance, and governance initiatives through DoctorateHub. He plays a vital role in shaping the institution's research agenda, ensuring the highest standards of academic quality, and the promotion of sound governance practices.

With a wealth of experience in the disciplines of Quality Management, Business Excellence, Quality in Healthcare, Sustainability and Environmental Protection Management, Professor Dr. Boštjan Gomišček is a highly accomplished academic. He has dedicated his career to fostering the next generation of scholars and researchers and has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that face the doctorate journey.

Professor Gomišček’s academic career began as a young researcher at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and the University of Technology Vienna, Austria, where he earned his PhD in 1993. He recalls the experience vividly, as if it were just yesterday. He gained valuable expertise by participating in a variety of national and international interdisciplinary research projects after completing his PhD. During this time, he collaborated with research groups from various international universities and research institutions. His research journey continued at the Austrian Academy of Science.

In 2003, Professor Gomišček was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the fields of Quality Management and Environmental Protection Management at the University of Maribor, Slovenia. He was promoted to the positions of Associate Professor in 2006 and Full Professor in 2014 after teaching at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. During his role as Associate Dean Research (ADR), he took on the responsibility of overseeing the PhD program.

From 2014 to 2021, Professor Gomišček was a faculty member at the Faculty of Business at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, United Arabe Emirates. He was responsible for the Higher Degree by Research (PhD/DBA) program for several years, in addition to teaching at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. From 2021 to 2024, he held a term as Professor in Quality Management with the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Throughout his career, Professor Gomišček has consistently demonstrated a dedication to both research and teaching. His publication record reflects his dedication, encompassing over 380 items, including journal publications, conference participations, teaching activities, and other research and teaching-related endeavors.

Professor Gomišček understands the intricacies of the doctorate journey and is eager to share his knowledge and experience to support your success. He believes that by leveraging his expertise, he can help you progress faster and navigate the complexities of your doctorate journey with greater confidence.

Vice Chancellor

Faculty

Dr. Kevin Boeh joined the Faculty of Finance and Business Economics at the U. of Washington (Foster School of Business) (USA) in fall 2018 after three years at U. of Florida (USA) where he was a visiting associate professor. Before that, he was a visiting scholar at U. of Washington and a tenured associate professor at Pacific Lutheran University (USA). Dr. Boeh’s research focuses on corporate finance and corporate strategy with an international emphasis. He has published in Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Management Studies, Harvard Business Review, and other top journals. 

Dr. Boeh has taught at all degree levels and has received numerous teaching awards. An area of focus is quantitative methods/econometrics, transaction cost economics, regulatory frictions, and (efficient) market failures.

Professionally, Dr. Boeh is an experienced investment banker and management consultant. After his B.A. in Economics from the Colorado College (USA), he worked in management consulting for both A.T. Kearney and Accenture. He completed his M.B.A. in Finance at UCLA (USA) and moved to a career on Wall Street. His investment banking experience includes over 100 successful strategic advisory, public and private corporate finance, and M&A transactions. After collecting a couple of million frequent flier miles he returned to academia for a Ph.D. at Ivey (Western U.) (Canada). He currently serves on the board of directors of private companies, invests venture capital, and is on the investment advisory board of the (~$2B) Tacoma Employee Retirement Fund.

I have started my Full professor position at the University of Maribor, Slovenia in 2017 and my research position at the Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics of Slovenia at 1991. I hold a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Ljubljana and for several years I have been working at the University of Maribor, Slovenia, where I served as Vice Dean and also as a chair of the Methodological department at the Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security.

I was Erasmus-Socrates Visiting Professor at the University of Girona, coauthor of the ‘state of the art’ book Compositional data analysis in the geosciences: from theory to practice and the R package “compositions”. I was a chair of the Slovenian part of the ESF research project Establishing a knowledge-base for quality in education: Testing a dynamic theory of educational effectiveness, involving researchers from Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, and Cyprus.

I am the author and coauthor of several research articles in different journals including Journal of Classification, Theoretical Chemistry Accounts, The Journal of physical chemistry, Croatica Chemica Acta, School effectiveness and school improvement as well as many research papers presented at different annual conferences of scientific societies. The Web of Science records 226 independent citations to my works, Scopus 284. My research interests are Dissimilarity measures, Compositional Data Analysis, Mathematical geology, Mathematical chemistry, System dynamics, Distance education, School effectiveness.

My pedagogical work is also comprehensive, for many years I was teaching Statistics and Research Methodology for undergraduate, graduate and PhD students. My mentoring was also fruitful, mentoring and co-mentoring PhD students and young researchers, graduate and undergraduate students.

I hope I will be able to pass some of my experience to you and help you to progress in your PhD journey.

Dr. Michel Rod became Dean of Business at UNB Saint John on July 1, 2019.

Dr. Rod joined UNB from the Sprott School of Business, Carleton University, where he was a faculty member for ten years – the last three as Associate Dean Research and International and PhD Program Director. Prior to that, he was Undergraduate Program Director in the School of Marketing and International Business at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where he taught for eight years.

He holds a PhD in Commerce from the University of Birmingham, a Master’s degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Calgary and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Western Ontario.

Dr. Rod’s research covers a variety of areas including business-to-business relationships, wine marketing, the triple helix of government-university-industry collaborative interaction, policy issues related to commercializing university-developed intellectual property as well as the impact of effectual decision-making in establishing entrepreneurial ventures. He has published over 75 articles in refereed journals and presented his research many times nationally and internationally, in addition to the leadership roles he has held over the course of his career.

Professor Nick Ashill joined the School of Marketing and International Business in January 2021 as a Professor of Marketing. Prior to his appointment, he worked as Professor of Marketing, Department Head and the Chalhoub Group Chair of Luxury Brand Management at the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (2008-2020). He has a passion for teaching and research and is a recipient of numerous teaching awards (4) and research awards (2) over the past 20 years including a New Zealand government award for 'Excellence in Teaching' in 2002. Professor Nick Ashill has published 100 articles in many leading marketing and management journals including the Journal of Management, Journal of Retailing, Industrial Marketing Management and the European Journal of Marketing.  He also holds Associate Editor Roles with the European Journal of Marketing and the Journal of Services Marketing.

Rodrigo is Visiting Professor at the Central University of Technology, South Africa and Guest Lecturer at the Vienna University of Business and Economics, Austria. Bloemfontein, South Africa. He is associate editor of the Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management journal. He was previously Full Professor of Organisational Sustainability University of Gävle, Sweden; Assistant Professor at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, the Netherlands; and programme leader of the BA Environment and Business at the Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds, UK. He was Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Cleaner Production and Editor-in-Chief of the Sustainable Organisations section of Frontiers in Sustainability. For over twenty years Rodrigo has been working towards Sustainability in NGO's, universities, and corporations. His projects have ranged from sustainability competences and pedagogical approaches, chemical leasing, indoor-air quality and energy efficiency, to sustainability assessment and reporting, and to organisational change management. He has developed assessment tools such as the GRaphical Assessment of Sustainability Performance (GRASP), the Sustainability Tool for Assessing UNiversities Curricula Holistically (STAUNCH®) (shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Awards in 2008), and the Graphical Assessment for Sustainability in Universities (GASU™). Rodrigo holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering (graduated with honours) from Monterrey Tec, Mexico; a MSc in Environmental Management and Policy, from the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economies (IIIEE) at Lund University, Sweden; and a PhD on organisational change management for Corporate Sustainability at Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. Rodrigo is also the managing director of Organisational Sustainability Ltd. (www.org-sustainability.com).

Faculty

Professor Dr. Steven McCabe, the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Programmes, is responsible for the enrolment process and ensuring that the DoctorateHub's programmes adhere to the highest quality standards. He ensures that both academic and industry experts collaborate closely with students and provide support as they advance.

Professor Dr. Steven McCabe has been an academic since 1987, when he began teaching economics. His academic career was marked by a variety of responsibilities, such as serving as the Associate Professor and director of research degrees in business at Birmingham City University, UK, which involved the supervision of all doctoral programs, including the Doctor of Business Administration(DBA). Additionally, he was a key member of the initial initiative to establish online doctoral programs, such as the DBA program for Liverpool Laureate, UK, where he served as one of the academic tutors and provided in-person support to students during their residencies.

Professor Dr. Steven McCabe is an enthusiastic supporter of Participatory Action Research for unlocking organisations' potential. However, his true essence is transdisciplinarity, with a focus on a Human-centric Approach to Organisational Improvement. He integrates various fields such as Strategic Management, Quality Management, Business Improvement, People Skills, and Supply Chain Management to address organisational problems and challenges.

Professor Dr. Steven McCabe is an avid observer and commentator on a variety of government policies, including those related to manufacturing, construction, business, and sustainability. He frequently publishes or provides commentary for national and regional media outlets, such as the BBC, the Birmingham Post, The Huffington Post, or theconversation.

We could not discuss Professor Dr. Steven McCabe without mentioning his career as an author of articles, chapters, conference papers, and books. We are committed to ensuring that the record at the publications tab is kept current.

Valerie Lindsay is a Professor of Management, and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs (SBA) at AUS. She earned her PhD in International Strategy from the University of Warwick in the UK. Dr Lindsay moved to the UAE in 2012, and was appointed as Dean of Business at the University of Wollongong in Dubai. She joined AUS in 2015. Prior to this, she held several academic positons at the University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, as well as at the University of Warwick in the UK. Her administrative positions have included several years as Head of Department and as a business school Associate Dean and Dean.

Dr Lindsay's research interests lie in the areas of international strategy, strategic management and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on SMEs, and business in Asia. More recently, Dr Lindsay has engaged in UAE-based research in areas such as Emiritization and women in leadership. Dr Lindsay specializes in qualitative research methodology, and has had considerable experience using computer-assisted quantitative analysis software, including NVivo and Atlas-ti. Her work has been published in leading journals, including Management International Review, Organizational Dynamics, Industrial Marketing Management, and Journal of World Business.

Before joining academia, Professor Lindsay was a research scientist in immunology and biochemistry, and then moved to the area of business. Among various roles in the latter, she was the New Zealand Marketing Manager for ICI Pharmaceuticals. Dr Lindsay also worked in two New Zealand government departments in the areas of trade and tertiary education. She has consulted widely in strategy and marketing in industry and in government over many years.