Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates
Dr. Muhammad Usman Tariq is a strategic higher education leader with dual doctorates—a PhD in Artificial Intelligence (Applied Computational Intelligence) and a DBA in Computing and Management—supported by two master’s degrees: an MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and an MS in Computing (Software Engineering). He brings over 18 years of international experience across the United States, the Middle East, and Asia. He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Case HQ and serves as President of the Gulf Higher Education Network, a recognised network of ICED. In these roles, he has consistently championed academic excellence, faculty development, and cross-institutional collaboration across the region. A Principal Fellow of Advance HE (PFHEA), Chartered Fellow of the CIPD (CFCIPD), Senior Fellow of SEDA, Senior Member of IEEE, and Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE), Dr Tariq integrates academic credibility with strategic and operational leadership. His expertise spans accreditation and quality assurance, digital learning transformation, institutional governance, and strategic human resource development. He has worked extensively with accreditation and quality assurance bodies including CAA, ENQA, AACSB, ABET, ACBSP, and WASC, contributing to institutional and programme-level standards. His leadership portfolio includes programme and curriculum design, policy development, and governance across sectors such as higher education, aviation, finance, and technology. He has led academic incubators, research laboratories, and international partnerships, and is an inventor with credited scientific patents. His academic service includes doctoral supervision, advisory board appointments, and contributions as a Harvard Business Review Council member. Passionate about shaping future-focused universities, Dr Tariq advances innovation, digital transformation, and academic excellence to build sustainable and globally competitive higher education systems. His leadership is defined by strengthening faculty capability, enhancing student success, and delivering institutional impact at scale.
2026- Leading Bloomberg once again, QS MBA ranking, THE Ranking, Arab Awards, SDGS ranking 2025- Bloomberg MBA Ranking= 19, from start to end led the team, 1st from UAE to rank, 2025- THE, QS Ranking 1- Lead the strategic management and delivery of global and regional rankings for the College of Business, including QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education (THE) rankings, QS Arab Region / Arab World Rankings, Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking), Bloomberg Business School Rankings, and other relevant discipline-specific or reputational frameworks. 2- Work in close partnership with central Operations and institutional stakeholders at university level to ensure coherent data governance, compliance, and timely submissions across multiple ranking frameworks. 3- Oversee the end-to-end rankings lifecycle, including data collection, validation, analysis, submission, and post-results evaluation, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and strategic positioning. 4-Translate complex ranking methodologies into actionable insights, advising senior leadership on performance drivers, risks, and opportunities for sustained improvement. 5-Develop and maintain robust internal processes, dashboards, and documentation to support evidence-based decision-making and continuous enhancement of rankings performance. 6-Act as a key liaison with academic, professional services, and external stakeholders to strengthen reputational indicators, visibility, and impact across relevant rankings.
This includes two distinct roles: Chair of Research Development for the College of Business and Chair of the DBA Programme, who mainly serves as Director of Research and Director of the DBA Programme. One of the most important part of this position to establish the research strategy for the college aligned with university strategy to meet several ranking and accreditation requirements. I have been working on several sections especially research parts for AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA whether it is reaccreditation, initial preparation, or visits, or reaccreditation data. 1. Support the development of scholarly, applied research that enriches the student experience, addresses local and international priorities and contributes to the United Arab Emirates knowledge economy. 2. Harness cross-disciplinary research expertise within and external to the University to contest external funding opportunities and conduct and disseminate high impact research focused on current and emerging business challenges. 3. Promote in research into the scholarship of teaching and learning to enhance our understanding of student challenges and improve pedagogical expertise within the College. 4. Increase college research visibility and impact to extend the COB’s local and regional reputation in applied business research. 5. Encourage and support faculty and DBA students to improve research quality in line with the Faculty Development Framework (FDF). 6. Manage and co-ordinate the DBA program including overseeing and implementing DBA policies and procedures as well as student selection, enrollment, transition and progression.
• Deliver teaching across doctoral (DBA), postgraduate, and undergraduate programmes, with emphasis on business research methods, operations management, supply chain, global business issues, and manager decision-making. • Serve on the DBA thesis defence committee and supervise doctoral research, ensuring academic rigour and alignment with global accreditation standards. • Lead curriculum development initiatives integrating digital learning, case-based pedagogy, and industry-driven content into business analytics and operations modules. • Contribute to institutional accreditation and programme review processes (CAA, AACSB, EQUIS), embedding quality assurance and international benchmarks. • Mentor faculty and students, supporting professional growth, research engagement, and successful doctoral completions. • Build academic-industry partnerships, fostering collaboration on projects that enhance employability and institutional reputation.
• Established Gulf HE as a professional network advancing academic excellence, faculty development, and institutional collaboration across the Gulf region. • Lead strategic initiatives to strengthen regional higher education through research-driven dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and capacity-building. • Drive the development of a unified Gulf-focused higher education framework, benchmarking global standards while tailoring to local contexts. • Engage with academics, policy makers, and institutional leaders to address challenges in teaching, accreditation, digital learning, and faculty collaboration. • Organise thought leadership forums that highlight best practices and foster cross-institutional partnerships. • Represent Gulf HE as a thought leader in discussions on academic innovation, student success, and the global competitiveness of regional universities.
• Founded TheCaseHQ.com, a global hub for case study methodology, applied research, and professional certification programmes. • Lead strategic growth, designing and delivering online, self-paced certifications (100+) that blend academic rigour with practical business impact. • Publish and curate case studies on business, technology, and education, building one of the fastest-growing open-access libraries for educators and professionals. • Spearhead digital transformation in education through innovative learning design, embedding AI, analytics, and interactive pedagogies in professional training. • Position The Case HQ as a thought leader in case pedagogy, enhancing its global visibility as a trusted platform for academic and industry practitioners.
Level 3,5,7 module assessor and tutor. Extensive experience on 7CO01,7CO02,7CO03,7HR01,7OS03, 7CO04 have assessed all modules of level 7 including 7LD01,7LD02,7LD03, 7HR02, 7HR03, 7OS02 to 7OS06 Diploma titles: Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning and Development, Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management
Level 3,5,7 module assessor and tutor. Extensive experience on 7CO01,7CO02,7CO03,7HR01,7OS03, 7CO04 have assessed all modules of level 7 including 7LD01,7LD02,7LD03, 7HR02, 7HR03, 7OS02 to 7OS06 Diploma titles: Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning and Development, Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management