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Dr. Yahaya Alhassan


About / Senior Management Team / Yahaya Alhassan
Yahaya Alhassan 2025

Head of Academic Operations

Dr. Yahaya Alhassan is the Head of Academic Operations at the University of Sunderland in London, a role he has held since November 2022. He first joined the University in 2012 during the establishment of the London Campus and has since progressed through several academic and leadership positions, including Lecturer, Assistant Programme Manager, Programme Manager, and Assistant Head of Academic Operations. Throughout his tenure, Dr. Alhassan has demonstrated a strong record of academic leadership and effective operational delivery in teaching and learning. 

In his current capacity, Dr. Alhassan is responsible for leading the integration and execution of the University of Sunderland’s strategic and operational priorities across all academic programmes at the London campus (UoSiL). He also oversees the development and implementation of the Academic Programme Offer, as well as the integration of the University’s Research and Innovation Strategy. His leadership has contributed significantly to improved student outcomes, with notable increases in attainment and National Student Survey (NSS) satisfaction scores. Under his guidance, the attainment gap between BAME students and their white peers has narrowed considerably, reflecting his commitment to equity and academic excellence. 

Alongside his leadership role, Dr. Alhassan maintains an active research profile. His current research explores investment in financial technology (FinTech) and firm growth, with several of his papers published in high-ranking ABS 3* journals. He has co-edited books, authored multiple book chapters in finance and enterprise, and frequently presents at academic conferences, contributing meaningfully to the field of finance since 2019. 

Dr. Alhassan brings over 20 years of experience in teaching, academic leadership, and management, gained through his roles at the University of Sunderland in London as well as previous positions in the higher education and consultancy sectors. He holds a PhD in Business Management (Finance) from Anglia Ruskin University, an MBA in Finance and a Master of Education from the University of Sunderland, and a BA (Hons) in Business Management from Arden University. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). 

See Dr. Yahaya Alhassan's LinkedIn profile.

 

Refereed Journal Articles

  • Tingbani, I., Hartwell, C.A. and Alhassan, Y. (2024). Looking in the rear-view mirror: Evidence from artificial intelligence investment, labour market conditions and firm growth. International Journal of Finance & Economics (ABS 3*). DOI: 10.1002/ijfe.2945.  
  • Ahmed, T., Kabir, S., Aziz, A. and Alhassan, Y. (2023). Islamic Home Finance in the UK: A Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling Approach. Sustainability, 15(5), p.4188. DOI: 10.3390/su15054188.    
  • Tingbani, I., Salia, S. Hussain, J. and Alhassan, Y. (2021) “Environmental tax, SME financing constraint and Innovation: Evidence from OECD Countries”. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, pp.1-20 (ABS 3*). DOI: 10.1109/TEM.2021.3110812.   
  • Alhassan, Y., and Nwagbara, U. (2021). Institutions, Corruption and Microfinance Viability in Developing Countries: The Case of Ghana and Nigeria. Economic Insights – Trends and Challenges, 2021(2), pp. 61-70. DOI: 10.51865/EITC.2021.02.06.  
  • Ibeawuchi, N., Nwagbara, U., Alhassan, Y. and Brown, C. (2021). Leading Change in Difficult Times: The Role of Effective Leadership in Confronting Educational Challenges of Coronavirus Pandemic. Economic Insights – Trends and Challenges, 2021 (1), pp. 11-20. DOI: 10.51865/EITC.2021.01.02.  

 

Edited Books

 

Chapters in Books

  • Nwagbara, U., Alhassan, Y., Ibeawuchi, N. and Stewart, J. (2024). CSR Disclosure, Motivation for Disclosure, and Who Matters to the Firm: Prospecting for Normative Oraganisational Practice. In: Nwagbara, U., Idowu, S.O., Alhassan, Y. (eds) Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure in Developing and Emerging Economies. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance, pp 45–58. Springer, Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61976-2_3  
  • Alhassan, Y., Nwagbara, U., and Bellamy, L. (2025). The Impact of FinTech Integration on the Accessibility and Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions: A Case Study Approach. In: Alhassan, Y., Bellamy, L., C., Nwagbara, U., Mawutor, J., K., M. (eds) Microfinance, Financial Innovation, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Economics, pp 183–212. IGI Global Publishing. DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3693-6622-6.ch007.  
  • Meme, J., Alhassan, Y., and Bellamy, L. (2025). The Evolution of Microfinance. In: Alhassan, Y., Bellamy, L., C., Nwagbara, U., Mawutor, J., K., M. (eds) Microfinance, Financial Innovation, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Economics, pp 1–22. IGI Global Publishing. DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3693-6622-6.ch001.  
  • Alhassan, Y., McChristie, S. and Paul, G. (2024). The effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on learning and teaching: evidence from a survey of academics and students. In: Munna, A., F., Nwagbara, U and Alhassan, Y. (Eds). Promoting crisis management and creative problem-solving skills in educational leadership, pp 1–25. IGI Global Publishing. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-8332-9.ch001.  
  • Alhassan, Y., and Hua, J. (2023). Reducing poverty through microfinance in developing economies: critical perspectives from Literature. In: Alhassan, Y., and Nwagbara, U. (Eds). Transforming economies through microfinance in developing nations, pp. 39-59. IGI Global Publishing. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-5647-7.ch003.    
  • Alhassan, Y., Paul. G, Salia, S. and Nwagbara, U. (2023). Transforming local economies through microfinance in rural Ghana: Evidence from a review of existing literature, pp.1-19. In: Alhassan, Y., and Nwagbara, U. (Eds). Transforming Economies through Microfinance in Developing Nations. Pennsylvania: IGI Global. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-5647-7.ch001.   
  • Alhassan, Y., Kuagbela, F., Nurokina, C. D., and Appiah, B. (2023). The role of microfinance in Africa: a review of outcomes from Ghana and Nigeria. In: Research Anthology on Microfinance Services and Roles in Social Progress, pp.111-132. IGI Global. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-7552-2.ch007.   
  • Alhassan, Y., Nwagbara, U. and Salia, S. (2022). Analysis of factors that affect the use of microfinance for microbusiness development in Ghana. In: Alhassan, Y. and Nwagbara, U. (Eds). Microfinance and sustainable development in Africa, pp.103-126. Pennsylvania: IGI Global. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-7499-7.ch005.  
  • Alhassan, Y., Salia, S. and Nwagbara, U. (2022). Microfinance impact on micro business development in Africa: evidence from a control group experiment in Ghana. In: Alhassan, Y., and Nwagbara, U. (Eds). Microfinance and sustainable development in Africa, pp. 1-26. Pennsylvania: IGI Global. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-7499-7.ch001.    
  • Salia, S. Hussain, J., Alhassan, Y. and Ibrahim, M. (2022). The impact of entrepreneurial and behavioural framework on diaspora remittance: an African perspective. In: Kolade, O., and Rae, D., and Obembe, D., and Woldesenbet, B. K. (Eds). The Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship, pp. 145-169. London: Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-75894-3_7    
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