Principal Lecturer in Finance/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).
Teaching and supervision
Research
My main research interests are around development finance, microfinance, entrepreneurial finance, ethnic minority entrepreneurship and microbusiness development. My current research interests focus on diaspora bonds and financial technology. I am working on projects about diaspora finance in Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Caribbean. I also supervise doctoral students in the field of business management and finance.
I started my teaching career as a lecturer in business management and finance in 2005 and since then have taken on roles as academic manager, assistant programme manager, programme leader for postgraduate business, assistant head of academic operations, external examiner, panel member for programme validation and consultant for various Further Education and Higher Education institutions in the UK.
Before becoming an academic, I worked as an accounting assistant, senior accounting assistant and assistant accountant from 1998 to 2003. Since moving to the higher education sector, I have held lecturer, senior lecturer and principal lecturer posts at the University of Sunderland in London. I was also an associate lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London.
Additionally, I've given consultancy services on new programme development as a member of both programme approval and subject review panels for various Higher Education and Further Education institutions in the UK. I'm a practising consultant in Quality Management, having consulted on the use of ISO 9001 management systems in private companies in the UK and abroad.