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.
Publications
Article
Salia, Samuel, Tingbani, Ishmael, Hartwell, Christopher and Alhassan, Yahaya (2024) Looking in the rear-view mirror: Evidence from artificial intelligence investment, labour market conditions and firm growth. International Journal of Finance and Economics. ISSN 1076-9307
Ahmed, Tanveer, Kabir, Sarkar, Aziz, Aqsa and Alhassan, Yahaya (2023) Prospects for Islamic Home Finance in the UK: An Assessment with Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling. Sustainability, 15 (5). pp. 1-24. ISSN 2071-1050
Tingbani, Ishmael, Salia, Samuel, Hussain, Javed G. and Alhassan, Yahaya (2021) Environmental Tax, SME Financing Constraint and Innovation. Evidence from OECD Countries. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 70 (3). pp. 1006-1025. ISSN 0018-9391
Alhassan, Yahaya and Nwagbara, Uzoechi (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. ISSN 2284-8584
Ibeawuchi, Ngozi, Nwagbara, Uzoechi, Alhassan, Yahaya and Brown, Carlton (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. ISSN 2284-8584
Book Section
Meme, Joy, Alhassan, Yahaya and Bellamy, Lawrence (2025) The Evolution of Microfinance. In: Microfinance, Financial Innovation, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Economics. IGI Global, pp. 1-22. ISBN 9798369366226
Alhassan, Yahaya, Nwagbara, Uzoechi and Bellamy, Lawrence (2025) The Impact of FinTech Integration on the Accessibility and Sustainability of Microfinance Institutions. In: Microfinance, Financial Innovation, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Economics. IGI Global, pp. 183-212. ISBN 9798369366226
Nwagbara, Uzoechi, Alhassan, Yahaya, Ibeawuchi, Ngozi and Stewart, Jacyntha (2024) CSR Disclosure, Motivation for Disclosure and Who Matters to the Firm: Prospecting for Normative Oraganisational Practice. In: Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure in Developing and Emerging Economies: Institutional, Governance and Regulatory Issues. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance. Springer Cham, Switzerland, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-031-61975-5 (In Press)
Nwagbara, Uzoechi, Alhassan, Yahaya, Ibeawuchi, Ngozi and Stewart, Jacyntha (2024) Corrupt Regulatory Institutions and Microfinance Development in Developing Economies: Contextualising Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. In: Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure in Developing and Emerging Economies: Institutional, Governance and Regulatory Issues. Springer, Switzerland. (In Press)
Alhassan, Yahaya, McChristie, Sonya and Paul, Geoff (2023) The Effect of Covid-19 Lockdown on Learning and Teaching: Evidence from a Survey of Academics and Students. In: Promoting Crisis Management and Creative Problem-Solving Skills in Educational Leadership. IGI Global Publishing, Pennsylvania. ISBN 9781668483329 (In Press)
Hayes, Catherine (2023) Women and Crisis Management in Higher Education: Lessons in Leadership from a Global Pandemic. In: Promoting Crisis Management and Creative Problem-Solving Skills in Educational Leadership. IGI Global, Pennsylvania, USA. (In Press)
Alhassan, Yahaya and Hua, Jin (2022) Reducing Poverty through Microfinance in Developing Economies: Critical Perspectives from Literature. In: Transforming Economies Through Microfinance in Developing Nations. IGI Global. (Submitted)
Alhassan, Yahaya, Paul, Geoff, Salia, Samuel and Nwagbara, Uzoechi (2022) Transforming local economies through microfinance in rural Ghana. Evidence from a review of existing literature. In: Transforming Economies Through Microfinance in Developing Nations. IGI Global. (Submitted)
Alhassan, Yahaya, Salia, Samuel and Uzoechi, Nwagbara (2022) Microfinance impact on microbusiness development in Africa: evidence from a control group experiment in Ghana. In: Microfinance and Sustainable Development in Africa. IGI Global Publishing. ISBN 9781799874997
Alhassan, Yahaya, Nwagbara, Uzoechi and Salia, Samuel (2021) Analysis of Factors that affect the use of Microfinance for Microbusiness Development in Ghana. In: Microfinance and Sustainable Development in Africa. IGI Global Publishing. ISBN 9781799874997
Alhassan, Yahaya, Kuagbela, Francis, Nurokina, Caesar and Appiah, Bernard (2021) The Role of Microfinance in Africa: A Review of Outcomes from Ghana and Nigeria. In: Microfinance and Sustainable Development in Africa. IGI Global Publishing. ISBN 9781799874997 (In Press)
Salia, Samuel, Hussain, Javed G., Alhassan, Yahaya and Ibrahim, Masud (2021) The impact of entrepreneurship framework and behaviour on Diaspora remittance: an African perspective. In: The Palgrave Handbook of African Entrepreneurship. Springer International Publishing. (In Press)
Book
Nwagbara, Uzoechi, Idowu, Samuel and Alhassan, Yahaya, eds. (2024) Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure in Developing and Emerging Economies: Institutional, Governance and Regulatory Issues. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance . Springer Cham, Switzerland. ISBN 978-3-031-61975-5 (In Press)
Alhassan, Yahaya (2024) Microfinance, Financial Innovation, and Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Economics. IGI Global. ISBN 9798369366226 (In Press)
Alhassan, Yahaya and Uzoechi, Nwagbara (2023) Empowering Women Through Microfinance in Developing Countries. IGI Global Publishing, Pennsylvania. ISBN 9781668489796
Munna, Afzal, Nwagbara, Uzoechi and Alhassan, Yahaya (2023) Promoting Crisis Management and Creative Problem-Solving Skills in Educational Leadership. IGI Global Publishing, Pennsylvania. ISBN 9781668483329 (In Press)
Alhassan, Yahaya and Nwagbara, Uzoechi (2022) Transforming Economies Through Microfinance in Developing Nations. IGI Global. ISBN 9781668456477 (In Press)
Alhassan, Yahaya and Nwagbara, Uzoechi (2021) Microfinance and Sustainable Development in Africa. IGI Global Publishing. ISBN 9781799874997
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.