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Kaduna Business School

Prof. Dr. Roselina Ahmad Saufi

Prof. Dr. Roselina Ahmad Saufi

Visiting Professor

Professional Summary

Professor Dr. Roselina Ahmad Saufi is a distinguished academic leader and scholar with over 35 years of experience in higher education, research, and consultancy. Currently serving as Vice-Chancellor & CEO of Universiti Malaya-Wales since July 2025, she brings extensive expertise in business management, entrepreneurship, strategic management, human resource development, and governance.


Her remarkable career spans teaching, research, administrative leadership, and international collaboration across Malaysia and globally. She has held prestigious positions including Professor at multiple universities, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and Managing Director of university-owned enterprises. Her contributions to education policy, knowledge transfer, and entrepreneurship development have shaped Malaysian higher education landscape.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Lawal has developed a reputation for rigorous analysis, strong sourcing, and the ability to translate complex policy and market dynamics into clear, actionable insight. His journalism focuses on how governance decisions shape commercial outcomes and long-term economic development in Africa’s emerging and frontier economies.

Academic Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in Management, University of Sheffield, UK (1995)
  • MBA, University of Sheffield, UK (1991)
  • BBA (2nd Upper Hons.), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (1988)
  • Certified Professional Marketer (CPM-Asia) (2022)
  • Fellowship of Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

Key Leadership Positions

Current Appointments:

  • Vice-Chancellor & CEO, Universiti Malaya-Wales (July 2025 – Present)
  • Visiting Professor, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland/FHNW (October 2022 – Present)
  • Visiting Professor, DRB-HICOM University of Automotive Malaysia (June 2022 – June 2026)
  • Visiting Professor, Honshan College of Finance and Economics, Nanjing, China (January 2024 – April 2025)
  • Fellow Researcher, Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad/ANGKASA (2023 – 2026)

Previous Leadership Roles:

  • Professor, Malaysian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship and Business, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (2012 – 2025)
  • Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (2012 – 2015)
  • Group Managing Director, UMS Link Holdings Sdn. Bhd. (2009 – 2012)
  • Managing Director, UMS Link Holdings Sdn. Bhd. (2007 – 2009)
  • Dean, Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Business, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (2020 – 2023)
  • Chairman, Professor Council of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (2019 – 2021)

Administrative Experience

Professor Roselina has demonstrated exceptional administrative acumen through various strategic positions:

  • Board Committee Member, Assets Investment and Finance Committee, LPPKN (2025 – 2028)
  • Regional Board Member, Chartered Management Institute (CMI, UK) (2023 – 2025)
  • Vice President, Malaysian Business Empowerment Council (2024 – Present)
  • Secretary General, Deans’ Council of Business Schools for Public Universities Malaysia (2021 – 2022)
  • Deputy Head, Cluster of Governance, Laws, and Public Management, National Professorial Council (2010 – 2018)

Her governance expertise extends to serving on numerous national committees including the National Knowledge Transfer Programme Steering Committee, High Performance Organisation development for MAMPU, and various Ministry of Higher Education task forces.

Research Excellence and Impact

Professor Roselina’s research focuses on strategic management, human resource development, entrepreneurship education, knowledge transfer, and organizational performance. She has secured over RM9 million in research grants and published extensively in high-impact journals.

Major Research Grants:

  • NRGS: Developing Rural Entrepreneurial Model for Poverty Eradication (RM4,975,000)
  • LRGS: Integrated Crowd and Health Management System (RM2,104,000)
  • Knowledge Transfer Programme Mapping (RM425,400)
  • Seaweed Cultivation Management Programme (RM390,000)
  • Various FRGS, KTP, and collaborative grants

Notable Publications:

  • Over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles in Scopus and ISI-indexed journals
  • Published in prestigious outlets including Sustainability, Frontiers in Psychology, Business Process Management Journal, and International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business
  • Author/co-author of 5 books and 15+ book chapters
  • Developed major policy documents including Malaysia Top Business School Framework, Entrepreneurship Integrated Education Guidelines, and Malaysia Cooperative Digitalisation Plan

Her research on green HRM practices, sustainable performance, entrepreneurship education, work-life balance, and knowledge transfer has garnered international recognition with over 1,071 citations.

Awards and Recognition

Professor Roselina’s contributions have been recognized through numerous prestigious awards:

  • Anugerah Darjah Kinabalu (ADK) from the State of Sabah (2010)
  • Distinguished Women in Management, Venus International Women Award (2017)
  • The Golden Globe Tigers Award for International Education Leadership (2016)
  • Leadership Fellow, Asian Institute of Management, Manila (2009)
  • ASEAN Best Paper Award, Academy of Global Business Advancement (2006)
  • Multiple Excellence Service Awards from Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (2012, 2014, 2020, 2022)
  • Gold and Silver Medal Awards at Malaysia Technology Expo and innovation showcases for entrepreneurship education innovations and knowledge transfer projects

International Engagement and Networking

Professor Roselina has established extensive international collaborations spanning Asia, Europe, and beyond:

Strategic Partnerships:

  • Swiss Malaysia Chamber of Commerce (SMCC)
  • University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW)
  • King Mongkut Institute of Technology, Thailand
  • Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan
  • Multiple Indonesian universities (UIN Jakarta, Universitas Mercu Buana, Universitas Gadjah Mada)
  • Indian institutions (Techno India School of Management, Ramaiah Institute of Management)
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Babson Academy, Boston, USA

She has delivered over 40 keynote addresses at international conferences across India, Indonesia, China, Turkey, and other countries, addressing topics including entrepreneurship education, digital transformation, sustainable development, and leadership.

Consultancy and Policy Development

Professor Roselina has provided high-level consultancy to government agencies, corporations, and international organizations:

Major Consultancy Projects:

  • Lead Consultant: Malaysia Cooperative Digitalisation Plan (MDEC, 2022-2023)
  • High Performance Organisation Index development for MAMPU (2016-2018)
  • Social Impact Assessment for Petronas (RM199,430)
  • Strategic planning for various government agencies and educational institutions
  • Training and development programs for organizations in Malaysia, Maldives, Indonesia, and China

Policy Contributions:

  • Malaysia Top Business School Framework (MyTBS 2.0)
  • Entrepreneurship Integrated Education Guidelines (MOHE)
  • Malaysia Cooperative Digitalisation Plan (MyDigiKOP)
  • High Performance Work Culture Framework and Index

Teaching and Supervision Excellence

With over 218 credit hours of teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate levels, Professor Roselina has supervised:

  • 60+ Master’s students (MBA, MHCM) to completion
  • 18 Ph.D. students to completion, with 8 currently in progress
  • External examiner for 30+ doctoral dissertations across Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Australia

Her teaching spans Human Resource Management, Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Research Methodology at institutions including USM, UMS, UTM, and UMK.

Professional Memberships

  • Fellow Member, Chartered Management Institute (UK)
  • Life Member, Asian Academy of Management
  • Member, Institute of Marketing Malaysia
  • Member, Malaysian Institute of Management
  • Member, Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management
  • Vice President, Scholars Volunteer Group
  • Vice President, ASEAN Scholars Network

Community Engagement and Social Impact

Professor Roselina actively contributes to community development through knowledge transfer programs, social entrepreneurship initiatives, and capacity building for underserved communities. Her work includes seaweed cultivation sustainability programs in Semporna, Sabah, entrepreneurship development for B40 groups, and various community empowerment projects across Malaysia.

Professor Dr. Roselina Ahmad Saufi exemplifies academic excellence, visionary leadership, and commitment to societal impact. Her extensive experience in research, teaching, administration, and international collaboration positions her as a distinguished leader in Malaysian higher education and beyond.