Mahani Hamdan | Public Policy | Best Researcher Award

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Assist Prof Dr . Mahani Hamdan | Public Policy | Best Researcher Award 

Senior Assistant Professor , Universiti Brunei Darussalam , Brunei Darrussalam .

Dr. Mahani Haji Hamdan is a Senior Assistant Professor at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), specializing in Accounting and Finance. She holds various administrative roles, including Director of the Institute of Policy Studies. Her academic career spans over two decades, beginning as a Tutor and progressing to senior academic and leadership positions. Dr. Mahani has made significant contributions in public policy, corporate social reporting, and financial management research. In addition to her academic commitments, she actively engages in community services, such as consulting for Brunei’s public and private sectors. Her exemplary leadership and dedication to her field are reflected in her numerous awards and recognitions.

Profile

Scopus

Education

Dr. Mahani completed her Ph.D. in Management from Queensland University of Technology, Australia, in 2011. She also holds a Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Leeds, and a BA (Hons) in Accounting & Financial Management from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. She further enriched her academic journey through a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the prestigious Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, USA, in 2015. Throughout her educational pursuits, Dr. Mahani has earned several accolades, including the Certificate of Best Research Higher Degree Student Award, demonstrating her commitment to academic excellence.

Experience

Dr. Mahani began her career in finance as an Accounting Officer at the Employees’ Trust Fund, Ministry of Finance, Brunei, and later transitioned into academia. She joined Universiti Brunei Darussalam in 2004 as a Lecturer and steadily rose through the ranks to her current position as Senior Assistant Professor. Her leadership extends to roles such as Director of the Institute of Policy Studies and previously, Deputy Dean of UBD’s School of Business and Economics. In addition to teaching, she leads various research initiatives in public policy, finance, and management.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Mahani has been recognized with numerous awards throughout her career. In 1990, she was awarded the Best Student Award by Brunei SHELL. In 2010, she received the Certificate of Best Research Higher Degree Student Award from the Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Most recently, in 2024, Dr. Mahani was honored with the Outstanding Paper Award at the Emerald Awards for her research contributions. Her dedication to excellence in research and education has consistently earned her recognition in both national and international academic communities.

Research Focus

Dr. Mahani’s research interests include budgeting practices for SMEs, the adoption of International Accounting Standards (IAS), and public policy analysis in Brunei. She also explores performance management systems and corporate social reporting in relation to organizational justice. Additionally, she investigates sovereign wealth management and sustainable development policies. Her research often bridges the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical implementations, particularly in the public and private sectors of Brunei.

Publications

  • “Post-Crisis Emerging Role of the Treasurer”
  • “Is Brunei Ready to Adopt the International Accounting System?”
  • “Sovereign Wealth Funds and Wealth Management in Brunei Darussalam”
  • “Transformational Change in Brunei Higher Education”
  • “Electricity Tariff Reforms, Welfare Impacts, and Energy Poverty Implications”
  • “Working from Home, Covid-19, and Multi-Dimensional Model of Well-Being Theory”

Conclusion

Dr. Mahani Haji Hamdan is a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award due to her diverse academic expertise, leadership roles, and mentorship capabilities. Her experience in research across various disciplines and her contributions to public policy, supported by numerous awards and grants, position her as a leading figure in her field. To further strengthen her candidacy, increased international collaboration and more publications in top-tier journals may be beneficial.

Vivian Chu | Sustainability policy and collaborative governance | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Academic Achievements

Dr.Vivian Chu | Sustainability policy and collaborative governance | Best Researcher Award 

Lecturer The University of Hong Kong  Hong Kong  

Dr. Vivian Ho Yee Chu is a dedicated Lecturer and Deputy Director at The University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Civil Society and Governance. Her work focuses on sustainability leadership, governance, and environmental management. She actively supports the MSocSc in Sustainability Leadership and Governance and contributes to academic publications on commoning, collaborative governance, rural revitalization, and sustainability assessment.

Profile

Scopus

Education 🎓

Dr. Chu holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from The University of Hong Kong, where she researched policy entrepreneurship and transboundary externalities in the Greater Pearl River Delta region. She also earned an MSc in Environment, Science and Society from University College London and a BSc in Geography from the same institution.

Experience 🧑‍🏫

Since October 2022, Dr. Chu has been a Lecturer at The University of Hong Kong. She is also the Deputy Director of the MSocSc in Sustainability Leadership and Governance program. Previously, she served as an Assistant Lecturer, Post-doctoral Fellow, and Senior Research Assistant at the same institution. Dr. Chu has been involved in various teaching, research, and coordination roles, significantly contributing to the development of sustainability impact assessments and academic publications.

Research Interests 🔬

Dr. Chu’s research interests encompass sustainability impact assessment, collaborative governance, rural revitalization, and commoning. She is particularly focused on the creation of robust social-ecological systems and the role of policy brokers and learning in rural sustainability.

Awards 🏆

  • ESG Professional Certificate for International Sustainable Business (ISB) Specialist Level II (2023)
  • Fellow of Advance HE, the UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education (2021)
  • Certificate of Distinction for outstanding oral presentation at the 15th Annual Research Postgraduate Conference (2015)
  • Professional Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2020)
  • Certificate of Completion on Mental Health First Aid Standard Course (2013)
  • Certificate of Teaching and Learning Stage 1 (2012)

Publications 📚

  1. Williams, J.M., Chu, V. H. Y.*, Lam, W. F., Law, W. W. Y. (2024). “Nested Institutions for Nested Problems: Commoning for Rural Revitalisation in the Peri-Urban Setting.” International Journal of the Commons (In copyediting).
  2. Chu, V. H. Y., Lam, W. F., Law, W. W. Y., Yiu, S. (2023). “Sustainability Impact Assessment: Framework and Report on HSBC Rural Sustainability,” Centre for Civil Society and Governance, The University of Hong Kong.
  3. Chu, V.H.Y., Lam, W.F., Williams, J.M. (2023). “Building robustness for rural revitalisation: A social-ecological systems perspective,” Journal of Rural Studies, 101, 103042. [Cited by: 4 articles]
  4. Chu V.H.Y., Law W.W.Y., Williams J.M. (2022). “Advocacy coalitions in rural revitalisation: the roles of policy brokers and policy learning,” Environmental Science and Policy, 136: 9-18. [Cited by: 7 articles]
  5. Williams J.M., Chu V.H.Y*., Lam W.F., Law W.W.Y. (2021). “Revitalising Rural Communities,” SpringerBriefs on Case Studies of Sustainable Development, Singapore: Springer. (*corresponding author). [Cited by: 10 articles]
  6. Chu V.H.Y., Lee A.K.Y. (2019). “Institutional obstacles and opportunities for policy entrepreneurship in cross-border environmental management: a case study in China’s Greater Pearl River Delta region,” Asian Geographer, 36:2, 165-183. [Cited by: 5 articles]
  7. Lee, F., Chu, V.H.Y. (2017). “Policy entrepreneurship, policy diffusion and transboundary environmental regulation: Evidence from Southern China,” Mondes en Développement, 177:1,13-27. [Cited by: 3 articles]