Transforming Policy and Practice Through AI-Driven Educational Leadership

Areej ElSayary is an Associate Professor and Chair of the General Education department within the College of Interdisciplinary Studies. She previously served as the Graduate Program Coordinator within Zayed University’s College of Education. She is a distinguished academic experienced in Cyberpsychology, Interdisciplinary STE(A)M Education, curriculum design, teaching methodologies, assessment strategies, and school accreditation. Her knowledge and experience extend to her role as a certified associate of the Blackboard Academy, a recognized Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), and a respected Editor and researcher. Dr. Areej has conducted numerous impactful teacher training programs across the United Arab Emirates, further elevating the region's education quality. Beyond academia, she is a Mental Health Ambassador at Zayed University, an ICF Coach Member, and a cyberpsychologist bringing her specialized expertise in positive psychology to promote holistic well-being. Her research interests encompass a wide spectrum, spanning cognitive development, cyberpsychology, human-computer interaction, entrepreneurship, innovation, design-thinking, interdisciplinary STE(A)M approaches, and advanced assessment methodologies.

Ghadah Al Murshidi is Associate Professor in Language and Literacy, Curriculum and Instruction, at the College of Education, and previously was in Applied Linguistics, UAE University. She taught some graduate and undergraduate courses such as Thesis: Seminar 1(Master degree course), Emirates studies, Professional ethics in Education, Children play, Student teaching in elementary School/English, Introduction to Language and Communication, Critical and Creative Thinking, Classroom Environment and Assessment in Elementary Education, Language Development and emergent Literacy in Early Childhood, Capstone experience of teaching English language, Current trends and issues in teaching English language .Her recent interests are in Early childhood literacy, online learning, teachers’ professional development. She has published extensively in the area of language and literacy. Dr Al Murshidi received award for her book “The Guide of Creativity and Innovation in the UAE”, by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, the Ruler of the emirate Fujairah and a member of the Supreme Council in the UAE. She led a national, multidisciplinary research project “A Comparative Study of Emirati students’ Academic Experiences atUAE University, Zayed University and Higher College of Technology” which was funded by United Arab Emirates University - National Research Foundation. She was the Emirati expert in international research project “A Comparative Study of global citizenship in Arabic Countries Education” which was funded by Regional Centre of Quality and Excellence in Education, KSA. She received the YoungEmirati Researcher Prize and the best Young researcher award. For her community service, she received Emirati women award. she received the best academic woman achiever award.

Karim Ragab is a UAE-based school leader and STEM educator with 22 years’ experience spanning teaching, curriculum development, and K–12 leadership. He is Vice Principal at Ittihad Private School–Mamzar, where he has led literacy/numeracy initiatives, strengthened instructional quality, and driven measurable gains. Previously, Karim served as Principal for the Applied Technology High Schools (Dubai and Umm Al Quwain). An active IEEE member, he previously developed national Applied Technology curricula and mentored students for Emirates/WorldSkills competitions. He represented the UAE as the CNC turning expert in the WorldSkills competitions (Leipzig 2013 and São Paulo 2015). Karim holds an MSc in Mechanical Engineering (American University of Sharjah) and a BSc from Alexandria University, and he is completing a PhD in Educational Technology (Universidad de Córdoba, expected June 2026). His recent publications focus on interactive technology in STEM education and energy efficiency in schools.