Narimane Hadj Hamou, PhD

Narimane Hadj-Hamou, PhD, is Founder and CEO of the Center of Learning Innovations and Customized Knowledge Solutions (CLICKS). Previously, she served as Assistant Chancellor for Learning and Academic Development (provost) at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In that role, she established and led the institution’s academic, research, and e-Learning vision, supporting the development of the first fully online university to receive recognition and accreditation from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the United Arab Emirates. Hadj-Hamou has held a range of senior leadership positions, including Dean of Student Affairs, Dean of Learning and Teaching, and Director of e-Learning. She brings more than 22 years of professional experience in higher education, with expertise in technology integration, online and blended learning, teaching and learning, quality assurance and accreditation, and institutional governance. Since 2004, she has played a leading role in advancing online education and blended learning across the region through the development and leadership of pioneering initiatives.

Over the course of her career, Hadj-Hamou has delivered more than 300 workshops and more than 160 keynote addresses worldwide and has facilitated numerous roundtables and panel discussions. She is Founder and Chair of the MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum, now in its seventh edition, and recently led the establishment of the Arab Consortium of Teaching and Learning Centers. The consortium includes universities across the region, such as the American University of Beirut, the American University of Cairo, United Arab Emirates University, and the American University of Sharjah. Hadj-Hamou has published extensively, including articles, book chapters, and case studies, and previously served as founder and editor of the International Journal of Excellence in e-Learning. She consults with higher education institutions across the region on quality assurance, technology integration, governance, and strategy development and serves as an expert for regional UNESCO offices. In addition, she acts as an external reviewer for accreditation agencies and advises on quality assurance–related matters.