LSST Birmingham Business Lecturer Awarded Professorship at National University

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Look across the higher education landscape and you will rarely find an educator whose credentials so directly bridge cutting-edge research and transformative classroom learning. Holding a PhD, MPhil, MBA, multiple master’s degrees – and a Senior Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) – Professor Mahmuda Begum has dedicated her 18-year academic career to one core mission: empowering students through innovative and inclusive higher education pedagogies.

Now, the Ministry of Education in Bangladesh has recognised her outstanding contributions to higher education by awarding her the title of Professor of Management.

The official promotion marks a major milestone in a career defined by international scholarly leadership. Under a formal government Lien for Overseas Employment scheme, Professor Begum brings high-level governance and research directly into the classroom – serving as Senior Lecturer in Business at LSST Birmingham while maintaining senior academic leadership roles at National University in Bangladesh.

Elevating the Student Experience

On campus, Professor Begum’s impact extends far beyond traditional lectures. Sitting on LSST’s Research Ethics Committee, she ensures ethical practice and academic integrity are embedded across disciplines. Her research actively shapes modern teaching practices with a clear focus on higher education management pedagogies, Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) frameworks, academic leadership capability and sustainable business models.

Beyond campus, she is a prominent voice in UK academic governance, regularly serving as a Session Chair (for Strategy and Leadership Development) and Peer Reviewer for the British Academy of Management (BAM), as well as an Abstract Reviewer for the British Educational Research Association (BERA).

“Academia today cannot exist in an isolated bubble,” says Professor Begum. “Whether I am evaluating research at BAM or BERA or guiding LSST students, my goal is to translate rigorous theory on EDI, sustainability and educational strategy directly into classroom practice. I am deeply honoured by this professorship and grateful to both National University and LSST as we continue to inspire students to achieve their fullest potential.”

Cross-Border Leadership

Her elevation to full Professorship – complemented by a strategic posting as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education in Dhaka – exemplifies cross-border expertise that directly enriches student learning.

Mr Ali Jafar Zaidi, CEO of LSST, said:

“We are immensely proud of Professor Begum’s extraordinary accomplishments. LSST has always strived to build an environment where world-class educators bring real-world insight straight into the classroom. Her dual appointment as a professor and policy advisor in Bangladesh while leading lectures at LSST exemplifies the empowered mindset we aim to instil across our entire student community.”

Mohsin Riaz, Dean of LSST Birmingham, said:

“Professor Begum embodies the calibre of teaching and academic leadership that defines LSST. Her elevation to full Professor is a well-deserved recognition of her dedication to educational quality. Having a scholar of her stature guiding our students ensures they aren’t just learning standard business models – they are learning from someone actively shaping global strategy and policy.”

Professor Begum is currently advancing several key studies scheduled for publication through late 2026. Her forthcoming research explores work climates for inclusive education (Teacher’s World, Oct 2026), developing inclusive learning and teaching practice in UK HEIs (IJBM, Nov 2026), dark leadership behaviour patterns (IJBM, Dec 2026) and training evaluation models (IJSSHMR, Dec 2026).

Professor Begum’s Publications

Begum, M., 2026. Reducing dark leadership in the public sector: A grounded theory study from Bangladesh. International Journal of Business and Management, 5(2), pp. 1335–1353. https://doi.org/10.56879/ijbm.v5i2.118.

Begum, M., Islam, M. F., Mahmood, I., and Sam-Sorungbe, O., 2025. Stakeholder integration in sustainability-oriented innovation: An approach to sustainable business model in SME within the UK. International Journal of Small and Medium Enterprises, 8(1), pp. 42–50. https://doi.org/10.46281/ijsmes.v8i1.2693.

Sam-Sorungbe, O., Mahmood, I., Olori, E.F., and Begum, M., 2025. Breaking barriers or building bridges? A systematic review of women entrepreneurship in SMEs within emerging economies. International Journal of Small and Medium Enterprises, 8(1), pp. 14–26. https://doi.org/10.46281/ijsmes.v8i1.2654.

Begum, M., 2025. The collaborative dialogue for the cooperative and inclusive learning: A study within the context of higher education in the UK. BERA Conference paper. BERA Conference 2025, University of Sussex, UK.

Begum, M., 2024. Resource integration and dynamic capability for firms’ sustainable competitive advantages through business digital transformation: An instrumental case study within the context of incumbent firms in the UK. ISBN: 978-9- 9956413-7-2. https://www.xcdsystem.com/bam/program/wZFOZki/index.cfm?pgid=1763

Begum, M., 2024. The development of a sustainable approach for the internationalisation of Higher Education: A grounded theory study within the context of Higher Education, UK. https://allintheloop.info/Documents/BERA/BERA2024/doc_view_details/103228

Begum, M., 2020. Evaluating training programmes: A grounded theory exploration of training evaluation as experienced by managers working in the textile industry in Bangladesh and the development of a new approach for the evaluation of training within that context. PhD thesis. University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Available at: https://repository.uwtsd.ac.uk/id/eprint/1438/

For further details or media inquiries, contact LSST’s Public Relations Manager via kunal.mehta@lsst.ac.

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