Professor Achraf Al Faraj has over two decades of distinguished academic, research, and senior leadership experience across Europe and the Middle East, including academic appointments and leadership positions at the University of Lyon 1 and University of Paris 7 in France, King Saud University in Saudi Arabia, and the American University of Science and Technology in Beirut, Lebanon. He was also the Founding Dean of the College of Pharmacy at the American University of Iraq, Baghdad. This diverse international exposure has shaped his global academic outlook and his ability to work effectively in multicultural, interdisciplinary academic environments.
With a Ph.D. in Biomedical and Health Sciences (2009) and two Master's degrees - one in Health and Pharmaceuticals Sciences (2006) and another in Genetics and Cell Biology: Microstructure Imaging (2008) - from the University of Claude Bernard – Lyon 1, France, and a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Paris Diderot – Paris 7, France, Professor Al Faraj possesses a strong scientific foundation that underpins his interdisciplinary approach to health sciences education and research.
A strong advocate for quality and continuous improvement in health sciences education, Professor Al Faraj combines academic excellence with strategic leadership, institutional development, and accreditation expertise. He has led comprehensive curriculum reform initiatives, established outcomes-based education and robust assessment systems, and embedded a culture of continuous quality improvement and data-informed decision-making aligned with international accreditation standards. His leadership philosophy emphasizes innovation, interprofessional education, digital health integration, and meaningful engagement with healthcare stakeholders to ensure graduate readiness.
Professor Al Faraj is also an internationally recognized researcher with a multidisciplinary portfolio spanning biomedical sciences, medical imaging, and nanomedicine. His research focuses on the development of image-guided drug delivery systems for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, including breast and lung cancers, as well as chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He has secured more than USD 2.2 million in competitive research funding as principal investigator and has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in leading international journals. His scholarly impact is reflected in an h-index of 24 and an i10-index of 38. Furthermore, he holds a patent registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, underscoring his innovative approach to research and its translation into practical applications. In addition, he serves as an invited reviewer and guest editor for several high-impact international journals and has an extensive record of mentoring graduate students, junior faculty, and research fellows across multiple institutions.
As Dean of the College of Health Sciences at ADU, Professor Al Faraj is committed to positioning the College as a regional benchmark for innovation, quality, and impact in health education. His vision centers on preparing competent, ethical, and future-ready health professionals through interdisciplinary curricula, experiential learning, and the integration of emerging fields such as digital health, artificial intelligence, and data science. He also aims to expand the College’s academic offerings by introducing high-demand programs aligned with the evolving needs of the Emirati healthcare workforce, while strengthening research capacity, expanding partnerships with healthcare providers and industry, and aligning the College's initiatives with UAE national health priorities. Through a collaborative, student-centered, and faculty-empowering leadership approach, Professor Al Faraj seeks to advance ADU’s mission and contribute meaningfully to the healthcare system and society at both the national and international levels.
