Board Committee

Prof. Abdelmajid Benamara is a senior academic and science-policy leader, currently Secretary-General of the Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils (FASRC) under the League of Arab States. He is Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the National Engineering School of Monastir (Tunisia).

He has held several high-level national positions, including Director-General of Scientific Research, Director-General of Higher Education, and Director-General of the National Center for University Publishing at the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Prof. Benamara has also represented Tunisia in regional and international research bodies.

In addition to his engineering background, he has strong expertise in bibliometrics, research evaluation, and university rankings, and is actively involved in promoting science diplomacy, Arab scientific cooperation, and evidence-based research policies.

Dr. Ahmed Elshafei is an academic and higher-education professional with extensive experience in research analytics, bibliometrics, and university ranking strategies. He currently serves as Director of Global Ranking, Internationalization, and Research Excellence at Al-Azhar University, where he has contributed to improving the university’s performance across major international rankings, including QS, Times Higher Education, Shanghai ARWU, and U.S. News, through data-driven planning and research evaluation.

His work focuses on translating insights from platforms such as Scopus, SciVal, InCites, and Web of Science into institutional strategies that enhance research impact, international collaboration, and subject-level visibility. An Associate Professor of Medical Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Molecular Biology, Dr. Elshafei maintains an active research and supervision profile while contributing to national advisory structures on university rankings. He is also a member of the Ranking Technical Advisory Committee

Prof. Henda El Fekih is a Full Professor of Applied Mathematics at the École Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Tunis (ENIT), University of Tunis El Manar, where she specializes in mathematical modeling, numerical analysis, and optimal control. She also has recognized expertise in bibliometrics and scientometrics, with her Google Scholar profile indicating her research engagement with science and technology indicators and research impact metrics such as publication and citation analysis.

Her scholarly work includes numerous peer-reviewed publications, and she contributes to academic evaluation and visibility through her engagement with research assessment and scientometric indicators that support evidence-based decision-making in higher education and university rankings.

Prof. Abdulhameed Ali Hussain is a research scientist at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) with expertise in quantitative research, statistical analysis, and research evaluation. He has participated in national and international scientific forums representing KISR, contributing to discussions linking research performance with development and sustainability goals.

Dr. Hussain applies statistical methods and research analytics to support evidence-based decision making in research planning and institutional performance assessment. His analytical work encompasses quantitative evaluation approaches that inform research quality monitoring, benchmarking, and comparative assessment frameworks relevant to academic and scientific institutions.

In addition to his applied research portfolio, he engages with interdisciplinary initiatives that bridge data-driven research evaluation, policy insights, and strategic scientific planning—helping strengthen the use of metrics and statistical evidence in institutional and national research development contexts.

M’hamed el Aisati is Vice President at Elsevier, where he leads strategic initiatives in research analytics, data intelligence, and global higher-education policy. He works with universities, governments, and research organisations worldwide to help them understand, evaluate, and strengthen their research ecosystems through trusted data and advanced analytics.

M’hamed has played a significant role in the development and evolution of Scopus, Elsevier’s global abstract and citation database. His work has contributed to shaping how large-scale research data is curated, analysed, and applied for research evaluation, benchmarking, and strategic decision-making. This foundation underpins much of Elsevier’s research intelligence portfolio used by institutions and policymakers around the world.

M’hamed is a recognised voice on the responsible use of research metrics and evidence-based research governance. His work spans research strategy, funding and portfolio analysis, sustainability, and risk-aware research management in response to evolving national and international policy frameworks.He is also a frequent speaker at international conferences and policy forums, including events organised by Times Higher Education, QS, Science|Business, and other leading global higher-education and innovation networks.