Zimbabwean academic joins Abu Dhabi University

Zimbabwean academic Professor Brilliant Sigabade Mhlanga has recently joined Abu Dhabi University (ADU) in the United Arab Emirates as an associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition to his academic role, Professor Mhlanga has been appointed as the Academic Coordinator for the Mass Communications English Programme, a position that oversees both the Abu Dhabi and Al Ain campuses.

Before his appointment at ADU, Professor Mhlanga held numerous senior academic positions at respected institutions worldwide. Notably, he was a senior lecturer and coordinator of Media Cultures at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, where he worked until 2019. His career also includes roles at the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe and the Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE, where he served as an assistant professor in the Department of Applied Media.

With extensive academic experience, Professor Mhlanga has been a visiting professor at several internationally recognized universities, including Uppsala University in Sweden, the University of Botswana, and Marie Curie Sklodowska University in Poland. His global teaching credentials further extend to several scholarship opportunities and professorships in universities around the world.

Professor Mhlanga earned his Ph.D. in Cultural Politics, Media, and Communication Studies in 2010 from the University of Westminster in London. Additionally, he obtained a Master of Arts in Cultural and Media Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa in 2006, following his completion of a media studies course at the University of Oslo. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts General Degree and a BSc Honours Degree in Sociology from the University of Zimbabwe.

In addition to his academic qualifications, Professor Mhlanga has obtained various international certifications in Leadership and Governance, as well as a Post-Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning from the University of Westminster.

When discussing his teaching philosophy, Professor Mhlanga expressed a deep commitment to student-centered learning: "My perspective of university teaching in the higher education sector is one that views the student and the tutor as active participants in the learning process. I teach and empower a range of students to engage in the learning processes, through kinesthetic, auditory, and visual teaching and learning practices. Students are placed at the forefront of my teaching and learning process. For example, I raise thought-provoking questions to stimulate conversations and critical thinking. Fostering new and developing existing knowledge is a collective process, which involves simulation of real-life situations to reflect society."

Professor Mhlanga's appointment at Abu Dhabi University marks an exciting new chapter in his distinguished academic career, one that continues to bridge knowledge and foster critical thinking on a global scale.