Ahmad is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Department of Education, University of Oxford, an Editorial Board member of Higher Education Quarterly, and Co-Convenor of the Diary Method Community. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Ahmad holds a PhD in Education, funded by the University of Warwick. His doctoral research employed a longitudinal design to explore the lived experiences of displaced Syrian academics, theorising their contributions to higher education reconstruction and the recovery–development nexus in conflict-affected contexts. His research primarily focuses on the multifaceted aspects of international higher education, with a particular emphasis on understanding academic mobility and the dynamics of higher education in contexts of conflict and emergencies. His work also involves exploring doctoral education and the intricate elements of academic cultures. Furthermore, he is deeply engaged with qualitative methodologies, particularly the application of diary methods, for their capacity to provide rich, in-depth insights into lived experiences within these educational settings.

Prior to joining King's, Ahmad was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Education, University of Oxford, and at the Education Studies, University of Warwick. He led a recently completed research project on academic inclusion for displaced and at-risk scholars at the Department of Education, University of Oxford. He also served as a College Advisor at Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford.

Ahmad has taught on the MA in Global Education and International Development at the University of Warwick, lectured at universities in Syria, and collaborated with international organisations—including the Association of Commonwealth Universities and UN-affiliated NGOs—to advance refugee education in Europe and conflict-affected regions. He has also delivered research training at the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE), the Qualitative Methods Hub at Oxford, and the Qualitative Research Forum at the University of Warwick.

In 2024, Ahmad received the Outstanding Contribution to the Research Environment Award at the University of Warwick, and in 2023, he was awarded a Non-Stipendiary Fellowship in Humanities and Social Sciences at Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford.

Research interests

• International higher education
• Higher education in conflict and emergencies
• Academic profession
• Academic mobility
• Doctoral education
• Qualitative methodologies, specifically diary methods