DoctorJalal Mohammed

Dr Jalal Mohammed is an award-winning academic, health management and leadership specialist and consultant with nearly two decades of experience in the higher education and public health sectors. He is currently a Senior Lecturer (Above the Bar) at the University of Canterbury, where he has held this position since January 2023. Before this role, Jalal served as the Interim Head of the Department of Public Health at Auckland University of Technology. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Fiji. He is an Executive Member of the Aotearoa Fiji Research Collective and Founder and Convenor of the Pacific Online Learning and Teaching Network, a community of practitioners across the Pacific committed to developing online learning and teaching in the region. He also serves on the National Council of the Public Health Association of New Zealand.

As a recognised leader in health education and health management, Jalal has made significant contributions to international organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). His work includes advising on major education and health projects across the Pacific region and globally, focusing on strengthening health systems, improving health equity, and fostering innovation in public health strategies. Jalal has been recognised for his contributions to health management and leadership through the prestigious ACHSM-Aotearoa Silver Fern Award. Jalal remains an active voice in public health discourse, most recently providing media commentary on Fiji's HIV crisis for RNZ and TVNZ, and continues to serve as a peer reviewer for journals including npj Digital Medicine and the Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management.

Jalal has also made significant contributions to public health and health management education and research. He has secured several research grants (approx. NZD 5.2 million) to investigate pressing public health issues, particularly for Pacific populations. Jalal’s commitment to teaching has earned him numerous accolades, including a Vice Chancellor's Teaching Award. He is passionate about integrating technology into education to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

Jalal holds a doctoral degree in public health focusing on health systems and several Master’s degrees in Public Health, Education and Business Administration. His diverse educational background underscores his interdisciplinary expertise, ranging from public health and policy to leadership in education and healthcare systems management. Dr Mohammed is also a Fellow and Certified Health Executive of the Australasian College of Health Services Management and an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Research and Development Society Australasia. He lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.