Dr Ahmad Al-Hiari

Ahmad is a Lecturer in Leadership and Management at De Montfort University, and a Visiting Research Fellow in Policy and Governance at the Centre for the Study of Corruption (CSC), University of Sussex. Ahmad Co-chairs DMU's Staff Assembly since September 2022, where he works collaboratively with staff representatives and university leadership in developing cross-departmental cooperation. Ahmad is also the founder of the DMU Policy Unit, which is an academic-led intelligence network that mobilizes DMU's research expertise to address urgent policy challenges in areas such as post-crisis recovery and evidence-based policing. 

Ahmad is also a member of the International Sub-Committee at The Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) and has extensive experience in conducting elite interviews with senior policymakers at ministerial levels and above. Throughout his work, Ahmad has conducted public policy research across issues like decentralization, corruption, collaborative governance, and government stewardship. In May of 2023, he successfully organized a major anti-corruption conference in Jordan attended by top officials like the British Ambassador. 

Specializing in Public Governance and Policy Transfer, much of his research and policy engagement work has focused on investigating policy failure and developing government capacity to respond to administrative challenges. Set against the background of the complex socio-political challenges that shape institutional change, Ahmad is particularly interested in investigating the effectiveness of western governance models when tested in informal and socially-influenced political systems such as in the Middle-East.

Institute for Responsible Business and Social Justice 

Articles

Al-Hiari, A. A. (2022). Corruption or Culture? Evaluating Elite Definitions of “Wasta” in Jordan. Public Integrity, 1-12. [ABS Level 2* Journal] 

Encyclopedia Entries

Al-Hiari, A. A. (2023): Guanxi. In Barrington, R.; David-Barrett, E.; Phillips, R. D. and Garrod, G. (Eds.). Dictionary of Corruption. Agenda Publishing, p. 156. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.7823689.12. 

Al-Hiari, A. A. (2023): Jeitinho. In Barrington, R.; David-Barrett, E.Phillips, R. D. and Garrod, G. (Eds.). Dictionary of Corruption. Agenda Publishing, p. 183. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.7823689.14.

Al-Hiari, A. A. (2023): Trading in Influence. In Barrington, R.; David-Barrett, E.; Phillips, R. D. and Garrod, G. (Eds.). Dictionary of Corruption. Agenda Publishing, p. 322. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.7823689.24.

Al-Hiari, A. A. (2023): Wasta. In Barrington, R.; David-Barrett, E.; Phillips, R. D. and Garrod, G. (Eds.). Dictionary of Corruption. Agenda Publishing, p. 335. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.7823689.26.

Working Papers

Al-Hiari, A. A. (2025). How Far Can Participatory Governance Models Travel? Evidence from Jordan’s Decentralization Reforms. [Revise & Reubmit]

Al-Hiari, A. A. (2025). Exploring the Politics of Large Infrastructure Projects: A Case Study of Collaborative Governance Failure in the Amman Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). [Revise & Reubmit]

Al-Hiari, A. A. “Elite Interviewing”. In The Academic Encyclopedia of Political Science Research Methods. [Accepted]

Thompson E. (Ed.) From Cooperation to Collaboration: A Thematic Report on Policing Priorities and Gaps in Policing-Academic Collaboration [Report]

Al-Hiari, A. A.(Ed.) Report Title: Accelerating Ukraine’s Recovery: A Formal Response from De Montfort University’s Research Community to the Royal Society Conference on Ukraine’s Recovery, May 15 – 16, 2023 (TBP - Aug 2025)

Blogs

Al-Hiari, A. A. (2024, April 24). “Pioneering Policy Engagement at De Montfort University.” The Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN).

• Administrative Devolution & Decentralization
• Public Management
• Policy Transfer
• Governance Reform
• Informality and Social Capital
• Anti-Corruption Policy
• Middle Eastern Governance
• Political Stewardship
• Public Sector Leadership
• Collaborative Governance
• Elite Interviewing

• 2011 – 2017, BSc Architecture (2:1), German-Jordanian University
• 2017 – 2018, MA Housing, Development & Urban Management, with merit, Leeds Beckett University
• 2018 – 2022, PhD Public Sector Governance, De Montfort University: “Jordanian Public Administration in Context: Reform Inertia, Wasta and Political Stewardship”, PhD by concurrent publication
• 2023 – 2024, Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCertHE), University of Sussex

• [Apprenticeship] Contemporary Business Issues (CORX3548)
• Research Dissertation in Human Resource Management (BMHR5005)
• Business Ethics, Sustainability & Social Responsibility (BHRM2006)
• Learning and Organisational Development (BHRM2002)
• Business Strategy in Action (BHRM3005)
• Dissertation (LBPG5017)
• Consultancy Project (ENTE5003)
• Organisational Development and Consulting (HRMG3206)
• Learning and Development (HRMG3207)
• Globalisation and International HRM (HRMG3203)
• HRM in the Workplace (HRMG2201)
• Business Research Project (MARK5030)
• Contemporary Business Issues (CORP3543)
• Global Operations & Supply Chain Management (CORP2551)

Member of the International Sub-Committee, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

Member of the Midlands Team, Society of Evidence-Based Policing (SEBP)

Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)

Fellow of The Institute of Leadership (FIoL)

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIHCM)

Certified Management & Business Educator (CMBE)

These are a list of initiatives that I have found and led:

The DMU Policy Unit
The DMU Policy Unit, is an academic-led initiative that serves as the university's dedicated policy engagement and intelligence network. Building on DMU's role as the UN SDG 11 Hub Chair, the policy unit extends our commitment to sustainable communities by mobilizing research expertise to address complex international policy challenges. In so doing, the unit adopts a unique rapid-response philosophy that sets it apart from traditional policy engagement models. As a dynamic and agile network, the unit is designed to quickly mobilize expertise from across the university to address urgent policy challenges as they emerge. The “responsive” element of this network aims to place DMU at the forefront of emerging fast-moving issues (such as the Post-War Recovery & Reconstruction of Ukraine) to gradually position DMU as a trusted partner to policymakers seeking actionable expertise in real-time. Institutionally, what defines the unit is its structure as a collaborative network that brings together researchers from across DMU's Research & Innovation Institutes (RIIs) to build inter-disciplinary connections and knowledge-sharing around key international policy challenges, and enable DMU’s research community to leverage its collective intelligence to inform policy and drive meaningful change. In so doing, the DMU Policy Unit serves as the key interface between De Montfort University's research community and the international policy arena. We are an outward-facing, entrepreneurial body dedicated to facilitating inter-university policy knowledge networks and building capacity for researchers and policy practitioners. 

The Crisis-Responsive International Science Partnership (CRISP)
CRISP is a framework designed to connect Ukrainian recovery needs and priorities with relevant UK researchers to solve urgent challenges. Traditional research in such contexts often arrives too late, lacks context, or proves difficult to implement during crises. CRISP addresses these gaps by creating a streamlined mechanism that captures community needs & government priorities, and matches them with targeted research expertise and networks. Using collective intelligence networks, rapid response methods, and knowledge management systems, CRISP allows agents on-the-ground to articulate problems clearly while helping researchers deliver timely and adaptable innovations. As such, CRISP is the first international rapid-response research and knowledge exchange framework designed specifically for post-crisis recovery. 

The Responsive-Collaborative Framework for Policing (RCFP)
The RCFP is a proposal for an adaptive platform that aims to bridge between police operational needs and relevant academic researchers to effectively support the police in developing and implementing evidence-based solutions. Where research needs to do more in meeting operational timelines, provide more practical applicability and implementation feasibility, RCFP aims to address the collaborative deficit between both by creating a streamlined mechanism that captures both community intelligence and police priorities, and matches them with research expertise and networks. This builds on our ongoing project "From Cooperation to Collaboration: A Thematic Exploration of Barriers and Opportunities for Police-Academic Engagement" where we are reimagining the relationship between police forces and academia, arguing that it is imperative for the two parties to move from transactional cooperation to a more collaborative model underpinned by reciprocity, reflexivity, and a shared language between both.

24 June 2025, "SEBP Midlands Regional Conference: Innovation, Rapid Assessment, Response, and Legitimacy". Hosted in collaboration with the Society of Evidence-Based Policing (SEBP). De Montfort University, Leicester. (Co-organizer). 
DMU conference on the future of policing outlines university's commitment to public sector partnerships

20 May 2025, "Launch of the Science, Technology and Innovation Pillar of the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership". Hosted by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The British Academy, London. (Presenter) 
DMU humanitarian mine research recognised by UK Science Minister

19 May 2025, "East Midlands Police - Academic Collaboration Sandpit". Hosted in collaboration with the East Midlands Policing Academic Collaboration (EMPAC). De Montfort University, Leicester. (organizer)
Transforming police and academic collaboration through critical dialogue

14 November 2024, "Empowering Through Policy-Led Impact". Presented at the Research Impact Festival. De Montfort University, Leicester. (organizer)

07 June 2024, "Academic Integrity, AI Detection and Assessment Design". Presented at the Academic Integrity Conference. De Montfort University, Leicester. (keynote speaker)

6 February 2024, "DMU Policy Engagement Symposium". Policy Engagement Event at DMU with the Deputy City Mayor of Leicester. De Montfort University, Leicester. (organizer)
DMU academics meet with deputy mayor to see how collaboration can help address pressing issues in Leicester

17 May 2022, "Evaluating Prospects for Large-Scale Governance Reforms Within Informal Socio-Political Contexts: A Case Study of The Decentralization Reforms in Jordan". Paper presented at the Local Governance Research Centre (LGRC) International Academic Seminar. De Montfort University, Leicester. (invited speaker)

Training Events

23 February 2024, "Introduction to Parliamentary Select Committees". Training Workshop. Government Exchange t/a International Centre for Parliamentary Studies (ICPS), London. (Certificate of Participation). 

Omar Alnajjar, “Civil service reform in Jordan.” [1st Supervisor] 

Improving International Anti-Corruption Measures by Addressing Informal Practices in Middle-Eastern Public Administrations  - Knowledge Exchange Policy Fellowship. £7’500 grant from the Policy Support Fund (PSF), Research England to support the development of Anti-Corruption policy in Jordan. April 2023  - June 2023. (PI)

"Through funding by Research England, and under the auspices of the Centre for the Study of Corruption (CSC) at the University of Sussex, Ahmad convened a conference in Amman, Jordan to address emerging challenges in Anti-Corruption policy in the Middle-east and beyond. The project aims to inform a growing debate in academia and international anti-corruption frameworks on informal practices and their association with corruption. As such, this project aims to open a novel research direction focused on mitigating the negative impacts of of informal practices on governance reform efforts.

The conference was attended by the British Ambassador to Jordan, Ms. Bridget Brind OBE, the Minister of Public Works, the President of the Legislation and Opinion Bureau, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, the former President of the University of Jordan, and a number of members of the Jordanian Senate and former Ministers. The conference was also attended by representatives of the Prime Ministry of Jordan, the Ministry of Political and Parliamentary Affairs, the Jordanian Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Capital Governorate Council, and the Income and Sales Tax Department. On the American side, the conference was attended by The American Anti-Corruption Institute (AACI).

This conference is part of a comprehensive project which aims to address gaps in international anti-corruption policy, and will set the groundwork for a future policy paper which will be presented to the Prime Ministry at a later date."

Phase 2: £150,000 (Application made to The British Academy – unsucessful) 

Policy Engagement Symposium  - QR Funded Project - UKRI Policy Support Fund. [£4’000]. February 2024. (PI)

A comprehensive 1-day event that started with a training suite composed of tailored policy engagement training delivered by a former MP and members of the leadership team for the Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN). The training was designed for DMU research teams working on studies promising impact within different areas of research and stretching across different regions in the UK. This training program was followed by a meeting with Leicester's Deputy City Mayor to explore promising areas for policy impact, and set long-term objectives that speak to pressing issues in Leicester. As part of a broader initiative to network and synthesize between our policy experts at DMU, we plan to promote this event as a pilot initiative for a future Policy Engagement Unit at DMU that mobilizes our policy researchers and equips them with the necessary skills needed to generate policy impact, and further contribute to the facilitation of meaningful change in their field of expertise. 

Building a Sustainable Infrastructure for Police-Academia Knowledge Exchange, Innovation and Enterprise in the Midlands  - Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). [£2’000]. December 2024. (PI)

Knowledge Exchange funding to create a sustainable model of police-academia partnerships. In collaboration with the Society of Evidence-Based Policing, Lincolnshire Police, and the East Midlands Policing Academic Collaboration (EMPAC)

Strategic Research Mapping to Accelerate Policy Impact Initiatives  - Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). [£4’000]. March 2024. (PI)

Enterprise funding to create an “expertise mapping” platform that will consolidate DMU's dispersed research strengths, expertise and achievements across all disciplines, specifically those relevant to informing policymaking.

Journal Reviewer: 
African Journal of Economic and Management Studies (AJEMS)

The International Journal of Social Sustainability in Economic, Social, and Cultural Context

Book Reviews: 
Management textbooks  - Routledge (Leadership Subject Area)

Ahmad is open to postgraduate supervision in any of the aforementioned research interest areas. Specifically, projects that address Government Reforms in the Middle East, Informality & Corruption, Leading Change in Public Institutions, and studies that use Elite Interviewing. 

Chair (Academic), DMU Staff Assembly  [Sep 2022 to Present]

• Reviewing and appraising university green papers and white papers.
• Building strategic collaboration between university leadership and broader staff.

DMU Future Pedagogies Reference Group Member [Oct 2024 to Present]

Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team (ASAT) Staff Representative [Jun 2023 to Present]

DMU SDG Fellow, DMU UNAI SDG 11 Hub [Nov 2024 to Present]

As part of his research work, Ahmad has built extensive experience in planning, negotiating, conducting, and analyzing Elite Interviews with Senior Government Executives at Ministerial levels and above. Moreover, he has effectively engaged with key policy stakeholders and civil society leaders throughout his fieldwork and consultancies in Jordan and broader Middle-East.

Title: Jordanian Public Administration in Context: Reform Inertia, Wasta and Political Stewardship

Supervisors: Dr Jonathan Rose & Professor Steven Griggs

Examiners: Dr Karin Bottom & Professor Jonathan Davies

Research Areas: Public Administration and Public Policy

Specialized Area: Public Sector Governance

Methods: Elite interviewing and narrative-based policy analysis