Dr Artin Rad

I am an academic leader with more than two decades in higher education and seven years in industry as a manager and management consultant specialising in strategy implementation. That combination lets me turn institutional strategy into operational plans that academic teams can deliver. I hold a doctorate and am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).
Since joining Northumbria University London Campus (NUL) in September 2021, I have served as Associate Dean of Faculty for Business Programmes, effectively leading the Business School. I am accountable for academic strategy, quality, performance and the student experience across a School of nearly 65 academic staff and 3,200 students, studying around 17 postgraduate and 15 undergraduate programmes.

My leadership has been defined by growth, transformation and student success:
Programme development and accreditation: I directly led the development of four postgraduate and two undergraduate programmes at NUL and secured accreditation from the relevant professional bodies.
Curriculum and structural change: I led the curriculum redesign and organisational restructuring of the Faculty of Business and Humanities, and played a direct role in developing a new curriculum across all UG, PGT and PGR programmes in the Business School.
Widening participation: I led widening participation work to recruit Londoners from disadvantaged backgrounds, including first-generation students with no family history of university education. This contributed to the recruitment of nearly 450 students from this group, and I focus on inclusive teaching, learning and assessment that improves their engagement, retention, attainment and progression.
Partnerships: As a member of the senior management group, I help develop and sustain the partnership between Northumbria University and QA Higher Education, and I build wider relationships with accrediting bodies, universities and industry.
Performance and quality: I use student survey, progression, assessment and examination board data to set priorities and drive improvement, and I oversee academic governance, quality assurance and compliance with UK higher education regulatory frameworks.
People and culture: I lead and develop a large, diverse academic community, build leadership capability among programme and course leaders, and promote an inclusive, accountable, high-performance culture.
Sector engagement: I am an External Examiner (EE) for three management programmes at three universities: the BSc in International Business at King’s College London, the MSc in International Management at Newcastle University Business School, and the Professional Doctorate in Management at Aberystwyth University. This keeps me close to sector standards, assessment practice and quality assurance across UK higher education.

Skills and Keywords

Academic leadership, strategic planning, programme development, professional accreditation, curriculum design, organisational restructuring, widening participation, partnership delivery, quality assurance, UK HE regulation, data-driven performance, staff development, External Examining, SFHEA.

Research Interest

My research interests have evolved from Organisational Excellence to Global Strategic Management, DEI, and education at higher education level. Across this work, I am interested in how organisations and institutions adapt to a changing global environment, and how management education can prepare graduates to lead within it.

My main research interests are:
Collaborative All-Stakeholder Framework for Education (CAFE): involving students, staff and wider stakeholders in shaping curriculum, teaching and assessment.
Realistic DEI: practical, evidence-based approaches to diversity, equality and inclusion in international business and management education, including the experience of international students.
AI strategies and functions in business and management education: how AI is reshaping curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, and how to develop AI-ready management graduates.
Strategy Implementation: translating strategy into effective action in organisations, building on my earlier experience as a manager and management consultant.

I would consider PhD supervision of applicants with topics relevant to my research interests.

Recent Publications

Book Chapters
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Diversity, Equality & Inclusion in International Business. In S. Everett & I. Hill (Eds.), Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Business and Management. California, USA: SAGE Publishing.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Supply Chain Strategies for the Industry 5.0 Era. In J. Vilko, S. Nazir, M. Ali & M. Torkkeli (Eds.), Technological Innovations and Industry 5.0: A Supply Chain Perspective. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.
Aboutalebi, R. (2021). Building Blocks of the Industry and Strategizing. In F. Saruchera (Ed.), Advanced Perspectives on Global Industry Transitions and Business Opportunities (pp. 229-269). Hershey, PA, USA: IGI Global.

Conference Papers: 2026

Backtash-Rad, A. (2026). Demography, Education, and IB Capabilities. In: Academy of Management Conference 2026. 31 July-4 August 2026, Philadelphia, USA.
Backtash-Rad, A. & Nawaz, I. Y. (2026). Learning by Teaching: A Pedagogical Model for Deep Learning, Engagement, & Assessment in Management. In: Academy of Management Conference 2026. 31 July-4 August 2026, Philadelphia, USA.
Backtash-Rad, A. & Nawaz, I. Y. (2026). Developing AI-Proof Management Graduates: Redesigning Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment. In: Academy of Management Conference 2026. 31 July-4 August 2026, Philadelphia, USA.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2026). Reshaping Management Education based on International Students’ DEI. In: AIB 2026 Manchester Conference. 30 June-3 July 2026, Alliance Manchester Business School, Manchester, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2026). Demographic Change and Management Education. In: AIB 2026 Manchester Conference. 30 June-3 July 2026, Alliance Manchester Business School, Manchester, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2026). Demographic Divergence and the Reconfiguration of Management Education: Implications for International Business Capability Formation. In: British Academy of Management (BAM), 40th Annual Conference. 9-11 September 2026, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2026). International Students, DEI, and the Redesign of Management Education: An International Business Perspective. In: British Academy of Management (BAM), 40th Annual Conference. 9-11 September 2026, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK.

Conference Papers: 2025

Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Guided-Flexible Education: A New Education System for a New Era. In: Teaching and Learning Conference @ Academy of Management Conference 2025. 25-29 July 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Growth by AI-Powered Management Education: A Curriculum Perspective. In: Teaching and Learning Conference @ Academy of Management Conference 2025. 25-29 July 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Guided-Flexible Assessment: How to Co-Create Assessment. In: Learning, Teaching & Student Experience 2025 Conference. 19-20 May 2025, Nottingham, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). AI Roles in Management Education in the Context of Emerging Markets. In: AIB 2025 Louisville Conference. 28 June-2 July 2025, Louisville, KY, USA.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Managing Diversity, Equality & Inclusion in International Business. In: AIB 2025 Louisville Conference. 28 June-2 July 2025, Louisville, KY, USA.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Industry 5.0-focused Supply Chain Strategies. In: AIB 2025 Louisville Conference. 28 June-2 July 2025, Louisville, KY, USA.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Learning Leadership: A Guided-Flexible Learning Approach. Track: Knowledge and Learning. In: British Academy of Management (BAM), 39th Annual Conference: On the Border: Management Challenges, Business Opportunities and Disrupted Institutional Contexts. 1-5 September 2025, Kent Business School, Kent, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Co-Creating Curriculum: A Guided-Flexible Curriculum/Syllabus Approach. In: British Academy of Management (BAM), 39th Annual Conference: On the Border: Management Challenges, Business Opportunities and Disrupted Institutional Contexts. 1-5 September 2025, Kent Business School, Kent, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Guided-Flexible Assessment: Co-Creating Assessment. Track: Knowledge and Learning. In: British Academy of Management (BAM), 39th Annual Conference: On the Border: Management Challenges, Business Opportunities and Disrupted Institutional Contexts. 1-5 September 2025, Kent Business School, Kent, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Teaching and Practicing International Business: A Guided-Flexible Teaching Approach. In: 51st AIB UKI 2025 Conference. 24-26 April 2025, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). From Emerging to Established: Leveraging AI-Enabled Management Curricula for Global Markets. In: 51st AIB UKI 2025 Conference. 24-26 April 2025, Guildford, Surrey, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2025). Can DEI be Toxic? A Real-World Approach to DEI in International Business. In: 51st AIB UKI 2025 Conference. 24-26 April 2025, Guildford, Surrey, UK.

Conference Papers: 2024

Backtash-Rad, A. (2024). Guided-Flexible Assessment: Shall we let the students choose their assessments? In: Teaching and Learning Conference @ Academy of Management Conference 2024. 9-13 August 2024, Chicago, IL, USA.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2024). Guided-Flexible Curriculum/Syllabus: Co-Designing Curriculum/Syllabus. In: Teaching and Learning Conference @ Academy of Management Conference 2024. 9-13 August 2024, Chicago, IL, USA.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2024). Guided-Flexible Teaching: Student Participation in Teaching. In: British Academy of Management (BAM), 38th Annual Conference: Achieving Transformation for Greater Good: Societal, Organisational and Personal Barriers and Enablers. 4-6 September 2024, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.
Backtash-Rad, A. (2024). Guided-Flexible Education: New Education System for a New Era. In: British Academy of Management (BAM), 38th Annual Conference: Achieving Transformation for Greater Good: Societal, Organisational and Personal Barriers and Enablers. 4-6 September 2024, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK.

Dr Artin Rad

Dr Artin Rad

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