Dr Umer Farooq

I am a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University with over 12 years of international experience in higher education across the UK, Europe, Middle East, and South Asia. I am a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA) and a Senior Member of IEEE, with a strong interest in academic leadership, quality assurance, and inclusive education in engineering.

I hold a PhD in Electronic and Computer Engineering from Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI), France, completed with distinction, and previously worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Sorbonne Université, Paris, France. I also hold an MSc in Electronics Engineering (Embedded Systems) from the University of Nice, Sophia Antipolis, France.

Since 2011, I have worked as a full-time academic, teaching across a broad range of electrical, electronic, and computer engineering subjects, including embedded systems, control systems, digital design, automation, and applied AI. Alongside teaching, I have extensive experience in programme design, validation, review, and enhancement. I am also a programme leader and module leader for multiple on-campus and Transnational Education (TNE) modules, working closely with international partner institutions.

I bring significant quality assurance and governance experience, having served as a Quality Assurance Coordinator. I continue to contribute to the sector as an External Examiner, External Panel Member for programme validation and periodic reviews, and an Academic Advisor to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC). I am also involved in REF2029 impact case development in the School of Computer Science and Engineering.

My research interests focus on embedded systems, reconfigurable architectures, control systems, and machine-learning-based optimisation of engineering systems. I have published peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters, and enjoy collaborating across disciplines and institutions.