Hasan Mustafa | Global Innovation | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr. Hasan Mustafa | Global Innovation | Best Researcher Award 

Assistant Professor at Higher Colleges of Technology | United Arab Emirates 

Dr. Hasan Mustafa is an accomplished economist and academic with extensive experience in teaching, research, and industry engagement. He earned his Doctorate in Economics from the Georg-August-University in Goettingen, Germany, where his doctoral thesis focused on the controlling of direct banks using the Balanced Scorecard. He also holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Business Administration from the same institution. His research centers on bridging the gap between academic theory and industrial practice, with a particular focus on long-term oil demand and supply, the impact of alternative energy on global energy markets, and the economic implications of health issues such as diabetes on national economies. Dr. Mustafa has an impressive record of publications in reputed international journals, contributing to areas such as global innovation and uncertainty dynamics, investor sentiment, geopolitical risk, economic diversification, and macroeconomic determinants of oil prices. His works have been cited 64 times across 60 documents, with an h-index of 4, reflecting his growing influence in economic and energy-related research. Some of his notable publications include studies on the economic costs of diabetes in the United Arab Emirates, the role of investor sentiment in MENA bank stock returns during the COVID-19 pandemic, and scenario analyses for the establishment of an electric vehicle industry and future oil demand trajectories. In his academic career, Dr. Mustafa has served as an Assistant Professor at several higher education institutions, where he has taught a wide range of economics and business-related courses including macroeconomics, microeconomics, cost-benefit analysis, financial management, money and banking, and business statistics.

Profiles : Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | Linked In 

Featured Publications : 

Albaity, M., Mallek, R. S., Ur-Rehman, I., & Mustafa, H. (2025). Global innovation and uncertainty dynamics: Implications for bank performance. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 10(6), 100800.

Mustafa, H., Al Shawwa, H., & Kļaviņš, K. (2005). China’s new dynamic cooperation paradigm with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Mustafa, H., Theuma, A., & Al Shawwa, H. (2025). Knowledge-driven economic diversification: Scenario analysis for future trajectories in the UAE.

Mustafa, H., & Al Shawwa, H. (2023). Direct costs of diabetes mellitus in the United Arab Emirates in 2018. International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries, 43(1), 1–6.

Mustafa, H., Albaity, M., & Mallek, R. S. (2023). Heterogeneity of investor sentiment, geopolitical risk, and economic policy uncertainty: Do Islamic banks differ during the COVID-19 pandemic? International Journal of Emerging Markets, 2023(1), 1–22.

Zebo Kuldasheva | Economic Growth | Women Researcher Award

Dr. Zebo Kuldasheva | Economic Growth | Women Researcher Award 

Associate Professor at Tashkent State University of Economics | Uzbekistan 

Dr. Zebo Kuldasheva is an accomplished economist and academic professional from Uzbekistan, recognized for her contributions to international economic development, regional trade analysis, and sustainable growth studies. She currently serves as an Associate Professor at the Tashkent State University of Economics and as a Visiting Scholar at Gonzaga University in the United States. Her academic journey has been marked by excellence, earning a Doctor of Science in Economics and a Ph.D. in Regional Economics from Wuhan University, where her research explored the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Central Asian trade and economic growth. Throughout her career, Dr. Kuldasheva has demonstrated a strong commitment to education, research, and international collaboration. She has taught a range of economics courses and supervised numerous graduate students whose research achievements have gained recognition in international competitions. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes fostering analytical thinking and global awareness among students through interactive learning, research engagement, and exposure to international academic environments. Dr. Kuldasheva has held academic positions at renowned institutions such as the London School of Economics ISEF Foundation and Universities Pendidikan Indonesia in Tashkent, where she played key roles in curriculum development, academic coordination, and cross-cultural program facilitation. Her earlier professional experiences include serving as a People and Cultural Advisor at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in China, where she promoted intercultural understanding through educational and cultural initiatives.

Profiles : Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar | Linked In | ResearchGate 

Featured Publications :

Ma, Q., Mentel, G., Zhao, X., Salahodjaev, R., & Kuldasheva, Z. (2022). Natural resources tax volatility and economic performance: Evaluating the role of digital economy. Resources Policy, 75, 102510.

Tufail, M., Song, L., Umut, A., Ismailova, N., & Kuldasheva, Z. (2022). Does financial inclusion promote a green economic system? Evaluating the role of energy efficiency. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 35(1), 6780–6800.

Huang, Y., Kuldasheva, Z., Bobojanov, S., Djalilov, B., Salahodjaev, R., & others. (2023). Exploring the links between fossil fuel energy consumption, industrial value-added, and carbon emissions in G20 countries. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(4), 10854–10866.

Huang, Y., Kuldasheva, Z., & Salahodjaev, R. (2021). Renewable energy and CO₂ emissions: Empirical evidence from major energy-consuming countries. Energies, 14(22), 7504.

Balbaa, M., Ismailova, N., & Kuldasheva, Z. (2021). The impact of innovation and digitalization on service sector at post-pandemic era. In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Future Networks and Distributed Systems (ICFNDS 2021) (pp. 1–7). ACM.