Aishath Shehenaz Adam
Vice-Chancellor, The Maldives National University, Maldives
Dr. Aishath Shehenaz Adam has served as the Vice Chancellor of The Maldives National University (MNU) since November 2023. Prior to this appointment, she served as the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, providing strategic leadership in advancing research, innovation, academic development, and institutional partnerships at the national university of the Maldives. She is the first woman to hold the position of Vice Chancellor at MNU.
Dr. Adam holds a Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and Education from the University of Newcastle, Australia, a Postgraduate Diploma and a Master of Philosophy in Mathematics Education from the University of Waikato, New Zealand, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Education from the University of Auckland, New Zealand. She subsequently undertook a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, United States.
With more than three decades of experience in education, Dr. Adam has served in a range of leadership positions across the Maldivian education sector. She began her career as a mathematics teacher and later served as an assistant principal before joining the Ministry of Education, where she held the position of Executive Director. In this role, she was responsible for educational supervision, national assessment, and quality improvement initiatives across schools throughout the country.
Beyond her contributions to education administration, Dr. Adam has played an active role in national and international development initiatives. She served as the National Coordinator for UNESCO’s Education for All programme and chaired the Advisory Board of Live & Learn Maldives. She has authored and contributed to numerous publications in mathematics education, higher education, and educational development, and has served as a consultant on a range of national education projects.
Dr. Adam also possesses extensive diplomatic experience, having served as Ambassador of the Maldives to Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, as well as non-resident Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Her combined experience in education, research, leadership, and diplomacy continues to contribute to the advancement of higher education, human capital development, and national progress in the Maldives.