Associate Professor of Computer Science at Heriot-Watt University (Dubai) since 2019. He earned his Ph.D. in Security and Usability from the University of Hertfordshire, UK. With over 23 years of combined experience in both industry and academia, Abrar has extensive expertise in teaching and enterprise system development. He began his teaching career in 2002 as a lecturer at the University of Peshawar and the Provincial Health Services Academy Peshawar.

In 2008, Abrar joined ABMU NHS in the UK as a Lead Developer, where he contributed to several critical systems within the NHS. In 2011, he transitioned to Cardiff University as "Team Lead & Senior Systems Analyst" within professional services, leading multiple successful strategic and national-level projects. Concurrently, he lectured in Digital Media Design at the School of Medicine, Cardiff University. In 2017, Abrar took on the role of lecturer at the School of Management and Computer Science, Cardiff Metropolitan University, while also serving as Lead Developer at NHS - Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) until 2019.

Current Roles

• Programme Director for MSc Computer Science (online)
• Director of Postgraduate Studies (Dubai)

Previous Roles

• Programme Director MSc Software Engineering (2020-2024)
• Programme Director MSc IT Business (2020-2023)
• Programme Director MSc IT Software Systems (2020-2023)
• Year 3 Coordinator 

My research interests include, but are not limited to, Human-Computer Interaction, Information Security, and Software Engineering.

Editiorials and Conference Organisation:

• General Chair International Conference on Information Technology and Application, ICITA (2025), Oslo, Norway (2025.icita.world)
• General Co-Chair of the AAAI summer symposia https://aaai.org/conference/summer-symposia/suss25/ held at Heriot-Watt University, Dubai campus in May 2025.
• General Co-chair of the 14th EAI International Conference: ArtsIT, Interactivity & Game Creation 2025 https://artsit.eai-conferences.org/2025/
• Special Chair of the Futures 2025 Conference Artificial Intelligence in Education, Lisbon, Portugal  https://futures2025.bsoft.pk/org.html
• General Chair International Conference on Information Technology and Application, ICITA (2024), Sydney, Australia (2024.icita.world)
• General Chair International Conference on Information Technology and Application, ICITA (2023), Turin, Italy (2023.icita.world)
• General Chair International Conference on Information Technology and Application ICITA (2022), Lisbon, Portugal (2022.icita.world)
• General Chair International Conference on Information Technology and Application (ICITA 2021), Dubai, UAE (2021.icita.world)
• “Guest Editor” for a special issue on “Advanced Internet of Things for Smart Healthcare” in Springer Journal of Discover Applied Sciences. https://link.springer.com/collections/jbiicfcgej
• “Guest Editor” for a special issue in Journal of Education (IF 3.0) https://www.mdpi.com/journal/education/special_issues/Current_Challenges_Digital_Higher_Education
• “Guest Editor” for a special issue on “usable security and machine learning” in Journal of Electronics (IF 2.4) https://www.mdpi.com/journal/electronics/special_issues/ML_electronics. For this, I am leading a collaboration with co-guest editors from Deakin University Australia and Institute of Management Sciences Pakistan.
• “Guest Editor” for a special issue on “Current Challenges in Digital Higher Education” in Journal of Education Sciences (Q1)
• “Guest Editor” for a special issue on “Advances in Sensors and Applications in Intelligent Transportation Systems” in Journal of Sensors https://www.hindawi.com/journals/js/si/716045/

[2021] Optimizing Autonomous Solar Panel Cleaning via Drones in Future Smart Cities

Fund: 40000AED

Grant/Body: University of Wollongong 2021 Collaborative Research Grant

Co PI: Prof Mohammad Watfa, University of Wollongong, Dubai

Co PI: Son Lam Phung, University of Wollongong, Australia

Co PI: Abrar Ullah, Heriot Watt University, Dubai

PI: Christian Ritz,  University of Wollongong, Australia

PI: Robert Gorkin,  University of Wollongong, Australia

PI: Jiangtao Xi,  University of Wollongong, Australia

PI: Le Chung Tran,  University of Wollongong, Australia

Outcome: Successful

Human Computer Interaction, Usability, Security, Software Engineering