Professor Dr Aznan Bin Che Ahmad

Professor Dr Aznan Bin Che Ahmad

Professor Dr Aznan Bin Che Ahmad

Department of Educational Development and Innovation
  • School of Education
Google Scholar ORCID ResearchGate
SDGs Focus
Quality Education
Reduced Inequalities

Biography

Aznan Che Ahmad is a Professor at the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education (SHBIE), Universiti Brunei Darussalam, specializing in Special and Inclusive Education. With a PhD from the University of Melbourne, he has over three decades of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership, including roles as Programme Head and Head of School. He has published more than 70 indexed papers, supervised numerous Master’s and PhD students, and was awarded the UKCGE Certificate of Recognition as a Research Supervisor. A frequent keynote speaker, external examiner, and program assessor, he continues to shape inclusive education. 

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • Ph.D (Special Education, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia (2008)
  • Master of Education (Special Education), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia (2004)
  • Bachelor of Education (Special Education), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia (2000)
  • Diploma of Special Education (Visually Impaired), Maktab Perguruan Ilmu Khas, Cheras, Malaysia (1997)
  • Certificate of Special Education (Hearing Impaired), Maktab Perguruan Ilmu Khas, Cheras, Malaysia (1994)

Research Interests

  • Special and Inclusive Education
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Hearing and Visual Impairment
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Early Literacy Screening
  • Vocational Education for Special Needs
  • Teacher Training and Professional Development
  • Educational Technology in Special Education

Teaching Areas

  • Special Education
  • Inclusive Education
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Hearing Impairment Education
  • Visual Impairment Education
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Early Literacy Development
  • Vocational Education for Special Needs
  • Educational technology
  • Teacher Training and Professional Development

Courses Taught

  • Learning Disabilities and Assistive Technologies
  • Therapies for Special Needs
  • Guidance and Counselling
  • School-Based Assessment and Evaluation in Special Needs Education
  • The Effective Practitioner in Special Needs Education
  • Life Skills for Learners with Special Needs
  • Curriculum for Special Needs
  • Identification, Diagnosis and Assessment of Children
  • Reading, Writing and Arithmetic Skills in Special Education
  • Managing Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Children with Special Needs
  • Language and Communication Disorders
  • Teaching Approaches for Students with Learning Disabilities
  • Family Counseling for Children with Special Needs
  • Seminar on Issues in Special Education
  • Language, Literacy & Communication in Special Needs Education
  • Early Childhood Special Education
  • Vocational Skills in Special Education
  • Educational Research
  • Learning Disabilities

Notable Publications

  1. Abdullah, R., Che Ahmad, A., Rajendran, D., & Manogaran, S. D. (2026). Integrating Quranic principles to enhance teacher motivation in special needs vocational training: Insights from pastry and bakery educators. Journal of Quran Sunnah Education & Special Needs, 10, 130–145. https://jqss.usim.edu.my/index.php/jqss/article/view/307 (jqss.usim.edu.my)
  2. Ratnawulan, T., Hidayati, A., Badrudin, B., Ahmad, A. C., Syam, R. Z. A., & Achmad, W. (2026). Integrating Islamic values and individual characteristics to overcome learning difficulties in Islamic boarding schools. Munaddhomah: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 7(2), 308–321. https://doi.org/10.31538/munaddhomah.v7i2.3084
  3. Ratnawulan, T., Ahmad, A. C., Effendi, Z. R., Syam, R. Z. A., & Achmad, W. (2025). Teachers’ strategies in developing scientific literacy for children with special needs in inclusive early childhood education. Nazhruna: Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 8(3), 682–698. https://doi.org/10.31538/nzh.v8i3.433
  4. Che Ahmad, A., Omar, S., Sivabala Naidu, S., & Gill, R. S. (2025). Parental denial of children with special educational needs in preschool settings: A case study. Jurnal Pendidikan Bitara, 18(Special Issue), 191–200. eISSN 2821-3173
  5. Aw, C. L., Lee, L. W., Nor Rashid, M. F., & Che Ahmad, A. (2024). Academic achievement of children with deafness or hard of hearing in inclusive educational settings: A scoping review. Jurnal Pendidikan Bitara, 17(Special Issue). https://doi.org/10.37134/bitara.vol17.sp.6.2024
  6. Pan, R., Che Ahmad, A., & Liu, B. (2024). Personalized evaluation method for the quality of vocational English learning based on AHP. International Journal of Education and Humanities, 16(1), 247–250. https://doi.org/10.54097/f93dms64 
  7. Lisyawati, E., Khairunisa, K., Mulyanto, A., Ahmad, A., Ruslan, E., & Ripai, A. (2024). Transformational leadership towards excellent madrasah. International Journal of Bunga Bangsa Cirebon, 3(1), 139–152. https://journal.bungabangsacirebon.ac.id/index.php/ijobba/article/view/2579 
  8. Alharbi, A., Zaharudin, R., & Che Ahmad, A. (2023). Attitude, leadership style, and readiness of academic staff towards deaf student acceptance in Saudi Arabia. Information Science Letters, 12(11), 2347–2360. ISSN 2090-9551 
  9. Zhai, X., Ch’ng, L. K., & Che Ahmad, A. (2023). Challenges in developing an ELT primary school English grammar curriculum in China. International Journal of Education & Technology. https://doi.org/10.59021/ijetech.v1i1.16 
  10. Pan, R., Che Ahmad, A., & Liu, B. (2023). A study on the characteristics of individualized English learning in higher vocational colleges. International Journal of Social Science and Business Management, 1(1), 17–27. https://doi.org/10.59021/ijssbm.v1i1.28 
     

Achievements & Accolades

  1.  International Keynote Speaker — Invited to deliver keynote addresses at conferences across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, reflecting global recognition of expertise in inclusive education.
  2. External Examiner for Doctoral Theses — Appointed as examiner at national and international universities, ensuring academic rigor and quality in postgraduate research.
  3. Program Assessor for Malaysian Public Universities — Contributed to accreditation and quality assurance processes for education programs in Malaysia.
  4. Postgraduate Supervision Excellence — Supervised numerous Master’s and PhD students to completion, with ongoing mentorship in inclusive education, literacy, and digital pedagogy.
  5. UKCGE Recognition — Awarded the UK Council for Graduate Education Certificate of Recognition as a Research Supervisor (2026).
  6. Extensive Indexed Publications — Authored over 70 Scopus and Web of Science indexed papers on autism, inclusive pedagogy, vocational education, and teacher training.
  7. Early Literacy Screening Scale Development — Principal Investigator for a national grant to design and validate a teacher friendly diagnostic screening tool for early literacy difficulties in Malaysian primary schools, ensuring practical classroom application.
  8. Inclusive Education Transition Project — Funded research focusing on transition pathways for students with special needs, integrating inclusive practices into mainstream schooling and vocational training.
  9. Quranic Principles in Special Needs Education — Collaborative grant exploring the integration of Quranic values into interventions for children with disabilities, strengthening faith based approaches to inclusive pedagogy.
  10. Autism Spectrum Disorder Teacher Training Module — Grant supported project to develop and pilot e modules for training teachers in effective inclusion of students with autism in low resource settings.
  11. Vocational Education for Learners with Disabilities — Research grant examining career readiness and transition skills for students with learning disabilities, including bakery and pastry vocational programs.
  12. Educational Technology in Special Education — Grant project applying multimedia courseware and digital pedagogy to improve literacy and communication skills among hearing impaired and visually impaired learners
  13. Community Engagement for Special Needs — Funded initiative to design community based interventions (e.g., aromatherapy, vocational projects) supporting emotional and social development of children with autism and learning difficulties.
  14. Chairman, Textbook Reviewers Panel — Appointed to lead the panel for reviewing and approving textbooks for Malaysian’s Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi (PPKI), ensuring academic quality and curriculum relevance.
  15. Community Engagement Initiatives — Directed projects supporting children with special needs through social skills programs, vocational training, and inclusive classroom practices
     

Professional Associations

  1.  Recognised Research Supervisor, UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE)
  2.  Associate Member, National Professor Council of Malaysia 
  3. Alumni, University of Melbourne 
  4. Member, Professor Council of Malaysia Private University 
  5. Advisor, MAPs NGO for Children with Special Needs