Public Policy’s Role in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Mahani Hamdan is Senior Assistant Professor in Accounting and Finance at UBD School of Business and Economics, and also serves as Director for the Institute of Policy Studies and Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Advancement, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). She obtained her first degree in Accounting and Financial Management from the University of Sheffield; a Master degree with distinction from the University of Leeds; and PhD from Queensland University of Technology in the field of organisational management and psychology. She learned about public policies, governance and politics during her post-doctoral period at Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, through the Independent Leader Scholar Programme. Her current research interests are in the areas of accounting for non-public interest entities, operational excellence, leadership, public finance and governance. She is the co-author of Brunei Darussalam: Making Strides with a Renewed Focus on the Future for Southeast Asian Affairs 2019, and co-editor of Stability, Growth and Sustainability: Catalysts for Socio-economic Development in Brunei Darussalam in 2023 published by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. Besides teaching, research, and administrative services in UBD, she is also a member of Brunei Darussalam Accounting Standards Council and Income Tax Board of Review. Muhammad Anshari has been named on the Stanford University List of Top 2% World Researchers in 2022 for the categories of ICT, Business & Management. Currently, he serves as Deputy Director Institute of Policy Studies and Academic Staff at School of Business & Economics, Universiti Brunei Darussalam. His professional experience started when he was IT Business Analyst at Astra International. Research Fellowship from The Government Republic of China (Taiwan) at National Taiwan University (Jan-Dec, 2014). Research Fellowship from King Saud University - the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2009. Senior Associate Researcher of Informatics Department, Universitas Islam Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Norainie Ahmad works for the Institute of Policy Studies at the University of Brunei Darussalam. Her research areas include Social Policy; Family Demography; Women's Studies and Gender; Public Policy & Policy Analysis. She has been affiliated with St. Cross College, Oxford University, Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, and the Sociology Department at Oxford University. Emil Zahrin Haji Ali graduated from the University of Loughborough, United Kingdom with a BSc (Hons) in Business Economics and Finance (2006) and started his working career as an Education Officer. With a keen interest in doing research as well as teaching higher institutions, he moved to Universiti Brunei Darussalam as a Tutor in 2007. He went to study abroad that same year and completed his Master in Public Administration (MPA) with distinction from the University of York, United Kingdom. In June 2009, he was appointed as a Lecturer in the Universiti Brunei Darussalam School of Business and Economics (UBDSBE) where he teaches a range of modules including public organizations, public budgeting and finance, strategic public management, public management, public finance and the economic aspects of public policy. He is interested in the areas of public sector finance including (but not limited to) financing public goods and services, welfare spending, privatisation and public private partnership.