Dr. Hala Abdullah Al-Bukhari serves as Assistant Professor and Chair of the Bachelor of Education – Special Education program at the College of Education, American University in the Emirates (AUE). With over twenty years of academic and professional experience in higher education and special education, she is a passion-driven educator, deeply committed to advancing inclusive practices that empower learners of determination. Her doctoral research, “Readiness of Inclusive Tertiary Education Institutions for Preparing Students of Determination for Employment in the UAE” reflects her scholarly dedication to bridging education and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, aligning with both national priorities and global best practices in inclusive education.

Her areas of expertise span inclusive and special education, curriculum development, early childhood and youth development, anthropology, and socio-cultural approaches to education. Dr. Al-Bukhari’s research interests include inclusive higher education, differentiated curricula, online learning support for students of determination, and the intersection of education and social integration. She has published in Scopus-indexed journals on topics such as inclusive education policies, differentiated teaching practices, and institutional reforms for learners with special needs, and she actively contributes as a reviewer and discussant in international academic conferences.

In addition to her research contributions, Dr. Al-Bukhari has an extensive record of teaching and academic leadership. At AUE, she has taught undergraduate courses in education, and social sciences, and has led multiple initiatives in faculty governance, student retention, extracurricular activities, curriculum design, and program accreditation. Her leadership roles include serving as Chair of the Faculty Senate, Chair of the Student Retention Committee, Director of the University Debate Club, and elected member of the AUE Academic and University Councils. She has also held key academic positions at Dar Al Uloom University and King Saud University, where she contributed to program development, teacher training, academic advising, and early childhood education initiatives.

Dr. Al-Bukhari earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Special Education and Inclusion) from the British University in Dubai, her M.Sc. in Cross-Cultural Studies of Children, Child Development, and Youth from Brunel University London, and her B.Ed. in Special Education from King Saud University. She also holds a wide range of international professional certifications, including The International leadership and management (ILM), Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), DSM-5, Psychoeducational Profile (PEP-3), TEACCH, PECS, project management, and academic advising. Her professional affiliations include membership in the American Anthropological Association, the World Enabled Institute’s Fellow Researchers’, and King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz Center for Disability and Rehabilitation Research. She has contributed to national and regional projects on disability support services and continues to engage in community initiatives promoting accessibility, inclusion, and empowerment of persons with disabilities.