Omran Omer Ali, PhD
Assistant Professor of Politics and International Relations/ Coordinator of Politics and International Relations (PG)
Introduction
Dr Omran Ali is an Assistant Professor of Politics and International Relations in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH), where he joined the Department of Politics and International Relations in 2026. He teaches courses including IR Theories, Security and Strategy in International Politics, and Modern History of the Middle East. He holds a PhD in Politics and an MRes in Human Rights and International Politics from the University of Glasgow. With more than 20 years of academic experience, he has engaged in teaching, postgraduate supervision, research, and academic collaboration with universities and research institutions in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and internationally. His research focuses on international relations, Middle East politics, regional security, and U.S. and European policies towards the region, particularly Iran and Iraq, as well as post-ISIS peacebuilding, social cohesion, and the political and security challenges facing Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
Education
- - Ph.D. in Politics, University of Glasgow, 2018
- - MRes in Human Rights and International Politics, University of Glasgow, 2013
- - MSc in Political Science, Al Neelain University, 2005
- - BA in Political Science, Salahaddin University, 2001
Research
Academic staff research summary. Dr Omran’s research focuses on international relations, Middle East politics, regional security, and U.S. and European policies towards the region, with particular attention to Iran, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region. His work also examines peacebuilding, conflict resolution, social cohesion, and post-ISIS political and security dynamics.