Dr Afsana Faheem is the Programme Director for the MSc Clinical Psychology and MSc Mental Wellbeing courses at University of Birmingham, Dubai. She teaches across both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and has been recognised for her contribution to teaching through “Education Excellence Awards”. Dr Faheem is a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) accredited by the British Psychological Society and holds a PhD in Psychology from the United Kingdom. She currently serves as Director of the UAE Country Chapter of the Middle East Psychological Association (MEPA).
Dr Faheem’s work spans clinical practice, research, and inclusive education, with a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and culturally competent mental health care. Her research integrates clinical psychology, digital technologies, and cultural responsiveness. She has completed accredited professional development courses in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). She has collaborated with several industry partners to explore virtual reality, chatbots, and AI-driven tools to enhance therapeutic practice.
Her research contributions also include major clinical trials such as REFUEL-MS (King’s College London), ROSHNI-2 (University of Manchester), and the Diabetes Research Centre (University of Leicester). She has actively collaborated with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and NHS Talking Therapies.
Prior to joining the University of Birmingham, Dr. Faheem taught on the MSc Applied Clinical Psychology programme at the University of Bath. She has received multiple awards for teaching excellence and co-led an award-winning mentoring scheme supporting aspiring clinical psychologists from ethnic minority backgrounds. Dr. Faheem is also the co-creator and host of the podcast “What About Us? Cultural Awareness in Clinical Psychology”, which amplifies underrepresented voices in mental health professions.
Together, Dr Faheem’s expertise brings a critical, equity-focused lens to mental health and cultural competency, whilst also considering responsible design and evaluation of AI-enabled mental health technologies.