Dr. Ashraf ABDELHADI

Dr Ashraf is the Director of the National Digital Transformation & Artificial Intelligence Center (NDTC) at the Arab American University – Palestine, where he leads national initiatives advancing digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and data-driven innovation. With a postgraduate degree in Information Science and Technology and more than 27 years of experience in the ICT sector, he has contributed extensively to transforming higher education, telecommunications, and government services across the Middle East.

He previously served as a Digital Transformation Expert at the World Bank, advising on large-scale modernization and e-governance projects, and as Manager of Academic Services at the Higher Colleges of Technology (UAE), where he championed digital adoption in academia. Earlier, he worked as an IT Consultant at the UAE Ministry of Education, guiding the digital evolution of national education systems.

Ashraf has directed several flagship projects, including the Digital West Bank and Gaza Initiative for the Ministry of Telecommunications – Palestine, the Government Transactions and Document Management Systems for the Ministry of Higher Education, and the Unified Online Admission System for UAE government universities integrated with the National Admissions and Placement Office (NAPO).

A thought leader in AI, data governance, and digital transformation, Ashraf’s work embodies the AI-Forward Summit’s mission to harness artificial intelligence for sustainable, inclusive, and intelligent digital ecosystems.

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