Academic Qualification 

• PhD in ‘Education and Lifelong Learning’ 2017, University of East Anglia/ UK 
• Mphil in Progressive Education ‘Philosophy of Education’, 2012, University of East Anglia/UK 
• MA in General Curriculum & Instruction, ‘Cooperative Learning’, 2007, King Saud University. 
• B.Ed in Education, division art, King Saud University. 

Fellowship

• Academic Associate with EDU/UEA in the UK since 2020 - 2024 Rafif Hakiem — University of East Anglia (uea.ac.uk) 
• Visiting Fellow with EDU/University of East Anglia in the UK, 2016-2020 as a post-doctoral researcher in area of Gender and identity. My current work focuses on Saudi women’s academic identity & Gender equality in the HE.
• Associate member at UEA UNESCO Chair in adult literacy and learning for social transformation.   https://www.uea.ac.uk/about/school-of-education-and-lifelong-learning/research/international-education-and-social-change/unesco-chair-programme
• Fellow (FHEA) at Higher Education Academy (HEA) the national body, which champions teaching excellence/UK.

Research and Publication 

Gender studies & Higher Education 

• Hakiem, R.A. (2023) The life history approach in Gender Studies: Exploring the experience of Saudi women academics. Sage Research Methods Cases Part 1, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529630169
• Hakiem, R.A. (2022) 'I can't feel like an academic': gender inequality in Saudi Arabia's higher education system. Higher Education. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10734-022-00914-9 
• Hakiem, R.A. (2021) Advancement and subordination of women academics in Saudi Arabia's Higher Education. Higher Education Research and Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2021.1933394
• Hakiem, R.A. (2017). Beyond the Structure of Research: Image and Intuition, SAGE Research Methods Cases – Publisher, https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781526410153   

Education/Curriculum & Instruction

• Hakiem, R., Maash, W, Baabdullah, A., (2025) Methodolgical approachers in the Department of Curriculum & Instructions: An Analytical study of Master's Theses at King Saud University, RISALAT UL-KHALEEJ AL-ARABI. 
• Hekiem, R., (2007) The impact of implementing a cooperative learning strategy on enhancing creative capacities and fostering a positive attitude toward art education among third-year middle school female students. Journal of Reading & Knowledge, Ain Shams University

Awards 

• Research grant with (Raed project 6)/ Deanship of Scientific Research King Saud University - 2017 
• The Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) scholar award (2020-2021). The Host university: UTokyo.

Conferences & Seminars

Over the years, I have actively contributed to academic discourse through a series of impactful presentations, seminars, and workshops at both national and international levels. My presentations have spanned key topics in qualitative research, reflective practice, and participatory methodologies—demonstrating my ongoing commitment to enriching scholarly conversations in education. At King Saud University (KSU), I presented on qualitative research in the social sciences (2025), reflective writing for professional development (2022), and led an all-day workshop on participatory approaches in research (2020), delivered in collaboration with the UNESCO Chair at UEA. I also delivered a full-day Reflective Journal training session for faculty members and postgraduate students at the School of Education (2018), aimed at fostering reflection as a pedagogical and professional development tool. These sessions were designed to engage academic staff and students in developing more reflective and participatory teaching and research practices. Internationally, I presented on the integration of arts in research at the 2016 Social Science Methodology Conference at the University of Sydney, and participated as a panel member in the EDU PGR Conference at the University of East Anglia (2019). My work has also included training sessions on research interviewing and arts-based inquiry, supporting early career researchers in developing rigorous and ethically grounded methodologies. Collectively, these engagements underscore the breadth and depth of my scholarly contributions and my dedication to collaborative academic development.

Teaching Interests 

Most of Dr. Hakiem's teaching is at the postgraduate level, contributing to the EDU courses, seminars and advanced research training events. As her methodological interest in participatory methods as well as the creative methods for the study of academic women's lives and identities she delivers on modules in qualitative research methods at PhDs, which covers methodological issues, including qualitative analysis skills, a comparison of the aims and strengths of various qualitative methods. She is a member of the committee for Graduate Studies at Department of Curriculum & Instruction, responsible for reviewing the plans of doctoral and master's students. Rafif supports the idea of lecturers being involved in their own professional development as teachers by continually reflecting on their pedagogy and practice. She advocates an inclusive, holistic and, where possible, personalised approach to teaching and learning and is keen to provide students with a wide range of educational experiences and opportunities.

Teaching and Learning 

• Studying Anthropology: An Introductory Course at the Department of Art History and World Studies at UEA Sept-Dec 2015.   
• Studying Art History: An Introductory Course in the Department of Art History and World Art Studies at UEA Sept-Dec 2014.  

Scientific and professional memberships 

• Fellow (FHEA) at Higher Education Academy (HEA) the national body, which champions teaching excellence/UK.
• Member of Saudi Social Studies Society (ssss).
• Member of Univrsal Design for Learning UDL (Consulting services)
• Research Consultant (2025) Department of Curriculum and Instruction, King Saud University

Languages 

Arabic / English / French