Knowledge is like gold – it’s a permanent asset you will own for the rest of your life. This is the mantra of Yasser Gundah (MAcc ’18), a Flinders accounting alumnus who now teaches in his home country of Saudi Arabia at King Khalid University. He’s ensuring the next generation of students can see there’s more behind the numbers of accounting than simple profit and loss when it comes to improving our society.
Yasser has managed to interconnect his passions: shaping the next generation of accounting professionals and conducting research that addresses critical real-world challenges. As a lecturer, he can gain satisfaction in mentoring students and seeing a complex topic click for them, while his PhD research focused on learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to build more resilient and equitable public health systems.
“As a student from Saudi Arabia and a wheelchair user, finding a university that excelled in both academic rigour and personal support was my top priority,” Yasser says.
“The Master of Accounting program at Flinders offered the perfect blend of advanced coursework including applied for research methods and a welcoming community, which I knew would be the ideal stepping stone for my future ambitions. It was a decision that ultimately opened the door to my entire academic career.”
One of Yasser’s most powerful memories from his time on campus actually occurred on the streets of Adelaide as he participated in a large disability pride march organised through the Flinders University Student Disability Association.
He marched from Parliament House towards Victoria Square with hundreds of other people. The city streets were closed and the public came out to watch and support them. For the first time, he was part of an impactful public event where people with disabilities were celebrating their identity with immense pride and freedom.
“That experience was transformative,” Yasser says.
“It was a profound moment of feeling seen, valued, and part of a strong, visible community fighting for equality. It gave me a new level of confidence and strength, empowering me to travel and navigate the world with greater independence.”
That first year after graduating from Flinders was a period of rapid and exciting progress, both professionally and academically, and it truly set the stage for my entire research career. Yasser’s qualification was instrumental in his promotion from Teaching Assistant to a full Lecturer in Accounting at King Khalid University.
However, his greatest career accomplishment to date was the successful completion of his PhD at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) this year. Yasser received an official letter from the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission that recognised his thesis with the ‘Award for Scientific Excellence’ and also celebrated his contributions as a ‘valuable society member’ for his volunteer work supporting students with disabilities.
“To be recognised not just for my academic research, but also for my commitment to the community, was incredibly meaningful,” he says.
“This dual recognition is the absolute foundation of the kind of academic I strive to be: one who contributes new knowledge while also actively supporting the community around them. It is by far my proudest achievement.”
Looking ahead on what is already a storied career of success, Yasser plans to immediately focus on publishing the core chapters of his doctoral thesis as articles in high-impact academic journals.
“Ultimately, my long-term ambition is to see my research have a tangible impact on policy and practice,” Yasser says.
“I also want to pay forward the incredible mentorship I received. My goal is to become a professor who not only contributes valuable research but also inspires and supports the next generation of students, just as my lecturers at Flinders did for me.”