Biography

Dr. Saud Khan is the Academic Director for Data Science & Analytics at Kaplan Business School, where he leads the strategic direction of the discipline across six national campuses. With a PhD in Engineering & Computer Science from The Australian National University and CSIRO, Saud sits at the intersection of executive academic leadership and cutting-edge research innovation.

His work focuses on bridging the gap between complex technical requirements and applied educational strategy, ensuring that curriculum initiatives anticipate emerging trends in AI resilience, privacy-preserving technologies, and data ethics.

Core Pillars of Leadership & Research

Strategic Academic Leadership: Saud oversees the academic governance and faculty mentorship for Data Science programs nationally. His leadership is defined by:

  • Curriculum Strategy: Directing the (re)accreditation and design of Master’s programs to align with Australian Computer Society standards and industry needs.
  • Operational Excellence: Managing resources and budgets to guide strategies for executive reporting.
  • Educational Innovation: Leading the development of KAI, a multi-agent AI system designed to scale student support, and earning the Kaplan Global Award for excellence in AI-driven continuous transformation.

Research Authority & Grant Leadership: An active researcher and Visiting Researcher at ANU , Saud has established himself as a thought leader in the areas of cybersecurity and internet of things. His research portfolio includes:

  • Grant Success: Securing over A$420,000 in external funding, including competitive grants from the Australian Research Council and CSIRO.
  • Global Collaboration: Partnering with institutions such as Princeton University, Kingston University London, and CSIRO to drive multi-institutional projects.
  • Publication Impact: Authoring patents and peer-reviewed papers, focusing on secure communications and non-terrestrial networks.

Industry Integration & Applied Technology: Saud actively bridges academia and industry. Concurrently working with RMIT University, he designs immersive, skills-first learning experiences that map directly to global certifications (AWS, Cisco) and national competency standards. He acts as a primary technical liaison for industry partners, converting market intelligence into specialised micro-credentials that address real-world data challenges.

Academic Qualifications

Technical

  • PhD (2025) | The Australian National University & CSIRO
  • Master (2020) | Kumoh Institute of Technology, South Korea
  • Bachelor (2017) | National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences, Pakistan

Leadership

  • Grad. Cert (2025) | Kaplan Business School (Business Admin)
  • MBA (Exp. 2026) | Kaplan Business School (Project Mgmt & Leadership)
  • Grad. Cert (Exp. 2026) | Deakin University (Higher Education)

Appointments

  • Academic Director – Data Science | Kaplan, Australia (May 2025 – Present)
  • Teacher – ICT | RMIT University (Feb 2024 – Present)
  • Visiting Researcher | The Australian National University (Dec 2024 – Present)
  • Academic Head – IT | Kaplan, Australia (Feb 2024 – May 2025)
  • Lecturer – IT | Kaplan, Australia (Feb 2023 – Feb 2024)
  • Research Assistant | Kumoh Institute of Technology (Mar 2018 – Feb 2020)