Dr. Muhammad Asim Afridi HoD Department of Economics

Dr. Muhammad Asim Afridi is currently serving as an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Economics at COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus. He holds a PhD in Economics from Aix-Marseille University, France an institution where he also earned his Master’s degree in Economic Analysis and Econometrics. Before his academic career, Dr. Afridi served as Assistant Director at the State Bank of Pakistan, gaining over a decade of professional experience in banking inspection, financial surveillance, and policy enforcement.

With more than 20 years of combined academic and professional experience, Dr. Afridi has established himself as a leading scholar in development economics, macroeconomic policy, financial markets, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. He has authored over 40 research articles published in reputable national and international peer-reviewed journals. His scholarly impact is further reflected in his editorial roles, including membership on the editorial boards of Discover Sustainability (Springer), and Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (Nature).

Dr. Afridi is an HEC-approved PhD supervisor and has a strong track record of mentoring students at various academic levels, having supervised multiple doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate theses in economics and finance. His ongoing work focuses on topics such as public debt sustainability, financial inclusion, institutional quality, and the economic implications of climate change and entrepreneurship in developing economies. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to research and teaching, Dr. Afridi has received several prestigious awards, including the Best Researcher and Best Employee awards from the Department of Management Sciences at COMSATS University for multiple consecutive years.

Dr. Afridi has also demonstrated a strong commitment to academic service and leadership. In addition to his role as Head of the Economics Department, he has served as Acting Head of the Department of Management Sciences and Principal Academic Coordinator for the undergraduate economics program. He has been an active member and convener of various academic committees related to curriculum development, course evaluation, and program accreditation.

He regularly represents COMSATS University at national and international academic forums. Dr. Afridi has attended and presented papers at numerous prestigious conferences and workshops across Pakistan, Europe, and Asia. These include the Annual Meeting of the Association of Southern European Economic Theorists (ASSET) in Portugal, the International Conference on Health Financing in France, and academic conferences organized by Coventry University (UK), among others. He has also completed specialized training through workshops and summer schools in environmental economics, curriculum design, and applied econometrics.

Dr. Afridi continues to pursue research that bridges the gap between academic inquiry and real-world policy challenges, with a particular focus on the economic development of Pakistan and other emerging economies.