Professional & Educational Background

Dr Bakri Mat is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Affairs at the School of International Studies, College of Law, Government, and International Studies, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Security and Strategic Studies from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. With a career spanning more than two decades, he has consistently contributed to teaching, research, publication, and consultancy. In terms of leadership, he has held three key positions over eight years: Head of Department, Deputy Dean, and Deputy Dean of Academic and International Affairs. Beyond his academic work, Dr Bakri has been appointed to several advisory and consultative committees, including NACCOL under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDN), the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI), and the Board of Directors of Yayasan Waqaf MAIN Holding (YWMH), Putrajaya. Since 2020, he has been involved as a facilitator and consultant, contributing to the formulation of action plans to address food security issues in Malaysia for the periods 2020-2025 and a more recent, for year 2026-2035. He serves as an Editorial Board member for the Journal ZULFAQAR: International Journal of Politics, Defence and Security (IJPDS) at UPNM and Deputy Chief Editor of SINERGI: The Journal of Strategic Studies & International Affairs (UKM & MINDEF). Additionally, he holds senior research fellow positions at The AIIAD at UUM and CENTHRA in Kuala Lumpur.

Research Interests & Expertise

Dr Bakri academic endeavors focus on international affairs and security discourse, with a particular emphasis on traditional and non-traditional security threats, as well as international conflicts. His research portfolio includes numerous projects funded by internal and external research grants such as FRGS, IYRES, CENTHRA, AADK, and the Collaborative Research Group (CRG) fund. These projects cover national security issues like food security, cross-border security issues such as Kidnap for Ransom Group (KFRG), drug mule activities, ISIS terrorism and militancy, cyber security (FRGS), and refugee issues. His scholarly contributions include a wide range of publications, including articles, books, and book chapters on various topics in international relations and security studies, as listed on UUM expert online. His book has won the National Book Award for Best General Book in Social Sciences in 2021.

Email: bakri@uum.edu.my 

1. 2015 - PhD Strategi dan Hubungan Antarabangsa, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2. 2003 - Master Pengajian Strategik Dan Pertahanan, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Malaya
3. 2000 - Bachelor Degree Syariah, Universiti Malaya