Ijeoma Ukeni

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Last updated 24th March 2026

Dr Ijeoma G. Ukeni (fondly known as Ije) is a distinguished lecturer at the Huddersfield Business School with extensive research and teaching experience in leadership, ethics, OB, and HRM. As a leadership expert, she is interested in servant leadership and ethics-based leadership philosophies and is open to collaborative and impactful research engagements in related fields. Ijeoma is a member of the SURGE and the CeBAS research centres at HBS. Since gaining entrance into HE teaching practice in 2017, Ijeoma has continued to enhance classroom engagement and student retention by being knowledgeable, approachable, and supportive of students. Her research also informs her teaching, as reflected in modules (she leads) such as Managing People in International Context, Employment relations, Advanced Organisational Behaviour, HRM practice and theory and Leadership, theory and Practice.  She became a fellow of Advanced HE (FHEA) in 2020 and is currently a member of the Society for Research in Higher Education. She has published articles, book chapters and other pieces and is a reviewer for reputable journals. 

 Ijeoma has attended national and international conferences (including EIBA, AIB, EURAM, and BAM) to disseminate her research and knowledge in her field. As a member of these academic institutions, Ijeoma works collaboratively with other academics and currently serves in leadership positions including her current role as the Events Officer for the British Academy of Management (BAM), Leadership and Leadership Development SIG. Before completing her PhD in business and Management at the University of Huddersfield, Ijeoma completed an MBA in IHRM and has a Level 7 CIPD qualification and CMI certification. In 2021, Ijeoma became an associate CIPD member and supported the mentorship agenda in the West Yorkshire branch. 

After her studies, Ijeoma worked as a lecturer at the QA Higher Education London campus, where she worked across multiple partners including Solent University, Roehampton University, Middlesex University (serving as module leader for OB and Managing People modules) and Ulster University (IHRM and Leadership modules and supervisor of the PGT Applied Consultancy Module). Ijeoma was also contracted as a research supervisor for postgraduate students at the University of Greenwich. She is currently the external examiner for MA Business Management and MBA courses at Newcastle College University Centre.  Ijeoma also has international teaching experience and has delivered lectures/modules in France and Hong Kong.  She continues to teach and support a diverse range of students from different countries/cultures and across undergraduate and postgraduate taught and research levels.

She also has some work experience from Africa, where she gained her BSc in Political Science and other certifications from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Nigerian Institute of Management. Ijeoma is the chair of the Organisational Behaviour SIG of the Academy of African Studies (AFAS until 2027).  From 2013, she worked as a teacher in a secondary school and served as an assistant director (AD) for community activities in the NYSC Umuahia Region. In her role as an AD, Ijeoma facilitated and supported events that promote UN SDGs via community engagement activities in areas of skills development, knowledge sharing and initiatives for income generation and well-being. 

To promote well-being practices, Ijeoma hosted an ESRC-funded event in 2023. The workshop was delivered by Ijeoma and other guests, who covered concepts relevant to thriving in a technologically enabled world. Ijeoma continues to contribute to the UN SDGs agenda by connecting her research and teaching to the attainment of goals such as good health and well-being, reduced inequalities, decent work, gender equality and quality of education. Outside academia, Ijeoma has experience working as a presenter (radio), master of ceremony, artiste, consultant and trustee (UK-based charity). She has also worked with reputable HR and finance/insurance institutions in London and Huddersfield. Ijeoma enjoys learning and meeting people. In addition to her research expertise, she loves the subjects of learning/pedagogy and training and development.