Roles

Since joining the academic staff at Al-Mergib University, Dr. Abdusalam Mohamed Sufeljen has contributed to architectural and urban education through teaching, academic supervision, and curriculum development, with a particular emphasis on connecting theoretical knowledge with professional practice. His teaching responsibilities have included courses in urban design, urban and regional planning, housing, landscape design, building regulations, project management and programming, planning theories, interior design, and architectural and urban design studios at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has also supervised graduation projects and master’s theses and served on examination and academic assessment committees at several higher education institutions in Libya.

Dr. Sufeljen has contributed to the development of academic curricula and programs, the preparation of academic regulations and institutional guidelines, and quality assurance and accreditation activities at several Libyan universities. His academic service has also included membership of postgraduate committees and the peer review of scholarly research, contributing to the enhancement of educational quality and to the integration of contemporary approaches in teaching, research, and professional practice.

Since joining the University of Tripoli in the 2025/2026 academic year, he has continued to teach undergraduate and postgraduate design studios in landscape architecture, housing, and urban design and planning. He has also contributed to postgraduate academic activities, represented the Department of Architecture in academic committees, professional and institutional events, and official engagements, and continues to serve as a member of the Department’s Postgraduate Studies Committee.

Careers

Dr. Abdusalam Sufeljen’s professional career reflects an integrated combination of academic expertise and professional practice in urban planning and urban design. He began his professional career as an architect and urban planner within urban planning, public development, and railway institutions, where he assumed technical and leadership responsibilities in urban planning, project management, and infrastructure development before moving into academia.

He subsequently held a range of academic leadership and administrative positions at Al-Mergib University, including Quality Coordinator in the Department of Architecture at the Faculty of Engineering in Al-Khums, Head of the Department of Architecture, Director of the Faculty’s Postgraduate Studies Office, and member of the University Postgraduate Studies Committee. He also served as Managing Editor of Al-Omran Scientific Journal, represented the applied faculties on university committees, and contributed to professional consultancy activities through the University’s Consultancy Office.

In the 2025/2026 academic year, Dr. Sufeljen joined the University of Tripoli to continue his academic career, where he is engaged in teaching, academic supervision, and research, while representing the Department of Architecture in a range of academic committees and scholarly activities. He continues to serve as a member of the Department’s Postgraduate Studies Committee, reflecting a professional trajectory that brings together academic leadership, applied expertise, and sustained engagement with community and professional practice.

Research Interests

Dr. Abdusalam Mohamed Sufeljen’s research interests focus on advancing sustainable urban environments through the integration of urban planning, urban design, and architecture, with the aim of improving quality of life and enhancing urban efficiency. His research encompasses sustainable urban design, the regeneration of cities and historic urban centres, waterfront development, residential area planning, the planning and design of public spaces, urban transportation, urban development plans, and informal settlements.

His interests also extend to the relationship between the built environment and human behaviour, quality of life, urban safety, urban resilience, and environmental sustainability. Particular emphasis is placed on developing indicators for evaluating the built environment, as well as exploring applications of artificial intelligence and digital transformation in urban planning and design. He is also interested in the transfer and contextual adaptation of international planning and design practices to reflect the specific conditions of the Libyan and broader Arab contexts.

Through this research, Dr. Sufeljen seeks to generate applied knowledge that can inform urban policy, support evidence-informed planning and design, and contribute to the creation of more sustainable, resilient, and human-centred places.

External Activities

 Dr. Abdusalam Mohamed Sufeljen’s professional career bridges academic expertise with urban development, encompassing master planning, residential project design, site development, and the provision of architectural and planning consultancy for both the public and private sectors. His portfolio includes key developments such as housing projects in Qubaybah (Sirt), Qaminis (Benghazi), and Al-Ba'aish (Tajoura); a tourist resort in Tawergha; and the Customs Compound in Al-Khums. Furthermore, he prepared the master plan for the Elmergib University Campus and designed numerous other public, tourism, and industrial initiatives..

Prior to entering academia, Dr. Sufeljen held several executive positions across urban planning and development institutions, managing local and national urban planning and project management portfolios. These roles included Head of the Urban Planning Department, Head of the Project Planning and Follow-up Unit, and Chair of the Building Permits Committee at Elmergib Municipality. In the private sector, he led premier consultancy firms, notably serving as Director of the 4th Dimension Architectural & Engineering Consultancy and Al-Morsad Al-Omrani for Urban Studies & Engineering, as well as Technical Advisor to the Al-Khums Municipal Council.

He also served as Director of Planning and Follow-up at the General Authority for Railway Projects Implementation and Management, representing Libya on joint technical committees, including the Libyan-Egyptian Joint Railway Committee. He actively continues his professional practice through consulting, project evaluation, technical committee service, and representing academic institutions at national summits with ministries and authorities overseeing housing and urban design. Through these endeavors, he strengthens the integration between academia and executive bodies, helping translate research insight into efficient, sustainable urban policy and practice.