Dr. Mahamood Shougee assumed the position of Chancellor of the Maldives National University on 19 November 2023. His leadership in the education sector includes serving as the Minister of Education (2003–2005) and as the Deputy Minister of Education (2002–2003). He played a crucial role in the expansion of secondary and higher education opportunities in the Maldives from 1999 to 2005, including in the establishment of the Maldives Accreditation Board (currently MQA) for quality assurance of higher education.

Dr. Shougee’s academic background comprises a Bachelor of Education (Biology), a Bachelor of Arts (Economics), and a Master of Education degree from the University of Manitoba in Canada. He further obtained a PhD (Education) from the University of Toronto. During his time at the University of Toronto, he served as a member of the Academic Committee of the University’s Senate.

Beyond his contributions to education, Dr. Shougee served as the Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation from 2005 to 2008, where he played a leading role in planning and expanding tourism in under-represented areas of the country. In addition, he chaired the Cabinet’s Economic Committee (2007) and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Maldives Monetary Authority (2007).

Dr. Shougee has remained actively involved in higher education, occasionally serving as a visiting lecturer at Villa College and supervising graduate students from the Open University of Malaysia, Maldives National University, and Islamic University of the Maldives. His private sector experience includes working as a director (consulting) for the Villa Group and providing consultancy services for organisations such as UNESCO, the Asian Development Bank, and the Maldives Qualification Authority.