Dr. Muhammad Aizat bin Zainal Alam currently serves as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Malaya in the Department of Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics.
Dr. Aizat completed his Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science at Universiti Teknologi MARA in 2015, followed by a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Malaya in 2019, where his research centred on financial preparedness for retirement. He further advanced his studies by obtaining a PhD in Economics from the University of Malaya in 2023, conducting significant research on retirement behaviour using machine learning techniques.
His research primarily revolves around behavioural economics, with a keen interest in financial literacy, retirement planning, and social protection. Notable publications include "Predicting Savings Adequacy Using Machine Learning: A Behavioural Economics Approach" (2022), "Mental Accounting and Savings Behavior: Evidence from Machine Learning Method" (2023), and "A Behavioural Economics Approach to Assessing Formation of Financial Literacy: A Conceptual Framework" (2021).These studies have contributed to the academic discourse on financial behaviours and have been published in reputable journals.
In addition to his academic endeavours, Dr. Aizat is a Research Associate at the Social Wellbeing Research Centre, where he has been involved in impactful projects related to ageing, retirement planning, and the economic and social implications of an ageing society. His contributions at the SWRC align with his commitment to addressing issues of social welfare and enhancing public understanding of financial and social preparedness for later life.
Before his academic career, Dr. Aizat worked as a Senior Executive at the Securities Commission Malaysia from 2015 to 2020, where he was involved in researching capital market regulations and developing guidelines to enhance the domestic capital market's competitiveness. In addition to his teaching and research roles, he serves as an Associate Editor for the Institutions & Economies journal, contributing to the scholarly community by overseeing the publication process and ensuring high-quality research dissemination.
Dr. Aizat is skilled in business writing, research methodologies, and policy-making. He holds certifications in machine learning applications and has developed a personal teaching philosophy aimed at enhancing higher education experiences.
