Opinion: SIMAD — A Place of Possibilities

“I came to SIMAD seeking a place to contribute; I found a community that helped me grow, belong and serve.” Dr. Osman Sayid Hassan Musse

When I joined SIMAD University as a part-time lecturer, I asked to teach just twelve hours a week. I was entering a new profession, finding my feet after returning to Somalia and trying to understand where I could contribute. I never imagined that this modest beginning would lead to recognition as an Associate Professor of Finance.

Looking back, I see how much can grow from an opportunity when an institution gives people room to learn, contribute and take on responsibility. That is what SIMAD has come to represent in my life: a place of possibilities.

Finding My Place at Home#

I returned to Mogadishu in 2022 after 21 years abroad, hoping to settle at home and serve my country. My initial plan was to contribute through public service, alongside a close friend who had recently assumed a senior government position. When that opportunity did not unfold as I had hoped, I had to reconsider my next steps.

Returning home required patience. After so many years away, I needed time to reconnect with my community and adjust to daily life in a country that felt both familiar and new. I had experience and a willingness to work, but I was still searching for a place to put them to use.

Drawing on more than twelve years of experience with Dahabshiil in Malaysia, I explored opportunities in banking and successfully completed an interview for a position. Around the same time, a part-time teaching opportunity arose in SIMAD’s Faculty of Management Sciences. I applied and was appointed.

I still remember sitting with the Dean and the Head of Programme shortly after joining. They asked how many hours I wanted to teach.

“Twelve hours a week would be more than enough,” I replied.

Having worked in financial services, I understood the responsibility of professional practice. Teaching brought a different responsibility: helping students understand, question and apply what they learned. As a first-time lecturer, I wanted to give each class the preparation and attention it deserved.

My first teaching salary was approximately 17 per cent of what I had previously earned. Yet my decision was not about money. I was searching for purpose, belonging and a community in which I could contribute. SIMAD gave me that opportunity.

Where Possibility Takes Shape#

Before I joined, friends who were SIMAD alumni or staff members often told me, “SIMAD is a place where you can grow.” Their words became clearer through experience.

I found colleagues willing to listen, openness to new ideas and opportunities to assume meaningful responsibilities. These everyday experiences helped me gain confidence in a new profession and become part of the university’s life.

An opportunity to teach gave me a starting point. The encouragement of colleagues helped me develop. The trust placed in me, including the opportunity to serve on the University Council, allowed me to contribute beyond the classroom.

For someone rebuilding his life at home, that trust mattered deeply. I began to see how my experience abroad could have value here, and how much I could still learn from the students and colleagues around me.

This is why I describe SIMAD as a place of possibilities. In my experience, it provided the conditions in which effort could develop into meaningful contribution: a welcoming community, responsibilities worth taking seriously and space to grow.

Possibilities Built by Others#

My connection with SIMAD began before my appointment. I first visited the Main Campus on Jidka Warshadaha in Mogadishu in 2013, while in Somalia to see my family, particularly my mother—may Allah bless her.

The invitation came from my dear friend, Ustad Ibrahim Hamud, whose kindness and generosity touched many lives. May Allah grant him Jannatul Firdaus and reward his sacrifices and good intentions.