Bahir Dar University

Turuwark Zalalam Warkineh is an Assistant Professor and a course chair in the Department of Adult Education and Community Development (AECD), College of Education, and a PhD Candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at Bahir Dar University. Working with Professor Anna Robinson-Pant and Professor Alan Rogers, she has developed experience in ethnographic research. She has been involved in various national adult education research studies as well as conducting research for an international IFAD-UNESCO project as a member of country research team. Her research interest areas include adult literacy, informal learning, gender, intergenerational learning, indigenous knowledge systems, higher education, and curriculum development and revision. She is currently working as a core team member and coordinator of the UNESCO Chair (for Adult Literacy and Learning for Social Transformation) activities at Bahir Dar University, including leading the AHRC, GCRF1, GCRF 2, and GRTA family literacy project. Apart from her teaching and research engagements, she has been extensively working on enhancing the life skills of youths and adults by preparing life skills training manuals for adult learners, secondary school and university youths as well as for married couples. She is also currently working as a board member of two non-profit civil society organizations: the Amhara Women Federation (AWF), and Building Economic and Social Trust in Ethiopia (BEST Ethiopia) Email: tiruworkzelalem@gmail.com; turuwark.zalalam@bdu.edu.et; warkineh@gmail.com

Abiy Menkir Gizaw is an Assistant Professor and a course chair in Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; and UNESCO Chair core team member, and a PhD Candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at Bahir Dar University. He has a background in Sociology and Social Anthropology; Linguistics, Adult Education, and Lifelong Learning policy and management (Erasmus Mundus Scholarship). He has an internship experience at the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning in Hamburg. Being a coordinator of the UNESCO Learning Cities Project in Bahir Dar, he has led the AECD team and worked extensively to contribute to Bahir Dar City receiving the UNESCO learning cities award and making Bahir Dar City a member of the Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) in collaboration with the City Administration. He has led a national adult education study and had participated with the GRTA family literacy, GCRF1, GCRF2, and AHRC projects. His main research interests include adult literacy and learning, lifelong learning, crafts learning, indigenous and intergenerational learning, higher education, teachers’ professional development, livelihood diversification, and social and educational inequality, among others. Email: abiymenkir@yahoo.com; abiy.menkir@bdu.edu.et

Tizita Lemma Melka is assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, and UNESCO Chair core team member at Bahir Dar University. She earned her MA degree in Social Psychology (Addis Ababa University, where she is also currently a PhD candidate in Social Psychology) and MPhil in Higher Education (from the University of Oslo, Norway). She was the former head of the Department of Psychology. She had also been involved in different studies and community service projects that are related to both of her expertise. She worked in collaboration with a team of researchers from McGill University on a project studying child cognitive development in Ethiopia and conducted a research on entrepreneurial intents of students in higher education. Her primary research interests are in the field of education, early childhood education and higher education, gender, culture and psychology. She was a researcher on the UNESCO Chair AHRC, GCRF 2 and GRTA family literacy projects. Email: tzlemma@gmail.com; tizita.lemma@bdu.edu.et

Yeraswork Megersa is a lecturer and a course chair in Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; and UNESCO Chair member (assistant) at Bahir Dar University, including researching on the GCRF 1 & 2, as well as GRTA-funded family literacy project. She has studied both her BA and MA at the department of AECD, Bahir Dar University. The topic of her MA thesis was “The Practice and Challenges of Distance Education at Bahir Dar University” which was conducted using a mixed research (both qualitative and quantitative approaches). Her main research interests include: adult literacy and learning, lifelong learning, distance learning, indigenous and intergenerational learning, and gender, among others. Email: yerasworkmegersa2007@gmail.com; yeraswork.megersa@bdu.edu.et

Endayehu Tegegne is a lecturer in Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; a PhD candidate in Educational Policy and Leadership, and UNESCO Chair member (assistant) at Bahir Dar University. He has studied his Diploma in Adult Education at the former adult education department, Bahir Dar University. He earned his BA in Educational Administration and MA in Adult and Lifelong Learning both from Addis Ababa University. His main research interests include: adult literacy and learning, lifelong learning, workplace learning, leadership, educational administration, policy, and gender, among others. Email: endayem@gmail.com

Fantu Debele is a lecturer in, a course chair and head of Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; and UNESCO Chair member (assistant) at Bahir Dar University. She has studied MA in Regional and Local Development Studies at Addis Ababa University and BA in AECD at Bahir Dar University. She studied her MA thesis in the area of indigenous knowledge. Her main research interest areas are adult literacy, development, indigenous knowledge, and gender, among others. Email: fantudebele@gmail.com

Tiumekal Maru is a lecturer and a course chair in the Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; and UNESCO Chair member (assistant) at Bahir Dar University. He has studied MA in Regional and Local Development Studies at Addis Ababa University and BA in AECD at Bahir Dar University. He studied his MA thesis in the area of Small and Micro Enterprises. His main research interest areas are adult literacy, development, rural development, women’s literacy, small and micro enterprises, indigenous knowledge and Ge’ez Language, and church education, among others. Email: tiumekalmaru@gmail.com

Atale Tilahun is a lecturer in Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; and UNESCO Chair member (assistant) at Bahir Dar University. She has studied both her BA and MA at the department of AECD, Bahir Dar University. She studied her MA thesis in the area of traditional church education using qualitative research approaches. Her main research interests include: adult literacy and learning, lifelong learning, workplace learning, church education, and gender, among others. Email: ataletilahun2008@gmail.com

Muluwork Asrie is a lecturer in Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; and UNESCO Chair member (assistant) at Bahir Dar University. She has studied both her BA and MA at the department of AECD, Bahir Dar University. She studied her MA thesis in the area of women’s leadership in the context of higher education. Her main research interests include: adult literacy and learning, lifelong learning, workplace learning, leadership, and gender, among others. Email: muluworkasire@gmail.com

Dagmawi Ahmed is a lecturer in Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; and UNESCO Chair member (assistant) at Bahir Dar University. He has studied both his BA and MA at the department of AECD, Bahir Dar University. He has also another BA in Accounting and Finance from BDU. He studied his MA thesis in the area of informal and non-formal learning activities in Awra Amba community. His main research interests include: adult literacy and learning, lifelong learning, workplace learning, entrepreneurship, community development, and gender, among others. Email: dagiyeenat15@gmail.com

Nikodimos Amsalu is a lecturer in Adult Education and Community Development (AECD) Department; and UNESCO Chair member (assistant) at Bahir Dar University. He has studied both his BA and MA at the department of AECD, Bahir Dar University. He studied his MA thesis in the area of practice and challenges of technology utilization in distance education in the context of BDU. His main research interests include: adult literacy and learning, lifelong learning, workplace learning, educational technology, distance education, community development, and gender, among others. Email: likodmosamsalu2009@gmail.com

Dr. Getahun is an associate professor of educational psychology in the Department of Psychology at the College of Education, Bahir Dar University. His Ph.D. is in Learning Sciences (2014) from McGill University, Montreal, Canada. His research interest focus on science and mathematics teaching and learning, inquiry learning and instruction, scientific literacy, and scientific reasoning.  He has immense experience in coordinating mega-projects. For instance, he has been coordinating two NORAD funded projects entitled “Enhancing the quality of science and mathematics education in Ethiopia and South Sudan” (15 million NOK project) and “Advancing quality in education in the primary and lower secondary schools of Ethiopia and South Sudan” (20 million NOK project). He was also principal investigator of the CODE/CANADA funded project entitled “Science Teachers’ Understanding and Use of ‘Learning Context’ in Ethiopian Secondary Schools.” He has also been involved in many national studies as a consultant and lead researcher including the National Education Road Map Development study and the General Education Quality Improvement Program (GEQIP) national exit evaluation study. He has also rich leadership experience as he served in various leadership positions at BDU. He is also a member of the Education Advisory Council of the Federal Ministry of Education of Ethiopia. Email: dawitas@yahoo.com; dawit.asrat@bdu.edu.et

Dr. Tiruwork Tamiru Tolla is a faculty member in the department of Psychology, College of Education, Bahir Dar University. Dr. Tolla is among the few female associate professors in the university and the only one in the college. She has academic and practical background in adult education as she began her career as adult community skills training center coordinator back in 1994. In addition to her engagement in teaching and supervising postgraduate students, she has been engaged in several regional and national level studies as a researcher. She is also managing her consultancy firm delivering research and community development services to government and non-governmental organizations at Bahir Dar City. Her research interest includes topics related to family and child development, early childhood care and education, adolescent risky behaviors, menstrual hygiene management practices, gender-based violence, conflict resolution tactics, program evaluation and other educational, social and psychological related topics. Email: tiru_1964@yahoo.com; tiruwork.tamiru@bdu.edu.et

Dr. Seblewongiel Ayenalem Kidanie is an associate professor and faculty member in the Social Work and Social Development Department, Faculty of Social Sciences, Bahir Dar University. She is also certified in Mental Health Counselling from World Association of Positive Psychotherapy (WAPP), Mental Health Project Ethiopia. She was a postdoctoral Visiting Fellow of Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University of Rotterdum (EUR). Her postdoctoral research focuses on Women and Politics in Ethiopia. Apart from her teaching role in the university, she has been extensively engaged in research and consultancy projects with diverse local and international organizations. Her research interest areas include health promotion, gender development, women and politics, and social protection for vulnerable women and children. Dr. Kidanie has also experience in leadership as he has been serving a department head, dean of graduate programs, and board member at different universities. Email: seblewongiel@gmail.com; seblewongiel.aynalem@bdu.edu.et  

Mr. Yohannes Mersha Belete is an associate professor in the department of Gender and Development Studies, Faculty of Social Science, Bahir Dar University. In addition to his Master degree in Gender Studies, he has completed a one-year research methodology course in a PhD proposal development program organized by the University of South Africa in collaboration with SANTRUST in 2011. I am the founder of the Ethiopian Gender Professional Association (EGPA). He has profoundly participated in various research projects and has shown excellent teaching ability. More importantly, he has provided wide range of gender and development-related consulting services (research, training, and manual preparation) for various governmental and non-governmental organizations. Currently, he is pursuing his PhD in social anthropology program at Bahir Dar University. Email: beletemersha6@gmail.com; yohannes.mersha@bdu.edu.et