Prof. Cathryn Magno

Keynote Speaker

Cathryn Magno is Professor in the Faculty of Letters at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where she directs a new program in International Education Policy within the Department of Education Sciences. Previously she was Visiting Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University (2014-2016) and Full Professor at Connecticut State University (2002-2014). Her lines of research examine intersections in comparative and international education, education governance, gender, and migration. Her publications include two books, New Pythian Voices: Women Building Political Capital in NGOs in the Middle East and Comparative Perspectives on International School Leadership: Policy, Preparation and Practice as well as numerous book chapters, journal articles and policy papers. As a practitioner, she works to advance educational rights globally through consultancies with organizations such as UNICEF, USAID, and the Open Society Institute.

Prof. Efim Y Kogan

Keynote Speaker

Efim Y Kogan - PhD in Physics and Mathematics, Professor of Samara Airspace University.
Doctor Kogan has developed and introduced in educational practice the unique models, mechanisms and technologies of modernization of various aspects of education systems such as: educational district based management, building up and assessment of students’ key competences, working out of marketing services and resource centers in the systems of initial and secondary vocational training, per-capita financing of establishments of preschool, general secondary, vocational and supplementary education; the system of in-service teacher training based on a nominal educational voucher, integration of children with special needs into regular secondary schools, formation and placing on a competitive basis of the regional order for a professional training based on the intermediate term forecasting of personnel requirements of the economy, establishing of the multilevel and multifield educational complexes: Provincial colleges and a network of the Centers for professional career planning; certification of professional qualifications of graduates of initial and secondary vocational establishments with participation of employers of the region; structuring of the content of vocational training on a basis of the modular-competence technology.
All the innovations mentioned have been approved and their efficiency confirmed at the regional level in the systems of general and vocational training.

Prof. Alan J. DeYoung

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Alan J. DeYoung holds a Ph.D. in Anthropological and Sociological Studies in Education from Stanford University, as well as an M.A. in Child Development. He served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation at the University of Kentucky, where he was on the faculty for more than 35 years. Dr. DeYoung has taught courses in Sociology of Education, Policy Issues in Education, Comparative Education and Education in American Culture. He has also been a visiting lecturer at the University of Auckland (New Zealand), the University of Rome, Almaty State University (Kazakhstan), International University of Kyrgyzstan, KIMEP, and the International University of Humanities and Development in Turkmenistan. He is a four-time Fulbright Scholar.
Dr. DeYoung has two general research areas. One is in the sociology, politics, and economics of educational change in rural America. He has published dozens of articles and several books on school reform issues in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee; and won the national research award of the National Rural Education Association for his book Life and Death of a Rural American High School in 1996.
His other and more recent work has been in educational transformations within the former Soviet Union. During the past 20 years he has focused heavily upon education and higher education reform issues and problems in all five post-Soviet Central Asian republics. As well, he was the Director of the Institute for Education Development at the Aga Khan University in Karachi from 2012-2014. In addition to his many journal articles and book chapters on education dynamics and issues in these countries, he has two books on secondary and higher education issues in Kyrgyzstan, including Lost in Transition: Redefining Students and Universities in the Contemporary Kyrgyz Republic (2011). DeYoung’s Central Asian research undertakings have been supported by many international and American funding sources.

Prof. David Bridges

Keynote Speaker

Professor David Bridges MA Oxford University, MA PhD (London) Hon D.University (Open University) FAcSS (Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences) is an Emeritus Professor of the University of East Anglia (where he was Pro Vice Chancellor) and Emeritus Fellow of Homerton College Cambridge and of St Edmund’s College, where he directed the multi-disciplinary research institute, the Von Hügel Institute.
He was until recently Director of Research (Kazakhstan and Mongolia) in the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and has contributed to educational development in many international settings (including 26 years of engagement with Ethiopia). His academic work bridges philosophy and empirical research. He is an Honorary Vice President of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain and was a council member of both the British and European Educational Research Associations.
His most recent publications include Philosophy in educational research: Epistemology, ethics, politics and quality and an edited collection of papers on Educational reform and internationalisation: The case of school level reform in Kazakhstan.

Dr. Vafa Kazdal

Chairman

Vafa Kazdal is Vice-Rector of Academic Affairs at ADA University.
She joined ADA in 2009 as a Director of the English for Academic and Professional Purposes Program. She developed a variety of English language programs, including English for Diplomats, Academic and Professional English for graduate students, a one-year Foundation English for undergraduate students, as well as different custom-tailored English programs. In 2012, she became Founding Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, which introduced the first-of-its-kind Liberal Arts program in the country. From 2014 till 2017, she served as the Founding Dean of the School of Education, which encompasses graduate, diploma and certificate programs in the areas of educational leadership and teacher development.
Prior to joining ADA, she was a Director of the Center for Academic Reading and Writing and a professor of Applied Linguistics at Azerbaijan University of Languages.
She holds a Master’s degree in English Language Studies and Methods from the University of Warwick, UK and a doctorate in Pedagogy from the Azerbaijan University of Languages. She is also a recipient of such professional development awards as Junior Faculty Development Program (Indiana University, Bloomington, USA), Oxford Hospitality Scheme Program (Oxford University, UK), Ronald and Eileen Weiser Professional Development (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA)
Her teaching and research is in the areas of teacher education, program design, implementation and evaluation, as well as language and identity and developing writing skills.

Saida Nabiyeva

member

Saida Nabiyeva is currently a Program Manager at School of Education of ADA University, leading graduate and certificate programs. She is an experienced project manager with the demonstrated history of working in education and social sectors, particularly focusing on program design, curriculum development, program evaluation, in-service training, teaching at higher education level. Saida Nabiyeva earned her master’s degree in Education (M Ed) with the concentration on educational policy, international education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (USA).
Prior to joining ADA University, Saida Nabiyeva worked at different international organizations (SOS Children’s Villages Azerbaijan, British Council, Save the Children, IFES, World Bank Education Project Coordination Unit, US Peace Corps), mainly involved in the management of various educational programs.  Additionally, she has provided consultancy services and training facilitation to World Bank, UNDP, OSCE. As a professional, she participated in a variety of continuing education programs both in Azerbaijan and abroad.

Dr. Ulviyya Mikayilova

Member

Dr. Ulviyya Mikayilova has an extensive experience in the design and implementation of innovative educational projects. Her experience in education development started in 1998 with the management of the Step by Step Early Childhood Education Program at the Open Society Institute – Azerbaijan. She worked as an Executive Director of Center for İnnovations in Education, local non-governmental organization from 2004 to 2015. Since 2003 she has served as a consultant to many countries in the region under auspices of UNICEF, OSF and the World Bank. U. Mikayilova is a member of several professional international educational associations. She is a Member of the Program Committee of the International Step by Step Association.
Since 2016, U. Mikayilova is an Assistant Professor at School of Education of ADA University. Her professional interests are in Early Childhood Education, Inclusive Education, and social inclusion of children from socially disadvantage families, children with disabilities, refugee and IDP children, and other vulnerable children.

Ramil Mustafayev

member

Ramil Mustafayev is currently an instructor for academic writing in the School of Education of ADA University. Mr. Ramil Mustafayev earned his Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership and Management from the University of Nottingham, UK. Before joining ADA University School of Education in September 2016, he worked for a private comprehensive school as Curriculum Associate and was also involved in teaching in higher education where he delivered lectures on educational leadership, curriculum development, instructional design and assessment. As well as his role as academic writing instructor, Mr. Mustafayev is also the acting chair of the writing program at ADA University.
His academic research interests span a wide range of subjects which can be summarized under curriculum, instruction and innovation. Mr. Mustafayev takes key interest in the art of planning, delivering and assessing learning for both k-12 and higher education sectors. He recognizes the potential of modern technologies having devoted his post-graduate dissertation to their successful implementation in education. He is the author of two successful online courses at ADA University and is working on learning management system (LMS) implementation for a secondary school in the rural areas in Azerbaijan.

Natella Tariverdiyeva

member

Natella Tariverdiyeva is a Curator, Graduate and Certificate Programs at ADA University. She is also a Language Instructor. Holds Master Degree from Russian Literature, and Bachelor Degree from Russian language and Literature. Went to the Baku Slavic University.