ADA Education Conference

Organizational committee

Dr. Vafa Kazdal

Vice Rector of Academic Affairs, ADA University

Dr. Vafa Kazdal

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.

Samira Rasulova

Director of Faculty Affairs and Academic Administration, ADA University.

Samira Rasulova

Samira Rasulova is the Director of Faculty Affairs and Academic Administration at ADA University. Having an extensive experience in project management, she is a results-driven professional seeking to contribute her character and skills toward positive social and economic input through education.

Saida Nabiyeva

Program Director, Educational Management, ADA University

Saida Nabiyeva

Saida Nabiyeva is currently a Program Director 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 a 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

Assistant Professor, ADA University

Dr. Ulviyya Mikayilova

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.

Natella Tariverdiyeva

Curator for Graduate and Certificate Programs, ADA University

Natella Tariverdiyeva

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.

Review Committee

Dr. BetsAnn Smith

Associate Professor, Michigan State University

Dr. BetsAnn Smith

Dr. BetsAnn Smith is Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University. Her research and teaching focus on leadership, school organizations, organizational improvement and the influences of public policy on improvement efforts.

Dr. Anar M. Valiyev

Dean of School of Public and International Affairs, ADA University

Dr. Anar M. Valiyev

Dr. Anar Valiyev is Dean of School of Public and International Affairs at ADA University in Baku, Azerbaijan. He received his master’s degree in public affairs from Indiana University Bloomington (2003) and PhD from University in Louisville Kentucky in urban affairs (2007). He spent one year as post-doctoral fellow at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic (2007-2008); one year as visiting Fulbright fellow at Johns Hopkins University (2016-2017). Dr. Valiyev is author of numerous peer-reviewed articles. His research appeared in journals such as Cities, Urban Geography, Eurasian Geography and Economics; Problems of Post-Communism, Communist and Post-Communist Studies, Cultural Geography, Demokratizatsiya and others. His main area of interests is urban development in post-Soviet space and global South; policy analysis; Transportation and Silk Road.

Abbas Abbasov

Instructor, ADA University

Abbas Abbasov

Abbas Abbasov is a Ph.D. student in the Comparative and International Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Abbas’ research explores questions around access to higher education, internationalization of higher education and educational philanthropy in the post-Soviet region.

Dr. Jeyran Aghayeva

Assistant professor, ADA University

Dr. Jeyran Aghayeva

Dr. Jeyran Aghayeva is an assistant professor of education management at ADA University. She received her Ph.D. in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University. Her current research explores female student mobility in Azerbaijan. Other research interests include faculty teaching motivation, teaching and learning in higher education, student success and retention, and international education.

Dr. Samira Hajiyeva

Assistant professor, ADA University

Dr. Samira Hajiyeva

Dr. Samira Hajiyeva earned her Ph.D. in K-12 educational administration from Michigan State University. The focus of her doctoral dissertation was to describe and interpret how school leaders develop teacher trust and collaboration in post-Soviet versus U.S. contexts. Particularly she intended to identify what early stages of leadership support for teacher trust and collaboration might look like in post-Soviet contexts seeking to transform school leadership and teaching practices. She believes that these understandings can shed light on early stages of leadership support for teacher trust and collaboration that might look like in post-Soviet Azerbaijan seeking to transform school leadership and teaching practices. Currently, Dr. Samira Hajiyeva works as an assistant professor at ADA University. She thinks that fostering effective school leaders will powerfully influence teaching and learning, leading to school improvement in Azerbaijan. Therefore, she is interested in supporting aspiring school leaders through developing a long-term school leadership program to involve who seek to change the views of micromanagers and become change agents to fully devote themselves to the school improvement process.

Dr. Vafa Yunusova

Assistant Professor, ADA University

Dr. Vafa Yunusova

Dr. Vafa Yunusova is an Assistant Professor in Education Management in the School of Education, ADA University. Mrs. Vafa Yunusova earned her Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Michigan State University, the U.S. in 2019. She received BC and MA from Azerbaijan University of Languages. Prior to joining to ADA University English Language for Academic Purposes Program, Dr. Vafa Yunusova earned a tenure track and first started to work as a senior lecturer at the department of Regional Studies and International Relations at Azerbaijan University of Languages. Then, she transitioned to the department of Innovations and Further Education of the same respected university. Dr. Vafa Yunusova has explored the structure and practice of academic advising in four-year colleges of a big research university in the U.S. while pursuing her Ph.D. degree. Her research interests span academic advising, student success and retention, teaching and learning, and leadership in higher education, education management and international education. Mrs. Vafa Yunusova graduated from the Intensive Course in Development Skills in Training Teachers and Trainers, Warwick University, the UK CELTE in 2004 and Language Teacher Trainers Course, Essex University, International Academy, the UK in 2010. As of 2008-2017, during the summer terms, Mrs. Vafa Yunusova has been a visiting scholar in the U.S. and taught Azerbaijani Language at SWSEEL and School of Global & International Studies, Indiana University Summer Language Workshops and worked as a material developer at CeLCAR, IU. In addition, Mrs. Vafa Yunusova has made numerous contributions to in-service teacher training projects as a trainer of trainers and studied classroom teaching within the framework of In-service Teacher Training in British Council Azerbaijan, Baku 2003-2007. Dr. Vafa Yunusova is co-author of A Baseline Survey of English Language Teaching in Azerbaijan, Chapter 3: Classroom Teaching, British Council Azerbaijan, Baku 2003-2005.

2020