Professor Dr. Mohammad Tariq Ahsan has been working at the Institute of Education and Research (IER) of the University of Dhaka since 2001. His specialization areas are Educational Change and Pedagogical Reform, Digital Transformation in Education, Equity and Inclusion in education, and Teacher preparation. Tariq completed his PhD on teacher preparation for inclusion in education from Monash University, Australia in 2015 under the Australian Government's prestigious Australian Leadership Awards (ALAs) proogramme. He did a Master’s from the Flinders University of South Australia in 2004-05 under the Australian Development Scholarship (ADS) programme. He has another Master’s on Education and a Bachelor of Education (Honours) degree with high achievement and merit position from the IER, University of Dhaka. Tariq also extensive training on Global Citizenship Education (GCED) from the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU), UNESCO in South Korea and also has intensive training and experiences on Leadership Roles provided by the Australian Government. Tariq served as the Chairman of the Department of Special Education and Inclusion at IER, University of Dhaka in 2006-2007. Tariq has vast experience in educational reform, curriculum development, pedagogical transformation, conducting collaborative and international research studies and policy/strategy/framework/standard development for the government, UN agencies and for the regional and international platforms. Dr. Ahsan's diverse career journey represent some unique and solid contribution in the areas of-

• Educational Transformation for ensuring equity and inclusion
• Contribution in SDGs, Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
• Contribution in Education in Emergencies (EiE) and ECCD
• Curricular and Pedagogical Transformation
• International Leadership and Collaboration through development of regional academic and research platform
• Editorial Roles in International Journals
• International Speaker, Significant Research and Publication Contribution
• Documentation of Bangla Sign Language
• Administrative and Membership Roles and Affiliations
• Academic Research Supervision and Examination
• Global Recognition and Awards

Educational Transformation for Equity and Inclusion:

One significant area of Tariq's expertise is educational transformation for ensuring equity and inclusion in education. He is one of the pioneers who promoted the concept of educational transformation for equity and inclusion in Bangladesh and Asia-Pacific Region. Since his very early career when Tariq was a Lecturer at the IER, Tariq played an important role as the 'Co-Convener of the Inclusive Education Core group' and worked with the UNESCO Regional office in Bangkok for developing the Inclusive Learning Friendly Environment (ILFE) toolkit for the teachers of the Asia-Pacific region. He developed the Conceptual Frame for Inclusive Education for the Government's Primary Education Development Programme phase-3 (PEDP 3) programme with the support from UNICEF and also played role of an advisor in the PEDP 4 programme with the support from USAID. Tariq is also contributing at the Asian regions and international levels through various initiatives. He is the Secretary General of the “Asian Centre for Inclusive Education” and through this platform he organized five successful international conferences in the Asia Pacific Region and in the USA. Tariq was involved in an international project on "Inclusive Education in Asian Countries‟ at Monash University, Australia. Tariq is the founding editor of an international journal titled “Asian Journal of Inclusive Education”. Tariq also supported many international NGOs (i.e. Plan International Bangladesh, Save the Children, CBM, VSO, ADD, ActionAID Bangladesh) and many national NGOs (i.e. BRAC, CDD, CSID, DRRA, CRP, Sisimpur) for promoting equity and inclusion in education.

Contribution in SDGs, Global Citizenship Education (GCED) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

1. Lead Reviewer and Facilitator (2021-2024). Review of National Academy for Educational Management Approaches for mainstreaming GCED, ESD and SDG 4.7. Organized by NAEM, MoE.
2. Team Leader (2022). Learning for Empathy (SDG 4.7): Teacher Exchange and Support Programme through Experiential Learning. Organized by DSHE, MoE and UNESCO.
3. Team Leader (2019-2022). Learning for Empathy (SDG 4.7): Teacher Exchange and Support Programme through Experiential Learning. Organized by DME and UNESCO.
4. Advisor (2019). GCED Survey in the Asia Pacific: Bangladesh Context. Conducted by NCTB, MoE.
5. Member and Focal Person in Bangladesh (2019 ongoing). GCED Network by APCEIU, UNESCO-South Korea.
6. Member (2019 to till date). GCED Regional Network managed by UNESCO-BKK.
7. Member (2017-18). Technical Committee on SDG 4 framework Development by BNCU, MoE.
8. Team Leader (2018). Review of Education Policies and Plans to Identify the Priority Aspects for Inclusion in line with SDG 4 in Bangladesh, UNESCO Dhaka.
9. National Lead (2016-17). A comparative study of coverage of SDG 4.7, GCED in the Curriculum Contents in 20 Asian countries. MGIEP, India and UNESCO-BKK.

Contribution on Education in Emergencies (EiE) and ECCD and Adolescents

Dr. M. Tariq Ahsan was engaged as a Technical Committee Member (2017 to 2018) in the Development of a learning framework for the displaced Rohiyanga children in Bangladesh that was organized by UNICEF & UNHCR Bangladesh immediately after the Rohiyanga displacement happened in 2017. Based on that Learning Framework education of FDMN is going on till to date. Dr. Ahsan was also a Review Team Member (2019) of the Textbooks and learning materials developed by UNICEF Bangladesh for the displaced Rohiyanga children in Bangladesh. Tariq Ahsan also conducted an intensive study on the stakeholder’s perception about learning challenges and equity and inclusion during COVID-19 in Bangladesh. He is also the Lead author of a Bangla book on "Post Covid Education and Teaching Learning Strategies".

Later on, he also led a study on the ECCD model applied by the VSO Bangladesh for the displaced Rohiyanga children in Bangladesh. Dr. Ahsan also has significant contribution in ECCD issues at National level in Bangladesh. He was a Technical Committee Member (2015 to 2016) of development of a significant milestone known as the Early Learning Development Standard (ELDS) in Bangladesh initiated by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs. He was also engaged as a member of the committee in the development of the Operational Framework of ECCD policy for the Government of Bangladesh. Besides, he was a Technical Committee Member (2018-19) of the Development of a Standardized Adolescent Empowerment Package. MoWCA. Dr. Ahsan also conducted a study as a team lead on 'Mapping of Approaches and Sustainability Analysis of Community based Child Care Centers in Bangladesh' in 2019.

Curricular and Pedagogical Transformation

Professor Tariq Ahsan was engaged in the National Curriculum development process in various ways. He intensively worked on this issue, being a member of four important committees that include CDRCC, NCCC, Working Committee and Subject Committee (Digital Technology) and holding the position of the Lead Advisor of the whole transformation process. Professor Ahsan conducted a series of policy research through which, development partners designed their country programme for educational collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh. Dr. Ahsan, being the team lead of a UNDP study on Exploring the student perspective of Micro-credentials in Tertiary Education in Bangladesh provided evidence-based recommendations for transforming the tertiary education in Bangladesh. Based on this study, UNDP designed their work plans for contributing to Tertiary education curriculum in Bangladesh. He also conducted a study for Online Pedagogy of Selected Platforms in Bangladesh who are providing digital education in 2020 for a Japanese investor. For JICA, Dr Ahsan conducted a Study on the Bangladesh Higher Education Sub-sector to explore potential JICA Projects. Based on this study JICA designed their tertiary education transformation investment projects in Bangladesh. In addition to national roles, Dr. Ahsan was involved in developing several curriculums for teacher education at different layers of education. Such initiatives include:

1. Bachelor of Education Programme Curriculum of Bangabandhu University of Digital Technology, Dhaka.
2. Bachelor of Speech Therapy Course. Bangladesh Health Professionals’ Institute, CRP, Dhaka.
3. Curriculum development of Bachelor and Masters programme on Special and Inclusive Education, PISER, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP).
4. Curriculum Development of Bachelor (Hons.) and Masters Programme on Education, IER, University of Dhaka
5. Curriculum Development of DPEd. Programme. NAPE, MoPME.
6. Curriculum Development on Inclusive Education Training, AIEC, DPE, MoPME.
7. Curriculum Development on Inclusive Education, SEND programme, PEDP 4, MoPME.

International Leadership and Collaboration through development of regional academic and research platform

Professor Tariq Ahsan has established an voluntary technical platform known as Asian Centre for Inclusive Education (ACIE), Bangladesh, where academics from Bangladesh, India, China, Japan, Pakistan, Australia, Canada, USA, UK are collaborating together to promote educational reforms for ensuring equity and inclusion in developing countries through awareness raising activities (i.e. publications), conducting research, advocating with the Governments through dialogue and seminars, developing networks through international conferences etc. Academics are representing the universities in ACIE include, University of Dhaka, SP Pune University, Cambridge University, UK; Monash University, East China Normal University, University of Concordia Alberta, Canada; and University of Massachusetts Boston, USA. As the secretariate of ACIE is in Bangladesh, this platform has provided opportunity to work intensively in Bangladesh on educational reforms and represents Bangladesh internationally. Dr. Tariq Ahsan, under the banner of ACIE, regularly organizes international conferences and seminars on educational reforms for equity and inclusion, which has now been an iconic event for researchers and academicians around the world. So far, six international conferences are being organized successfully in Bangladesh, India, and USA, where 300-400 participants from 20-30 countries presented their papers.

Editorial Roles in International Journals

Dr. Ahsan initiated an international double blind peer reviewed journal in 2013 focusing on issues related to equity and inclusion in Asia and beyond. Asian Journal of Inclusive Education (AJIE) aims to offer a regional and international platform to conduct a multidisciplinary strategic dialogue on educational reforms for equity and inclusion for educationists, teachers, policy makers, researchers, and other interested professionals. Articles can be of original empirical research, systematic literature review, book review as well as critical and exploratory essays based on theoretical analysis focusing issues related to inclusive education. In this journal academics from 18 renowned universities are engaged as editors and reviewers. Research and practitioner papers are regularly published from different parts of the world in this journal and highly cited by the academics and researchers. This journal is contributing to creating, accumulating, and disseminating new knowledge in educational reform and representing Bangladesh internationally.

Professor Tariq Ahsan has conducted a significant amount of research on educational reforms, equity and inclusion, gender, EiE, SDGs, ECCD, TVET, Higher Education, and many other issues. Many of those research studies are groundbreaking and pioneer in the context of Bangladesh. He has more than 100 publications in different forms based on his research studies. His works are published in World’s prestigious journals and publishing agencies including Cambridge Journal of Education, Oxford Encyclopedia. He has vast role in editorial services in various international publications that include:

• Founding Editor (2013 onwards). Asian Journal of Inclusive Education (AJIE). An international double blind peer reviewed journal focusing on issues related to inclusive education in developing countries in Asia and beyond. ISSN 2304-1188 (Print), ISSN 2307-1087 (Online); web: http://www.ajiebd.net/
• Scientific and Editorial Board Member (2020-2023). Studies in Special Education. An international peer reviewed journal published by the University of Prešov in Prešov, Slovac Republic. ISSN 2585-7363 (print) and ISSN 2730-0951 (online).
• Editorial Board Member (2017 onward). Asian Education Studies, An international peer reviewed journal ISSN 2424-8487(Print) ISSN 2424-9033(Online). Available at http://journal.julypress.com/index.php/aes/about/editorialTeam
• Associate Editor (2012). International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (IJISS), Vol. 6. Issue 8 & 10. Published by the Common Ground Publishers, University of Illinois, USA.
• Reviewer (2018). An Edited Book Titled “Engaging in Educational Research: Revisiting Policy and Practice in Bangladesh”, [Eds. Chowdhury, Sarker, Mojumder & Roshid] published by Springer Nature Singapore.
• Reviewer (2016 onward). International Journal of Inclusive Education, Published by Taylor & Francis & Routledge
• Editor (2013). A photograph Supplements a Thousand Words: Zooming into the Inclusion Scenario of Bangladesh. Souvenir published for the Photography exhibition event for celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2013, Dhaka: IISB. ISBN 978-984-33-6127-1
• Editor (2017). Inclusive education is good: But how to do it? [Conference proceeding] ISBN 978-984-34-1776-3.
• Editor (2016). Achieving Inclusive Education through Post EFA Goals 2015 – How Far are We? [Eds. Conference proceeding] ISBN 978-984-33-8459-1.
• Editor (2013). Conference Proceeding of International conference on Inclusive Education. Organized by the ACIE, 15-17 February 2013, Dhaka, Bangladesh. ISBN 978-984-33-7230-7
• Editorial Board Member (2010). Scientific Committee for the Proceedings on International Conference on Child-friendly Inclusive Education, 7-8 January, 2010, IER, University of Dhaka.
• Editorial Panel Member (2020). Primary Education Journal, Vol 11, No. 1; 2020, Published by National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE). Available at https://nape.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/nape.portal.gov.bd/publications/38759498_1d22_4474_947e_86af0411a3c8/2020-11-23-16-50-8597da26ffc041c43fccee334fd3c3da.pdf
• Associate Editor (2007). Teacher’s World, Vol. 30-31, published by IER, Dhaka University.
• Associate Editor (Since 2006 till to date). Inclusion Newsletter: Bangladesh, ACIE, Dhaka, Bangladesh. ISSN 2227-9571 (Online) ISSN 2227-9318 (Print).

International Speaker, Significant Research and Publication Contribution

Professor Dr. Tariq Ahsan is being invited as an international speaker on educational reforms. He has delivered 18 Keynote papers in Bangladesh, India, Japan, USA, Indonesia and Nepal. In addition to that, Tariq presented more than 30 papers in international conferences in 17 countries.

Professor Tariq Ahsan has conducted a significant amount of research on educational reforms, equity and inclusion, gender, EiE, SDGs, ECCD, TVET, Higher Education, Special Educational Needs and many other issues. He conducted a situation analysis study on education for children with special educational needs for Asian Development Bank for designing the country priority areas for Bangladesh. designing Many of those research studies are groundbreaking and pioneer in the context of Bangladesh. He has more than 100 publications in different forms based on his research studies. His works are published in World’s prestigious journals and publishing agencies including Cambridge Journal of Education, Oxford Encyclopedia. He has a vast role in editorial services in various international publications. Due to his such wide range of contributions in knowledge generation, Dr. Ahsan received several international awards from several countries including one from the Australian Government.

Documentation of Bangla Sign Language

Dr. Ahsan led some pioneering initiatives for documenting Bangla Sign Language in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, Bangla Sign Language has many philosophical, origin-related, and geographical variations. This language has its manual forms, but not documented yet. Since 2002, Dr. Ahsan started working on Sign Language documentation as a student of IER, University of Dhaka with a team. Later, the work was carried out by a disability focused organization (i.e. CDD). Dr. Ahsan worked as a Task Group Leader for documentation of around 3000 Signs in Bangla. Later in 2015, Dr. Ahsan conducted an in-depth study on signs/gestures used in Bangladesh and availability of signs used in Primary curriculum of NCTB.

Administrative and Membership Roles and Affiliation

• Secretary General, Asian Centre for Inclusive Education (ACIE).
• Member, Research Idea Selection Committee for Funding & and Quality Assurance, Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, Government of Bangladesh
• Member, Research Idea Selection Committee for UGC Research Funding &Quality Assurance, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University (BDU), Bangladesh
• Selection Committee Member, Question Setter, Moderator and Examiner, BCS (Education) Cadre, Public Service Commission, Government of Bangladesh
• Member. Lecturer & Assistant Professor Selection Committee of IER, Rajshahi University
• Member. Lecturer & Assistant Professor Selection Committee of IER, Khulna University
• Member, National Curriculum Development Core Committee, CDRCC, NCCC, Subject Committee of NCTB, Ministry of Education, Bangladesh.
• Member, Academic Council, Dhaka University
• Member, Coordination and Development Committee, IER, Dhaka University.
• Member, Proyash Institute of Special Education and Research (PISER), Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP)
• Ex-Paper Setter and Examiner, Faculty of Education, National University
• Member, Bangladesh Forum for Educational Development (BAFED), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Executive Member, Teacher Development Institute (TDI), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Member, Monash Education Research Community (MERC), Monash University, Australia.
• Member, Education Students' Association (ESA), Monash University, Australia.
• Ex-member (2002-03), Thematic Group on Inclusive Education, National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Founding Convener & Adviser, Education Alumni Association, IER, Dhaka University.

Academic Research Supervision and Examination

Professor M. Tariq Ahsan has supervised a significant number of academic research as well as examined a notable number of academic research at Masters, MPhil and PhD levels both for national and international universities that include:

Global Recognition and Awards

As an honour of Tariq’s contributions at the country and regional levels, Tariq received several international Awards-

• The Australian Government awarded him the “Australian Alumni Excellence Awards 2014 for Community Services”.
• Venus International Research Award 2017 from Chennai, India for Outstanding Research Contributions.
• Jiddu Krishnamurti Awards 2018 from the Annapurna Memorial College of Education & Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India.
• Australian Government also awarded him the Australian Leadership Awards 2008 and the Australian Development Scholarship 2004 for postgraduate studies.