Hellen Agumba | Education | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Hellen Agumba | Education | Best Researcher Award

Senior Lecturer at University of Johannesburg | South Africa

Dr. Hellen Ochuot-Agumba is an accomplished scholar and educator in Education and Curriculum Studies, widely recognized for her research on social justice, rurality, formative assessment, and teacher professional development within higher education. Her scholarly contributions explore how rural contexts influence students’ access to and participation in higher education, emphasizing equity and inclusive pedagogical practices. She has published influential works in leading journals such as Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning (CriSTaL), Interchange, and the International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research. Actively engaged in postgraduate supervision, academic examination, and journal reviewing, Dr. Agumba demonstrates a sustained commitment to nurturing scholarly excellence and advancing transformative educational practices. Beyond research, she contributes to key academic and community initiatives, including the Teaching Advancement at University (TAU) Fellowships and professional development programs for teachers. Her outstanding achievements have earned her notable recognitions, including the Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for Most Promising Young Teacher and the Duncan Fraser Award for best paper at the Research in Engineering Education Symposium. A member of prestigious associations such as HELTASA and WERA, Dr. Agumba continues to influence educational discourse at both national and international levels. Her academic portfolio reflects measurable scholarly impact, with 13 citations by 13 documents, 5 published works, and an h-index of 2, demonstrating her growing influence in advancing equitable and inclusive education research.

Profile: Scopus | Orcid | Google Scholar | Research Gate | LinkedIn

Featured Publications

Agumba, H., Simpson, Z., & Ndofirepi, A. (2023). Towards understanding the influence of rurality on students’ access to and participation in higher education. Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning (CriSTaL), 11(1), 22–42.

Ochuot, H. A., & Modiba, M. (2018). Formative assessment as critical pedagogy: A case of business studies. Interchange, 49(4), 477–497.

Agumba, H. (2020). The rural gaze: Access, participation, and success in higher education. In Rurality, Social Justice and Education in Sub-Saharan Africa, Volume II.

Ndofirepi, A., & Masinire, A. (2020). Rurality, social justice and education in Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Macmillan.

Serekoane, M., Ochuot-Agumba, H., & van Vuuren, C. J. (2022). Situating inquiry pedagogical practices in the classroom to foster a high-impact research-minded learning experience. African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies, 4(si1), 14–27.

Elmira Gulumyan | Educational Policies | Best Researcher Award

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Mrs. Elmira Gulumyan | Educational Policies | Best Researcher Award

Independent Researcher at Independent | United Kingdom

Elmira Gulumyan is an accomplished educator and researcher with expertise in educational leadership, inclusive education, and policy implementation. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Management from the University of Warwick, where she graduated with distinction, as well as a master’s in State and Municipal Management from the Armenian State University of Economics and a bachelor’s in Linguistics from Yerevan State Linguistic University. Her academic work focuses on bridging the gap between education policy and classroom practice, with particular emphasis on inclusive education and post-conflict pedagogy in Armenia. Elmira has been awarded multiple research grants by the Caloust Gyulbenkian Foundation for her studies on teachers’ perceptions of inclusive education and peace education. She has professional experience as an online TEFL tutor, an education department coordinator, and a mentor supporting English language development and community integration. Her earlier work includes teaching in primary and special schools and participating in educational leadership and public opinion research internships. Elmira has also contributed to the field of literary translation, rendering notable English works into Armenian. She combines her academic and practical experiences to promote inclusive and culturally responsive teaching approaches within diverse educational contexts.

Profile: Orcid

Featured Publications

Gulumyan, E. (2025, September 22). Teaching peace? Exploring history teachers’ perspectives on teaching Nagorno-Karabakh wars in public schools in Armenia. Journal of Peace Education.