As Associate Professor and the Quality Enhancement Lead for the School of Education and Social Work, Simon has held responsibility for all quality and compliance matters for programmes covering the initial training of teachers and social workers, cross-education professionals, and the continuing professional development of experienced practitioners in education-related fields. He is a member of the School Executive Group, playing a key strategic leadership role

Dr. Tina Collins is the Senior Lecturer in Education, and she is currently leading the Masters in Education (taught) programme. Dr. Tina’s experience also includes teacher training. Being ITE Secondary Partnership Research Lead and Link Academic Tutor for the PGDE-I and MA programmes she works dedicatedly with the Indus Training and Research Institute in India (ITARI). She has also been the Subject Leader of an English department and Assistant Headteacher in two non-selective secondary schools within the South-East of England

Prof. Mary O’Connor is the BCU Course Lead for International Post Graduate Teacher Education Courses. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Since October 2021, Mary has worked as the Course Lead for the ITARI PGDE – I, and MA Education Courses, a role that involves managing, leading, and quality-assuring all ITARI Teacher Education Courses. Mary also leads the Coaching and Mentoring of master’s Level module for school-based mentors at BCU as well as teaching mathematics.

Clair Bowen works with MA.Ed. dissertation scholars to support and supervise them through all processes of preparing and writing the dissertation. She has 7 years of MA Tutor experience, specializing in MA Education. She is the Strand Lead for the MA Education International Students. She understands the complexities of meeting the demands of studying for an MA through a course based in England and she is able to offer all levels of support that is needed for the scholars to successfully complete their studies to their greatest potential.

Prof. Bonser has worked at BCU since 2015 after working as a mathematics teacher in schools across the West Midlands. Her work is predominantly in mathematics teacher training across a variety of routes into the profession. She also works across different Masters programmes as a dissertation supervisor for final-year projects. Her main areas of interest lie in mathematics education and her main research area is into mathematical anxiety in school-aged children

Prof. Kevin Mattinson has worked at Birmingham City University (BCU) since February 2014. He has been the Associate Dean in the Faculty of Health, Education, and Life sciences, Head of the School of Education, and Professor of Teacher Education. He came to BCU from the University of Keele, where he had been the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Community and Partnerships) and Head of Teacher Education for several years. Kevin has sat on a number of advisory bodies

Prof. Liam McGrath is a Senior Teaching Fellow at Birmingham City University and since joining the university in 2019 has supported the delivery of teacher education within the Secondary and Post-Compulsory Education and Training Department in the School of Education and Social Work. Liam was elected Chair of the Strategic Leadership Partnership Committee, making recommendations to the School of Education and Social Work for approval matters relating to the quality and standards of PCET awards

Prof. Jeffrey Thompson is an Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Bath. Prof. Thompson is one of the founding members of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) which was instituted in Geneva in 1968. He has worked closely for many years with IB curriculum, evaluation, and assessment systems, both nationally and internationally. He currently chairs the Advisory Board for the International Primary Years Curriculum and International Middle Years Curriculum.

Prof. Jeffrey Thompson is an Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Bath. Prof. Thompson is one of the founding members of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) which was instituted in Geneva in 1968. He has worked closely for many years with IB curriculum, evaluation, and assessment systems, both nationally and internationally. He currently chairs the Advisory Board for the International Primary Years Curriculum and International Middle Years Curriculum.

Prof. Sunitha Amencherla teaches and mentors teacher-learners across programmes. She has rich experience in K-12 education reform. She has architected reform at the grassroots level through advocacy, building and implementing strong technology-based curriculum, teacher training in ICT implementation, and skilling teachers in Assessment for Learning

Dr Sumita Rao K has about 3 decades of experience across K-12 Education. She has developed content for Social Science Textbook at the secondary level for Karnataka State Syllabus, conducted capacity building programmes and workshops for teachers across school boards and has published in several National and International Journals. At Indus Training and Research Institute, she leads the Cambridge Teacher Professional Development Programmes.

Dr. Anamika is a senior faculty teaching across programmes. As a leading researcher herself, she takes pride in guiding futuristic research practices. She is currently working on NEP 2020 implementation; Personalising Learning; and Teachers Partnering with Technology to Teach competencies to Children. She has experience in higher education including elementary and secondary school teacher education. She has published extensively on internationalisation of higher education, and human rights education. She is a recipient of Taiwan Government’s Scholarship for a Ph.D. in Education. Anamika was a visiting faculty at Uppsala University, and a Summer Intern at Georg Eckert Institute, Germany.

Ms. Sowmya Naidu works towards communicating and marketing the concept of ITARI. She enjoys connecting with educators across the world to spread 21st Century-relevant teacher education and research at ITARI. She comes up with several strategic ideas to build a strong community that is focused on innovating best practices in education. Sowmya has more than one decade’s experience in marketing education programmes. Her relentless drive to serve ITARI’s vision has often been a source of inspiration to her team.

Dr. Sonali Malhotra is a certified Faculty and Mentor, accredited by the University of Helsinki HY+, Finland, for teacher training in the Postgraduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education programme. She holds a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from the European International University (EIU), Paris, and two master’s degrees with higher distinction—one in Early Childhood Education from Birmingham City University, UK, and another in Special Needs Education in Early Childhood Education from EIU, Paris. She also holds the Cambridge International Diploma in Teaching and Training from Cambridge University, UK. She is experienced in the Finnish play-based approach, Reggio Emilia philosophy and the International Baccalaureate inquiry-based model. She contributes regularly to global education forums and authors peer-reviewed publications, where she advocates for reflective, inclusive, and research-informed practices in early childhood education. Her guiding principle is: “We research what we teach, and we teach what we research.”

Ms. Uttama Singh is one of the senior staff of the Indus community. She is a passionate Early Childhood Educator who believes that the transformative power of play has a potential to create a better world. With over a decade of experience as an Early Years Educator and Coordinator, she has contributed her valuable insights into teaching young learners. She extends her knowledge and expertise to inspire fellow educators through training to embrace child-centric pedagogy and play-based research approach. Certified in Special Needs Education, she holds a Postgraduate and a dual degree in commerce and education and is dedicated to lifelong learning. As a member of ITARI ECE faculty, she focuses on teacher research and training to foster an environment where every learner thrives.

Ms. Sasha Ann Kwan, Faculty of Early Childhood Education at Indus Training and Research Institute, has 11 years of experience in Early Childhood pedagogical leadership and in-service teacher training and insights from Finnish practices to her role. She is committed to equipping educators with innovative practices and pedagogical leadership to enhance the learning experiences through quality teacher education. She places a strong emphasis on research and teacher training, driven by her profound passion for fostering the growth and development of young minds. She achieves this by fostering collaboration and collective intelligence among future educators, thereby contributing to the field of early childhood education.

Ms. Riddhi Shukla, Senior Faculty at ITARI and IBEC faculty for the University of Windsor, brings over 15 years of experience in the IBDP programme, having served in multiple roles including educator, Head of the Department and Extended Essay coordinator. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Management with dual specializations in Finance and CRM, an M.Phil., and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. A strong advocate of inquiry and research-based learning, she brings these approaches into her work with teacher-learners, helping them build critical thinking and reflective practices. Her educational philosophy is deeply rooted in learner agency, where voice, choice, and ownership form the foundation of meaningful learning. At ITARI, she is known for her dynamic facilitation, ability to connect theory with practice, and her commitment to nurturing thoughtful, empowered educators who are responsive to the needs of today’s learners.

Rachel Jayan has been a passionate educator for 24 years and serving as the PYP Head of School at Indus International School, Bangalore has been a privilege. She is now the Senior faculty for the IBEC program at ITARI in collaboration with the University of Windsor. She believes education is transformational as teachers and students observe, understand, express themselves and apply concepts they learn to life situations. She believes that it is very important that every individual must soar, find their own identity and unique ways to express themselves, be it through Art, Language, or any other creative means.

Ms. Mitali Sengupta is a seasoned educator and school leader with over 25 years of experience across IB (DP & MYP), IGCSE, and national curriculums. Currently serving as a Leadership Educator at ITARI, she has held key academic positions including Curriculum Coordinator for Indus Trust and Head of Humanities at Indus International School. Ms. Sengupta is an IB Examiner and holds an M.Phil in History, an MA in Education (UK), and is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree from Paris. She has conducted workshops, authored academic publications, and remains deeply committed to teacher mentorship, innovative pedagogy, and holistic student development.

As the Academic Manager, Ms. Preeti oversees and coordinates all Academic programmes within ITARI. Her role involves collaborating with faculty members, academic staff, and students to design and maintain the Academic Curriculum Standards. One key role she plays is that of a liaison officer between the students and the International Universities. Her responsibilities encompass but are not limited to organising classes, and academic events, and communicating relevant information with students and faculty members. She brings a strong philosophy of pursuit of excellence in organizational communication and deliverables with a sense of attention to detail, collaboration, and ability to work with team members.

Dr. Apoorva Udayashankara is a dedicated Teacher Educator at Indus Training and Research Institute (ITARI), currently facilitating the Cambridge International Diploma in Teaching and Learning (CIDTL). With a doctoral degree in Microbiology from Bangalore University and over five years of teaching experience across undergraduate, postgraduate students, she brings a strong foundation in academic research, curriculum design, and active learning methodologies. Her teaching philosophy integrates constructivist and inquiry-based approaches with a deep commitment to learner engagement, reflective practice, and professional growth. Dr. Apoorva is also a certified life skills trainer and an accomplished researcher with several national and international publications in Microbiology and Biotechnology.

Dr. Shiffon Chatterjee is committed to exploring ways to enrich learning and teaching experiences and outcomes across diverse contexts. Currently serving as Senior Faculty, PGDE-I at ITARI, she has held multiple roles across academia and industry and has led initiatives in technology-enabled learning; evidence-informed pedagogy best practices; and faculty development. Dr. Chatterjee has contributed as invited speaker, session chair, panel member, academic advisory board member, and workshop lead at national and international forums on technology for education and learner-centred pedagogy.

Ms. Tara Kiran Kurre is a passionate teacher educator and researcher with over 13 years of experience in science education, pedagogy, international education, and teacher training. Committed to making teaching and learning meaningful, accessible, and evidence-based, she brings expertise in chemistry education, curriculum design, and cognitive neuroscience, offering a unique interdisciplinary perspective to teacher education. Tara holds an M.A. in Education from the University of Nottingham, UK, on a Commonwealth Scholarship, and an M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry from VIT University. An active researcher, she has published in international platforms and presented at forums including UNESCO and Indo-Finnish research collaborations. Recipient of the Sir C. V. Raman REST Award (2019), she continues to design workshops and initiatives that empower teachers to create inclusive, technology-integrated, and engaging classrooms. As Faculty at ITARI’s PGDE-i programme, Tara teaches and mentors aspiring educators, believing in the transformative power of mentoring to shape reflective and impactful teachers.