Biography
Dr Tebeje Molla (Mekonnen) is an ARC Future Fellow and senior lecturer in the School of Education at Deakin University. Tebeje holds qualifications in history, curriculum, sociology of education, and traumatic stress studies.
Tebeje has established a robust research program centred on understanding educational inequality and policy responses at systemic (national) and institutional (university and school) levels. He has investigated the issue of inequality in a range of contexts: early childhood education, schooling, vocational education and training, and higher education.
Through his DECRA and Future Fellowship projects, Tebeje has investigated the educational attainment and integration outcomes of African heritage youth from refugee backgrounds.
Tebeje has published in high-impact international journals in his field. His books include Higher Education in Ethiopia (2018, Springer) and African Heritage Australian Youth (2023, Routledge).
He actively engages with the media, publishing short commentaries on The Conversation, AARE blog, and SBS.com.au. He also occasionally appears on SBS radio (Amharic) to discuss current affairs concerning African communities in Australia.
Read more on Tebeje Molla's profileBiography summary
Dr Tebeje Molla's research focuses on education policy, social inclusion, educational justice, research training policy, and teacher professional learning. His interdisciplinary research draws on critical sociology and the capability approach to social justice and human development.
Career highlights
2023: Vice Chancellor’s Mid-Career Researcher Award for Career Excellence
2023: African Heritage Australian Youth (solo-authored book, Routledge)
2022: Australian Research Council Future Fellowship
2018: Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Award
Research interests
- Trauma and learning
- Education policy
- Educational justice
- Social inclusion and education
- Educational experiences of refugee-background African youth
- Graduate research training and employability
- Teacher professional learning
Teaching interests
- Trauma-responsive education
- Education policy
- Sociology of education
- Qualitative research methods
Units taught
E512 (ETR704)
EDX704 Research Paper
EDX706 Minor Thesis
Knowledge areas
- Education policy
- Equity in education
- Teacher professional learning
- Trauma and school engagement
- Graduate research training and employability
Expertise
- Africa
- Education
- Higher education
- Policy
- Refugees
- Youth/young people's issues
Conferences
Tebeje has presented his work at annual educational/sociological conferences including:
- AARE: Australian Association for Research in Education
- BERA: British Educational Research Association
- ECER: European Conference on Educational Research
- ICES: International and Comparative Education Society (USA)
- TASA: The Australian Sociological Association
- TIES: The Inclusive Education Summit
Professional activities
Member: Refugee Council of Australia’s Education Special Interest Group
Co-convenor: Australian Association for Research in Education's Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Special Interst Group (2020-present)
Meember: The International Board of the following journals:
- Critical Studies in Education, CSE
- The Australian Educational Researcher, AER
- Ethiopian Journal of Teacher Education and Leadership, EJTEL
- Kotebe Journal of Education, KJE
Reviewer: Tebeje reviews manuscripts submitted to the following journals:
- Journal of Education Policy
- Higher Education Research & Development
- Critical Studies in Education
- The Australian Educational Researcher
- Australian Journal of Education
- Higher Education
- Studies in Higher Education
- European Educational Research Journal
- Policy Futures in Education
- Review of African Political Economy
- Discourse
- International Joural of Inclusive Education
Research groups
Research for Educational Impact (REDI)
Awards
- Vice Chancellor’s Mid-Career Researcher Award for Career Excellence (Deakin University, 2023)
- Mid-Career Researcher Award for Career Excellence (Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University, 2021)
- Bristol 'Next Generation' Visiting Researcher Award (University of Bristol, 2020)
- Discovery Early Career Award, DECRA (ARC, 2019)
- Early Career Research Award (School of Education, Deakin University, 2019)
- Endeavour Research Leadership Award (DET, 2018)
- Postgraduate Publication Award (Monash University, 2012)
Publications
Educational disadvantage and policy: expanding the spaces of assessment
Tebeje Molla, Trevor Gale
(2024), Vol. 39, pp. 105-126, Journal of Education Policy, London, Eng., C1
Racial Othering: structural roots and anti-racist actions from below
Tebeje Molla
(2024), Vol. 4, pp. 1-30, SN Social Sciences, Berlin, Germany, C1
Refugees and school engagement: A scoping review
Tebeje Molla
(2024), Policy Futures in Education, Thousand Oaks, CA., C1
Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and distance education in Australia: Positive experiences of migrant/refugee parents and future directions
A Zaini, T Molla, H Shokouhi, R Arber
(2024), pp. 1-24, Australian Educational Researcher, Berlin, Germany, C1
What's the use of educational research? Six stories reflecting on research use with communities
S Rudolph, E Mayes, T Molla, S Chiew, N Abhayawickrama, N Maiava, D Villafana, R Welch, B Liu, R Couper, I Duhn, A Fricker, A Thomas, M Dewanyang, H McQuire, S Hashimoto-Benfatto, M Spisbah, Z Smith, T Onus-Browne, E Rowe, J Windle, F Rizvi
(2024), Australian Educational Researcher, C1
Equity in early childhood education: policy framing, translation and enactment
Andrea Nolan, Tebeje Molla
(2023), pp. 93-98, International Encyclopedia of Education (Fourth Edition), Amsterdam, The Netherlands, B1
Racial Othering and Relational Wellbeing: African Refugee Youth in Australia
T Molla
(2023), Vol. 12, pp. 1-13, Social Sciences, Basel, Switzerland, C1
T Molla, A Zaini, H Shokouhi, R Arber
(2023), pp. 1-18, Australian Journal of Education, London, Eng., C1
R Burke, S Baker, T Molla, B Cabiles, A Fox
(2023), British Educational Research Journal, London, Eng., C1
Cottage by the Sea: The Difference 'Take a Break' makes
Louise Paatsch, Amanda Mooney, Andrea Nolan, Julianne Moss, Tebeje Mekonnen, Trevor Mccandless
(2023), Geelong, Vic., A6
African refugee youth in Australia: higher education participation
T Molla
(2022), Vol. 41, pp. 481-495, Higher Education Research and Development, C1
Preparing African students with refugee backgrounds for transition: School practices
T Molla
(2022), Vol. 66, pp. 5-25, Australian Journal of Education, C1
S Baker, J Anderson, R Burke, T De Fazio, C Due, L Hartley, T Molla, C Morison, W Mude, L Naidoo, R Sidhu
(2022), Vol. 74, pp. 444-459, Educational Review, London, England, C1
Crisis and policy imaginaries: higher education reform during a pandemic
Tebeje Molla, Denise Cuthbert
(2022), pp. 1-19, Higher Education, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, C1
Cultural Citizenship and Refugee Integration: The case of African youth in Australia
Tebeje Molla
(2021), pp. 37-54, Handbook of research on promoting social justice for immigrants and refugees through active citizenship and intercultural education, Hershey, Penn., B1
T Molla
(2021), Vol. 25, pp. 877-895, International Journal of Inclusive Education, C1
African Refugees in Australia: Social Position and Educational Outcomes
T Molla
(2021), Vol. 19, pp. 331-348, Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies, C1
Refugees and equity policy in Australian higher education
Tebeje Mekonnen
(2021), Vol. 5, pp. 5-27, Policy Reviews in Higher Education, London, Eng., C1
Building teacher professional capabilities through transformative learning
A Nolan, T Molla
(2021), Vol. 49, pp. 450-465, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, C1
Critical policy scholarship in education: An overview
T Molla
(2021), Vol. 29, pp. 1-30, Education Policy Analysis Archives, C1
The politics of critical policy sociology: mobilities, moorings and elite networks
G Savage, J Gerrard, T Gale, T Molla
(2021), Vol. 62, pp. 306-321, Critical Studies in Education, C1
Refugee education: homogenized policy provisions and overlooked factors of disadvantage
Tebeje Molla
(2021), INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION, C1
Racial moral panic and African youth in Australia
T Molla
(2021), Vol. 84, pp. 95-106, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, C1
M Hailu, T Molla, A Johnson
(2021), pp. 1-9, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Researching professional recognition in a pre-school setting: a critical realist approach
T Molla, A Nolan
(2020), Vol. 43, pp. 271-282, International Journal of Research and Method in Education, C1
Teacher agency and professional practice
T Molla, A Nolan
(2020), Vol. 26, pp. 67-87, Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, C1
The 'Universal Access to early childhood education' agenda in Australia: rationales and instruments
T Molla, A Nolan
(2019), Vol. 18, pp. 1-16, Educational research for policy and practice, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, C1
Identifying professional functionings of early childhood educators
T Molla, A Nolan
(2019), Vol. 45, pp. 551-566, Professional development in education, Abingdon, Eng., C1
T Molla, A Harvey, S Sellar
(2019), Vol. 38, pp. 307-323, Higher education research and development, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Positional matters: school leaders engaging with national equity agendas
T Molla, T Gale
(2019), Vol. 34, pp. 858-876, Journal of education policy, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Human Development Optimism and Political Pitfalls in Ethiopia
T Molla
(2019), Vol. 46, pp. 367-391, Forum for Development Studies, London, Eng., C1
Supporting teacher professionalism through tailored professional learning
Andrea Nolan, Tebeje Molla
(2019), Vol. 17, pp. 126-140, London review of education, London, Eng., C1
T Molla, A Nolan
(2019), Vol. 63, pp. 322-339, Australian Journal of Education, C1
Educational aid, symbolic power and policy reform: the world bank in Ethiopia
T Molla
(2019), Vol. 17, pp. 331-346, London review of education, London, Eng., C1
Tebeje Mekonnen, Denise Cuthbert
(2019), Vol. 3, pp. 167-188, Policy Reviews in Higher Education, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Higher education in Ethiopia: structural inequalities and policy responses
T Molla
(2018), Berlin, Germany, A1
T Molla, D Cuthbert
(2018), Vol. 53, pp. 250-267, Journal of Asian and African Studies, C1
Teacher professional learning in Early Childhood education: insights from a mentoring program
A Nolan, T Molla
(2018), Vol. 38, pp. 258-270, Early Years, C1
Teacher professional learning as a social practice: an Australian case
A Nolan, T Mekonnen
(2018), pp. 1-23, International studies in sociology of education, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Teacher professional learning through pedagogy of discomfort
A Nolan, T Molla
(2018), Vol. 19, pp. 721-735, Reflective Practice, C1
The illusion of meritocracy and the audacity of elitism: expanding the evaluative space in education
Trevor Gale, Tebeje Molla, Stephen Parker
(2017), Vol. 1, pp. 7-21, Policy and inequality in education, Singapore, B1
C Mills, T Molla, T Gale, R Cross, S Parker, C Smith
(2017), Vol. 38, pp. 856-871, British journal of sociology of education, Basingstoke, Eng., C1
Teacher confidence and professional capital
A Nolan, T Mekonnen
(2017), Vol. 62, pp. 10-18, Teaching and teacher education, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1
Deliberations on the deliberative professional: thought-action provocations
Trevor Gale, T Mekonnen
(2016), pp. 247-262, Practice theory and education : diffractive readings in professional practice, Abingdon, Eng., B1
T Molla, D Cuthbert
(2016), Vol. 14, pp. 635-654, Policy Futures in Education, C1
D Cuthbert, T Mekonnen
(2015), pp. 95-111, Technology and workplace skills for the twenty-first century: Asia Pacific universities in the globalized economy, Basingstoke, Eng., B1-1
D Cuthbert, T Molla
(2015), Vol. 69, pp. 33-53, Higher education, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
Inequality in Ethiopian higher education: reframing the problem as capability deprivation
T Molla, T Gale
(2015), Vol. 36, pp. 383-397, Discourse: studies in the cultural politics of education, London, Eng., C1
Social justice intents in policy: an analysis of capability for and through education
T Gale, T Mekonnen
(2015), Vol. 30, pp. 810-830, Journal of education policy, London, Eng., C1
T Molla, D Cuthbert
(2015), Vol. 42, pp. 237-256, Australian educational researcher, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, C1-1
Higher education in Ethiopia : widening access and persisting inequalities
T Molla
(2014), pp. 125-138, Equity in education: fairness and inclusion, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, B1
The World Bank and higher education reform in Ethiopia: knowledge aid and its undesirable effects
T Mekonnen
(2014), pp. 86-100, World yearbook of education 2014. Governing knowledge: comparison, knowledge-based technologies and expertise in the regulation of education, Abingdon, Eng., B1-1
Neoliberal policy agendas and the problem of inequality in higher education: the Ethiopian case
T Molla
(2014), Vol. 12, pp. 297-309, Policy futures in education, Oxford, Eng., C1
T Molla
(2014), Vol. 50, pp. 229-248, Comparative education, Abingdon, England, C1-1
Inequality in Ethiopian higher education : reframing the problem as capability deprivation
T Molla, T Gale
(2014), Vol. In Press, pp. 1-16, Discourse : studies in the cultural politics of education, London, Eng., C1
Higher education development and knowledge economy optimism in Ethiopia
T Mekonnen, T Gale
(2014), Vol. 2, pp. 1-17, Knowledge cultures, Woodside, N.Y., C1-1
Qualitative inequality: experiences of women in Ethiopian higher education
T Mekonnen, D Cuthbert
(2014), Vol. 26, pp. 759-775, Gender and education, London, Eng., C1-1
Higher eduction policy reform in Ethiopia: the representation of the problem of gender inequality
T Molla
(2013), Vol. 26, pp. 193-215, Higher education policy, Basingstoke, England, C1-1
T Molla
(2013), Vol. 2, pp. 167-192, International journal of sociology education, Barcelona, Spain, C1-1
T Molla
(2011), Vol. 12, pp. 35-55, World studies in education, Melbourne, Vic, C1-1
T Molla
(2010), Vol. 12, pp. 7-22, Widening participation and lifelong learning, Stoke-on-Trent, England, C1-1
T Molla
(2010), Vol. 25, pp. 27-45, Educational research journal, Hong Kong, C1-1
Tebeje Molla
(2010), pp. 83-87, 2010 CONFERENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT, PROCEEDINGS, PEOPLES R CHINA, Beijing, E1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Enhancing Higher Education Participation of African Refugee Youth
Dr Tebeje Molla Mekonnen
ARC DECRA - Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
- 2021: $126,478
- 2020: $131,612
- 2019: $110,668
Improving School Engagement of African Refugee Students
Dr Tebeje Molla Mekonnen
ARC Fellowships - Future Fellowships
- 2024: $77,580
- 2023: $204,854
- 2022: $102,860
Other Public Sector Funding
COVID-19 Online Learning Landscapes and CALDMR students: Opportunities and Challenges
Dr Lisa Hartely, A/Prof Loshini Naidoo, Dr Rachel Burke, Dr Tebeje Molla Mekonnen, Dr Clemence Due, Dr Joel Anderson, Dr Teresa De Fazio, Carolina Morison, Dr William Mude, A/Prof Ravinder Sidhu
NCSEHE National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Research
- 2020: $3,046
Development of a Suite of African Heritage Culturally Safe Resources to Support Victorian School Leaders Develop More Inclusive Schooling Environments.
A/Prof Tim Corcoran, Dr Tebeje Molla Mekonnen, Dr Kerri Garrard, Dr Martin Potter, Mr Simeon Taylor, Mrs Maria Bates
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2022: $173,641
Industry and Other Funding
Cottage by the Sea-Where Young People Matter: Mentor Program
Prof Louise Paatsch, Prof Amanda Mooney, Prof Andrea Nolan, Prof Julianne Moss, Dr Tebeje Molla Mekonnen, Dr Sarah Healy
Cottage by the Sea, Queenscliff Inc
- 2023: $14,998
- 2021: $14,998
The Ripple Effect of Cottage by the Sea.
Prof Louise Paatsch, Prof Amanda Mooney, Prof Julianne Moss, Dr Tebeje Molla Mekonnen, Prof Andrea Nolan, Dr Trevor Mccandless
Cottage by the Sea, Queenscliff Inc
- 2023: $24,999
Supervisions
Omid Talebi Rezaabadi
Thesis entitled: Iranian Immigrants Discourse Struggles: a Case on Subjectivity and Second Language (L2) Selves
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education