Associate ProfessorTebeje Molla

My research explores various facets of educational disadvantage and policy responses. I focus on understanding how systemic and institutional factors contribute to educational inequality and examine the effectiveness of policy interventions designed to address these issues. My ongoing work explores educational justice and social inclusion across various contexts, including early childhood education, schooling, vocational education and training, and higher education.

Through my DECRA and Future Fellowship projects, I have investigated the educational attainment and integration outcomes of African heritage youth from refugee backgrounds. This research aims not only to contribute to academic knowledge but also to inform policymakers and practitioners about the best practices for supporting the educational and social integration of refugee youth in diverse contexts. My interdisciplinary research draws on critical sociology and the capability approach to social justice and human development. I am also interested in teacher professional learning and research training policies.

As a teacher, I am interested in trauma and learning, sociology of education, critical policy studies, and access to and success in education. In supervising postgraduate research candidates, I adopt a mentorship approach, supporting each candidate to develop into the independent researcher they aspire to be and to achieve the maximum real-world impact in their careers. Through various Researcher Mentorship programs, I mentor early-career scholars.

I am a firm believer in the importance of public-facing scholarship. Beyond academia, I actively participate in advocacy work, accept advisory roles, and engage with the media to disseminate my research and insights. I regularly publish commentaries on platforms such as The Conversation, the AARE blog, and SBS.com.au, and I make appearances on SBS radio (Amharic) to discuss current affairs and educational issues. Engaged scholarship allows me to contribute meaningfully to public discourse, particularly on issues affecting African communities in Australia. I aim to inform policy, influence practice, and support social change by bridging the gap between academic research and the wider community.


Research Groups

Research for Educational Impact (REDI)
Diversity and Social Justice in Education (SoE)
ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child (AI)