Dr. Bhawana Shrestha is a transdisciplinary educator and researcher committed to transforming education through social-emotional learning (SEL), feminist praxis, and community engagement. Currently based at the Academy of Future Education at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), she serves as a Research Fellow in the Learning Institute for Future Excellence (LIFE), where she leads and supports research on ethical, emotional, and inclusive approaches to education.

Rooted in her experiences in Nepal and informed by global collaborations, Dr. Shrestha’s work explores how education can be a tool for social justice, well-being, and transformation. Her research foregrounds the voices and lived realities of marginalized communities, especially adolescent girls and women, and focuses on SEL in transnational contexts, transformative teacher education, and participatory methodologies such as autoethnography and arts-based research.

She is also actively involved in mentoring students and educators through project-based learning, international collaborations, and reflective pedagogies that centre empathy, compassion, and critical awareness.

Dr. Bhawana Shrestha’s research is situated at the intersection of education, social justice, and emotional well-being. Her interests include:

• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in diverse and transnational contexts, with a particular focus on culturally and gender-transformative approaches.

• Feminist and Decolonial Praxis in education, exploring how power, care, and emotional labor shape the experiences of students and educators.

• Transformative and Ethical Education through community-engaged pedagogies such as Communiversity, which reimagines higher education as a space of collective reflection and action.

• Autoethnography and Participatory Research Methods, including storytelling, arts-based methods, and critical self-reflection to amplify marginalised voices and lived experiences.

• Well-being and Mental Health in Schools, especially the role of teachers as compassionate leaders in fostering psychosocial support systems.

Her work is grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration and critical reflection, drawing from sociology, psychology, education, and feminist theory. She is particularly interested in how emotions, ethics, and equity can be meaningfully embedded into education policy, practice, and research.

Research Fellow
Learning Institute for Future Excellence (LIFE), Academy of Future Education, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), China
2024 – Present

• Leading research on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), character education, and teacher development in transnational and interdisciplinary contexts.

• Mentoring faculty and students in research-led, project-based learning with a focus on ethics, equity, and emotional well-being.

• Co-Principal Investigator for institutional research on educational innovation, contextualized leadership, and inclusive pedagogy.

Assistant Professor
Westcliff University (Academic Partnership with King’s College, Nepal)
2016 – 2024

• Curriculum Development: Designed courses in Academic Writing, Leadership, Organizational Behavior, Gender and Inclusion, and Emotional Intelligence 

• Courses Taught: Action Research, Project Development and Evaluation, Research Methods, Critical Thinking, and more.

• Syllabus Design: Developed syllabi aligned with academic goals and emerging educational standards.

Team Lead
Office of Safe and Respectable Learning (OSRL), King’s College, Nepal
2020 – 2024

• Developed institutional policies to address harassment and discrimination, with a focus on survivor support and systemic reform.

• Facilitated staff and faculty training on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Led impact-based research on DEI and justice within the college.

• Managed grievance redressal, counseling, and maintaining a safe learning climate.

Co-Founder and Program Lead
My Emotions Matter (Social Enterprise)
2018 – Present

• Scaled a grassroots mentoring initiative into a national-level SEL enterprise reaching hundreds of young people.

• Developed and implemented the “Emotional Intelligence 101” curriculum for universities and schools.

• Authored the book My Emotions Matter, a guide for parents and teachers on nurturing emotional intelligence in children.

• Mentored over 150 adolescents and young adults in building self-awareness, confidence, and empathy.

• Directed the organization’s research unit, producing evidence-based SEL materials tailored to various contexts.

• Worked with government stakeholders on SEL integration in policy and participated in national policy dialogues.

Educational Consultant
UNICEF (Helping Adolescents Thrive – HAT)
Feb – Oct 2021

• Developed age-appropriate learning objectives and storylines on interpersonal relationships and mental health for adolescents aged 10–14.

• Co-created a comic and classroom activity guide, and presented at national webinars and workshops.

• Participated in collaborative review processes to ensure alignment with psychosocial and SEL frameworks.

Research Assistant
NOHRED QUANTICT Project (Kathmandu University, Tribhuvan University, Oslo Akershus University)
2020

• Contributed to developing gender-responsive education policy for Kathmandu University.

• Co-authored a teacher guidebook on inclusive curriculum and pedagogy.

• Presented findings at the Education in Crisis conference (2021).

Television Program Producer/Presenter
Makalu Televsion, Nepal
2009 – 2012

• Investigated cases of gender-based violence, advocating for justice through media.

• Produced and presented socially impactful programs highlighting stories of resilience, including a documentary that won Aosta’s Woman of the Year 2011.

• Collaborated with NGOs to rescue and support adolescent girls affected by domestic violence and HIV.

Vidhya Bhusan Ka (Class A)
Government of Nepal, Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology — 2023

• Conferred by the President of Nepal for outstanding doctoral achievement and contribution to higher education.

Women to Watch in Nepal
World of Women, National Magazine of Nepal — 2019 & 2023

• Honored as one of Nepal’s most inspiring women for leadership in education, emotional intelligence, and advocacy.

Empathy Week Featured Changemaker
Empathy Week, United Kingdom — 2023

• Featured as one of five inspiring individuals from Nepal in an international documentary series celebrating human-centered changemakers.

TEDx Speaker
TEDxPatan, Nepal — 2021

• Delivered a widely appreciated talk on feminist healing, emotional resilience, and transformative storytelling in education.

30 Under 30 Literacy Leader
International Literacy Association, Newark, USA — 2015

• Recognized globally for innovative literacy leadership and community engagement in Nepal.

Best Woman Journalist (Regional Award)
Women Empowerment Group, Nepal — 2011

• Awarded for investigative journalism and advocacy for survivors of gender-based violence and people with disabilities.

First Prize – National Human Rights Essay Competition
National Human Rights Association, Nepal — 2009

• Recognized for excellence in critical writing on human rights and justice.

Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship Grant
Embassy of India, Government of India — 2006–2008

• Awarded for academic merit and cross-border educational excellence.

Merit Scholarships

• Institute of Advanced Communication, Education and Research (Pokhara University) — 2016

• Vishwa Adarsha Higher Secondary School — 2006

• Entrance Scholarship, Birendra Memorial College (Tribhuvan University) — 2008