About Us
The LINKS network is funded by the NIHR Global Health Research Programme with additional support from UNICEF. It is centrally organised by a team from Ulster University and Queen's University Belfast and includes academics, researchers and ECD specialists from eight low- and middle-income countries impacted by conflict and divisions.
Introducing the Global LINKS Network
Hear from members of the global LINKS network as we talk about our vision and plans when we met for the first time in November 2017 at Queen's University Belfast.
Network Members
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Core Delivery Team
Overall Director and Country Lead for Kyrgzstan and Tajikistan
Professor Paul Connolly, Professor of Education and Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Ulster University.
Country Lead for Egypt and Timor-Leste
Dr Laura Dunne, Reader/Associate Professor in Education, Queen's University Belfast
Country Lead for Mali and Viet Nam
Professor Sarah Miller, Professor of Education, Queen's University Belfast
Lead Research (Mali, Tajikistan and Timor-Leste)
Dr Aoibheann Brennan-Wilson, Research Fellow, Queen's University Belfast.
Lead Research (Egypt, Kyrgyzstan and Viet Nam)
Dr Nicole Craig, Research Fellow, Queen's University Belfast.
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Academic Specialists
- Professor J. Lawrence Aber, Willner Family Professor of Psychology and Public Policy and University Professor New York University.
- Dr Áine Aventin, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast.
- Dr Gülseli Baysu, Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Social Psychology, Queen's University Belfast.
- Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive Officer, Early Years - The Organisation for Young Children.
- Dr Donncha Hanna, Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in Psychology, Queen's University Belfast.
- Dr Ruth Hunter, Reader/Associate Professor in Public Health, Queen's University Belfast.
- Professor Frank Kee, Professor of Public Health, Queen's University Belfast.
- Professor James Leckman, Neison Harris Professor in the Child Study Center and Professor of Pediatrics
Yale University. - Dr Mandi Macdonald, Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Social Work, Queen's University Belfast.
- Dr Katrina McLaughlin, Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Developmental Psychology, Queen's University Belfast.
- Dr Phuong Pham, Assistant Professor at the Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard University. - Dr Angelica Ponguta, Associate Research Scientist in the Child Study Center, Yale University.
- Dr Jennifer Roberts, Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Education, Queen's University Belfast.
- Dr Laura Taylor, Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Psychology, University College Dublin.
- Dr Patrick Vinck, Assistant Professor, Global Health and Population, T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health
Harvard University. - Pauline Walmsley, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Early Years - The Organisation for Young Children.
- Dr Karen Winter, Professor of Children's Social Care, Queen's University Belfast.
- Professor Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Courtney Sale Ross University Professor of Globalization and Education at Steinhardt, Applied Psychology, New York University.
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Country Teams
Colombia
- Alejandro Acosta, International Center for Education and Human Development Foundation (CINDE), Colombia
- Cristina Alvarez, International Center for Education and Human Development Foundation (CINDE), Colombia
- Dr Ernesto Duran, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia
- Dr Alba Lucy Guerrero, Associate Professor, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
Egypt
- Inas Hegazi, UNICEF Office, Egypt
- Dr Hania Sholkamy, American University in Cairo, Egypt
- Dr Lamiaa Mohsen, Professor of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Cairo University, Egypt
Kyrgyzstan
- Chinargul Dzhumagulova, UNICEF Office, Kyrgyzstan
- Nurlan Choibekov, Researcher, Kyrgyzstan
- Dinara Dautova, Researcher, Kyrgyzstan
- Dr Saikal Ibraimova, Osh State University, Kyrgyzstan
Mali
- Joa Keis, UNICEF Country Office, Mali
- Professor Seydou Doumbia, Professor of Epidemiology, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Mali
- Dr Issaka Sagara, Senior Researcher, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Mali
- Yaya Togo, Researcher, University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako, Mali
Palestine
- Dr Ali Shaar, Director, Palestinian Child Institute, An-Najah National University, Palestine
Tajikistan
- Jamshed Kurbonov, UNICEF Country Office, Tajikistan
Timor Leste
- Leotes Helin, UNICEF Country Office, Timor Leste
- Toshiko Takahashi, UNICEF Country Office, Timor Leste
- Professor Antero Benedito Da Silva, National University of Timor Leste (UNTL), Timor Leste
- Leonardo Soares, Researcher, National University of Timor Leste (UNTL), Timor Leste
- Dulce Martins Da Silva, Researcher, National University of Timor Leste (UNTL), Timor Leste
Viet Nam
- Friday Nwaigwe, UNICEF Country Office, Viet Nam
- Pablo Stansbery, UNICEF Country Office, Viet Nam
- Anh Lan, UNICEF Country Office, Viet Nam
- Dr Hien Thi Thu Phan, HoChiMinh University of Pedagogy, Viet Nam
- Dr Yen Thi Hoang Nguyen, National Institute of Education Management, Viet Nam
- Ha Song Vu, Centre for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population, Viet Nam
Early Childhood Peace Consortium
We are a partner of the Early Childhood Peace Consortium, a global movement working towards greater investment in high quality ECD programmes to promote sustainable peace.